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How to choose the right computer equipment for your business to increase your productivity and efficiency without it costing the earth.

Business software helps you complete a range of tasks. Choose the right software, provide support and train your staff with our introduction.

It is highly likely that you depend on the internet for some aspects of your business. Find out how you can use the internet more effectively.

Good communication with customers, partners and suppliers is vital for business success. This summary explores business communication methods.

How would you cope if your IT system failed or was breached? We cover the main IT security issues and how to protect against them.

Good IT management can help you choose, use and implement IT. Our overview helps you manage IT in a way that maximises the return on your investment.

IT support is vital if you rely on your IT system. But how can you set up an effective safety net in case things go wrong? We explore the options.

Getting the right IT is just the first step. Appropriate training, policies and working practices can help you maximise return on your IT investment.

Ten ways to use email effectively

Email is still the default communication tool for many businesses. Sending an email is quick, simple and cheap. But it can present all manner of pitfalls, from bad impressions created by sloppy grammar to problems caused by hitting 'Send' before thinking your message through or checking you have the right recipients. Here are ten tips to help you use email more effectively

  1. Keep your emails brief. It's more difficult to read from a screen than from a printed document, so use short paragraphs and bullet points to break up text and highlight key points. Use a clear title in the subject line and don't resort to capital letters for emphasis - this can appear rude, or as though you're shouting.
  2. Know your audience. Corresponding with customers probably requires a more formal tone than emailing colleagues. If in doubt, avoid using over-familiar terms of address, and steer clear of text-speak and symbols that look like facial expressions - both can come across as unprofessional.
  3. Proof-read your emails. Emails with spelling mistakes or lazy grammar make your business look slapdash, and bad punctuation can make messages difficult to read. Re-reading as if you are the recipient will help you send a more effective message and avoid misunderstandings.
  4. Avoid sending unnecessary attachments. These tend to annoy recipients and clog up inboxes. If you have large or multiple files to send, compress or 'zip' them. Avoid passing on viruses by making sure you have up-to-date security software.
  5. Respond to emails swiftly. With important mail, send a brief acknowledgement ahead of a full response. Avoid flagging your own mail as 'Urgent' or requesting 'Read' receipts unless absolutely necessary.
  6. Stop and think before you press 'Send'. Never send an email in anger and don't send anything that you wouldn't be comfortable seeing published - emails do not always end up where you intend them to go. Remember, it may be more appropriate to speak on the phone or in person.
  7. Don't pass on junk mail. Spam is never welcome so it's best to delete junk email.
  8. Blind copy with care. Try not to get into the habit of concealing recipients from one another for deceptive reasons using the 'blind copy' (bcc) facility - it is underhand and could harm your business relationships. On the other hand, you should use blind copy if you are sending a message to a number of people who don't know each other and would appreciate having their email addresses kept private or where you do not have permission to share your contacts' email addresses.
  9. Use a clear, concise email signature. Record your name, job title, company address, website and contact details at the bottom of your emails to look serious and professional. Keep layout simple and don't use fancy fonts, colours or graphics - these can look unprofessional.
  10. Consider a disclaimer. Adding a disclaimer to the end of your emails may protect your business from liability if your employees make defamatory statements in messages.

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