As PR pros, we have to work fast. We often have tight deadlines, clients who rely on us to respond quickly and multiple activities that we’re juggling at once.
Unfortunately, when we work quickly, it can often mean that little mistakes get made—and as communications professionals, little mistakes can be costly, especially when we’re speaking with high-profile client contacts, prospects and members of the media.
Before you hit "send" on an email or pick up the phone to call a client or reporter, make sure you follow these three tips to avoid a misstep that could damage your relationship.
1. Be an Email Expert: Accidentally sending an email to the wrong client or a half-baked pitch to a reporter, one that has the wrong name, no subject line, a forgotten attachment or messy formatting (color and font inconsistencies), is embarrassing and will damage your client and journalist relationships. You can avoid the “sent too soon” email trap by following a few simple guidelines.
When you draft an email, enter the recipient’s email address last. If you are replying to an email, remove the address and re-insert it after you’ve drafted the response. If you enter the email address last, you’ll be forced to proofread and won’t risk hitting send by mistake. Also, employ the “undo send” (Gmail) or “email recall” (Outlook) functions on your email platform. That way you still have the option of taking back what you sent as a last resort.
Read entire article 3 Tips to Avoid Costly Mistakes When Rushing Through Email at PR News Online
This Biz Tip brought to you by Tammy "the traveler" Sapp