Tech Etiquette 101

I am no Emily Post, but someone needs to lay down the law on what is cool and NOT cool when it comes to using technology and conducting business at the same time.

With so many "gadgets" flooding the marketplace, and with many of us carrying multiple devices (I count four on my desk and in my bag at this moment), the line between what is acceptable business behavior and poor business behavior has blurred a bit. From a selling perspective, I have a few ideas for using technology while doing business. Check it out:

Mobile Phones
It all started with mobile phones... pagers were not that bad, all you could do was look at an incoming number and pretend like you were Jack Bauer (the president is calling, terrorists have taken over the lunch room and drank someone's Mountain Dew, can you come take them out, maybe torture them a little bit so they won't go in the fridge again.)

When mobile phones saturated the marketplace, not only could you look at a number, but you could even answer the phone and tell the caller you were in an important meeting and you needed to call them back. (You'd never answer your phone during an important meeting would you? Yes you would. It happens everyday in business.)

Here is my advice... never bring your phone to an initial contact opportunity, presentation, final closing or any other important meeting. DO NOT HAVE YOUR PHONE ON YOUR PERSON. Notice I did not say put your phone on vibrate, stun, quiet mode or even turn it off. Do not bring it with you period. Your presentation is the most important thing you could be doing. Don't risk diminishing your message by having a phone ring or vibrate.

Never look at a ringing, vibrating mobile phone when presenting or in a meeting. If it does ring, turn it off but don't look at the incoming call number! If it does vibrate, ignore it all together.

If you really want to make points with a client or friend and have forgotten to NOT bring your phone to a meeting, take it out and turn it off in front of them and throw it in your bag, briefcase or purse and tell them "this is important and I am going to turn off my phone so it doesn't bother us. Nice touch.

Refrain from engaging in important conversations when driving for the same reason. If you are concentrating on driving then you cannot concentrate on the important points of selling. Casual calls are fine (if your state has no laws against using mobile phones while driving), but important calls are not cool. Try this the next time someone calls you or calls you back and it's important:

"Ron, this is really important and I can't give you the attention you deserve because I'm not at the office yet. Let me pull over and I'll call you right back and we can cover everything." Again, nice touch. I don't risk ramming the car in front of me, I get to focus on my client or future client and as a bonus, I just projected an image of responsibility and caring to the other party. Try it.

As a side note, don't carry on long-term conversations on your mobile phone in waiting rooms (doctors, dentists etc) or waiting in lines (banks Taco Bell etc), no one cares about your idle conversations. Take the call, do your business and order your Chulupas... life moves on.


Laptops
I have two computers in my office. A desktop that I do heavy work on and a laptop that I travel with and use for email and to write with. Everyday I have someone walk in my office while I am typing and there is always a slight delay before I look up and acknowledge them. Depending on who it is and what they want, I may not even look up and just continue to hammer the keys... not good.

Always close your laptop when talking with someone who is not on their own laptop, i.e. someone walks into your office and interrupts you. It shows respect for the person and their issue. You don't have to close it all the way, by just shutting it enough where you can't see the screen you can now focus and project that you are interested in the conversation.

Email
Don't put anything in writing that you don't want others to see... anything. Don't use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS and don't use all lower case letters. I think this whole email thing has caught on as a major business form of communication, so use correct grammar. (Save lower case, abbreviations and "code" such as LOL - whatever that means, for Instant Messaging where almost anything is acceptable.) LOL.

A major issue in our company is getting people to respond to email. Since email is almost like a conversation, always repsond to insure that both parties know where the "conversation" stands. For example, if I say "I'll meet you tomorrow morning at 8:30am" and you don't reply. How do I know you read the message? Always respond: "Got it" "I'll be there" "okay" etc. Don't over do it, just do it!

Text Messaging and Instant Messaging
No need to use proper grammar when sending text messages or instant messages. Fire away and do it quick! Be smart when using text messaging in a business setting. Don't digress 20 years and think your passing notes in chemistry class, remember, don't say anything in a text message that you don't want someone else to see. Like email, text messages can be forwarded to other people, printed or saved for a later date. You don't want to be forced to decline your party's presidential nomination because you asked Sally in the next cubicle something stupid while sending a text message. STAY FOCUSED ON BUSINESS.

"CET" Overload
This one is for all you Treo and BlackBerry users out there... I coined the phrase "CET" for Call, Email or Text. Refrain from "CET'ing" during important activities, such as initial contact, presentation, final closing, at the dinner table, in church or while ordering your Tall, Decaf Mochachino. There are so many options on your device that you might forget that the world continues to spin while your thumbs are moving a mile a minute. Snap out of it! Business and life will happen without you weighing in on every issue and event so chill out. As Jim Rohn says "where ever you are - be there."

Here's a toast to a new you and I hope some of these ideas help you manage the onslaught of technology while you do business and just try to live. Now if your phone is attached to your head and you have to make a call everytime you get in your car, go see a professional, words alone will not cure you.

TK