Automated invitations
There are a number of products that automate
meeting invitations. These products also provide the capability to include
attachments, messages, or other information. The products also have requests
for providing acceptance, refusal, or deferring. Netiquette considerations
should be practiced as though these are regular emails.
When to send email invitations
The best times to send emails, in
particular email invitations, are not likely to ever be universally agreed upon.
Many people will agree that Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 7:30 and 8:30
a.m. are best. These times are likely to have the least amount of backup
correspondences. Additionally, reaching “early birds” at their computers is
likelier. Finally, these times will have fewer meetings, appointments, or
events started. If someone is en route to work or their office, they will see arriving email
via their phone[JL1] .
If previous communications exist, one
can make note as to when a responder has sent replies. The best procedure is to
schedule these times to the sender with calendar reminders or software
schedulers. For example, if a recipient has sent emails during evening hours,
this would be prime time for attempting to connect. There are some users who
are often online at work, late, early, weekends, and even holidays.
Responding to email invitations
There are many important Netiquette
basics to maintain in a reply to an email invitation. It should be emphasized
that a prompt response is tantamount when replying to such an email, in
particular when there are multiple attendees.
Some useful Netiquette tips
- If an offline meeting has been scheduled, it is best to follow up a meeting’s being scheduled by an immediate email. Requesting a confirmation is a necessity.
- The inviter should send a confirmation email the day before an appointment. If the appointment is in two weeks or more, a reminder should be sent every 7–10 business days
- If a meeting attendee is required to travel, this should be stated in a confirmation email with a cut–off date/time for cancellation.
- Confirmations should include the specifics of a meeting, not just a plain statement.
- Provide reasonable lead time in scheduling appointments, particularly for those with multiple attendees.
- Focus the time, date, and location to best accommodate everyone required to be there, or those who typically have less available time.
- If an appointment has high importance for any of the attendees, it is essential to state this clearly in all of the correspondence.
- If travel expense or extended effort is necessary, a cancellation deadline should be politely stated.
- In current times with fewer meetings occurring, it is financially important that all details and items be thoroughly and explicitly clear.
10. Specify all items
attendees should or are expected to bring.
11. Items to show in
all email appointments include the following:
i.
Location
with street address, floor, and room number
ii.
Time
(identify time zone) with day of the week, date
iii.
Expected
duration with hard stop times, if any
iv.
Directions,
maps or how to get them
v.
Dress
code
vi.
Accessibility,
parking
vii.
A
URL or attachment with directions
viii.
Location
accessibility, including alternate phone numbers
12. Send reminder messages. Include date and time
in the subject field. Get to the point and provide a means of contact, similar
to what one would do when making an appointment.
In addition to this blog, I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, " Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:
www.amazon.com/author/paulbabicki
If you would like to listen to experts in all aspects of Netiquette and communication, try my radio show on BlogtalkRadio and an online newsletter via paper.li.I have established Netiquette discussion groups with Linkedin and Yahoo. I am also a member of the International Business Etiquette and Protocol Group and Minding Manners among others. I regularly consult for the Gerson Lehrman Group, a worldwide network of subject matter experts and I have been contributing to the blogs Everything Email and emailmonday . My work has appeared in numerous publications and I have presented to groups such as The Breakfast Club of NJ Rider University and PSG of Mercer County, NJ.
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