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Network etiquette is
understood to be one basic rule: show consideration for
the other party online.
Until now, the edict has
been written mostly from the point of view of
relationships between individuals, or between businesses
and consumers.
One important group has
often been overlooked: business-to-business (B2B).
It is for this group that
etiquette plays the most crucial part. The slightest
improper behavior online can ruin a good business
opportunity.
Business-to-business
etiquette is a growing, evolving behavior model for how
to present oneself and represent one's company when
networking online.
The guidelines were
established from no central source but through a
collaborative process that grew along with the Internet.
Where Businesses Fail
Business operators new to
the Web are eager to solicit prospects and partnerships
online but are generally ignorant about how to go about
it professionally.
Without knowledge of B2B
etiquette, your actions can be taken for rudeness or
incompetence, leaving the other party with a poor
impression of your company.
Whether you solicit new
partnerships or seek to maintain and build relationships
with current businesses, the key is to prevent
misunderstanding and not give offense.
When sending e-mail:
Can the urge to be
creative. Avoid using multiple fonts, size and colors.
No HTML or rich media, either. Keep it all in plain
text.
Keep it punctual. Don't
speak at excessive length. Don't use jargon or talk with
an overly hip attitude. For your signature file, don't
use cute quotes (unless it happens to be the slogan of
your business).
Watch your tone. Don't
speak in terms of how great you think your company is.
Speak from the point of view of the other business to
say, "Look what we can do for you."
Size matters. Don't tie
up people's e-mail by sending large, unsolicited
attachments. If you have to send a large file, give
warning, check on a time most appropriate to send it,
such as before or after regular working hours, or send
it in segments.
Use discretion. Something
that might seem funny to you might be patently offensive
to someone else. Even if the person on the other end has
no problem with what you're sending, other people in
their office could glance at the offending message. If
you're that inclined to show or tell the person what you
have, ask for a nonbusiness e-mail address you can send
it to where they can review it with more privacy.
Link Requests
Planning to feature a
hyperlink on your page to a business site? Proper
etiquette involves giving the site owners notice.
Explain why you would like to feature them on your site,
where you plan to feature them, and the description you
plan on using with their link.
If you're soliciting
another company to link to your site, provide some
background information. Give a brief introduction, a
description on your company, and how your site would be
a benefit to the prospect's audience.
Make sure your link has
relevance to the other company's site. If yours is a car
company, you shouldn't solicit a Web design company for
a link. Offer something in return, such as a reciprocal
link, that is, you linking to the other site as well,
and/or some specific comments about that site.
It doesn't leave the
solicited with a good impression if you expect something
and offer nothing. A generic link request is about the
worst thing you can do. It shows you have nothing to say
about the site, and yet you expect its operator to do
something for you.
Free Advice
There's nothing wrong
with asking your colleagues for advice, but expecting
free business advice from people you don't know
personally — and for your own business gain — is a
very touchy issue.
If you are set on asking
a company or an individual whom you've never met for
advice, handle yourself with the greatest care.
Introduce yourself; give your profession and or skill
background (if you're a student, mention where and what
you are studying); explain why you need the advice and
how you plan to use it.
To make a better
impression, mention an interest in the person's site or
works, and what you found there to be helpful or
interesting.
Most importantly, before
you ask for any advice, search the Web site first —
then the search engines and directories — to see if
the answer is there.
Even if the business
doesn't have the answer readily available, showing that
you put in an effort will make its owners more open to
referring you to another site that might have the
information you seek.
Services, With Strings
Attached
If you're soliciting
another business to provide you with services, it's
incredibly rude to expect a work commitment without a
contractual arrangement. Some common examples are:
- Telling a business
owner to look at your Web site or your other online
works, and asking what would improve them.
- Expecting business
owners to create a few samples so they can wait for
your decision.
- Offering to pay for
work based on increased revenue, such as pay for
performance. If you want some assurance as to work
and service quality, look at a portfolio and ask for
references.
B2B etiquette means
knowing how to present yourself online with the same
degree of formality and professionalism you would in a
face-to-face meeting.
The next time you attempt
relations with a new business, stop to think how the
person on the other end is likely to receive your
communication. Put yourself in those shoes and ask,
"What kind of impression do I make?"
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