Feedback and Comments on a Few Relevant Issues

I receive a variety of email messages from people with questions, comments, and complaints. I reply to everything that I receive and some of these queries and remarks have sparked topics in my newsletters. Today, I have taken a few diverse subjects on which I want to expand, as they are all quite important for anyone who is trying to correspond with customers. The first is an issue which should cause all of you some anxiety – managing your day-to-day communications in a lucid fashion. Secondly, I was assailed in regard to suggestions I made in the last newsletter in regard to the tedious task of rehearsing presentations. I have added some clarifications and expanded on that subject. The question of English usage has brought people to the dueling ground and the courtroom – so I must defend my honor here as well.

GETTING YOUR CUSTOMER-DIRECTED EMAIL EDITED – STRAIGHT AND TO THE POINT

Some time ago, I received the following note from Yair, the CEO at a small and very successful company.

“Dear Larry

You remind me my old mother, very old that was an English teacher. During the years that I grew up she always had the tendency to take an educational approach were she was continuously correcting my English.

Now I am a bit old  to start from scrap but correcting letters and documents (mine and other colleagues) is definitely something that will always improve our image among (not between..) our vendors and clients.

Please send me an offer were we will send you e-mails and letter for corrections and improvements before dispatching to the final destinations.”

We can learn a lot from Yair. He understands the critical importance of having precise content and accurate language in communications with vendors and customers. I would not want to even provide a rough guess of how few Israeli companies take this issue seriously. I suppose it is part of that over-zealous, gung-ho image that we have about ourselves. The dreadful impression created by sloppy and incoherent writing can be extremely detrimental and can have a negative effect on commercial dealings.

Well I have a solution for you. I recently met Beverley Yohanan who, as a profession, translates urgent business communications and edits email messages and other commercial documents. Beverley’s slogan is “Turn Your Emails Into Business Letters” and she writes: “Are you sure there are no embarrassing mistakes in the important document that you have just written? Some mistakes are funny, others are embarrassing. If you don’t take your writing seriously, how will the reader know that you are serious about the service or product you’re providing? Don’t assume that because the other person’s English is bad, you don’t have to worry about the quality of your language. A badly written letter can lead to misunderstandings, can harm negotiations, and can affect a business deal. This is why important documents and emails must be translated or edited by a professional.”

I believe that this speaks for itself. Beverley can be reached at 052-7702233 or 04-6558446. Her email address is
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BARAK OBAMA, PUBLIC SPEAKING AND THE FEAR OF GOD

In response to my last newsletter, Cynthia wrote:

“Acquiring Barak Obama’s poise and speaking presence has more to do with acquiring three teleprompters, like he always has at his sides. Most of your audience will not have that advantage when making their presentations and so your instruction to practice is a valuable one IF the practice is done in the presence of a native or proficient English speaker, who can guide, correct and advise. Practicing poor English grammar and garbled pronunciation into your shaving mirror is not going to help improve the presenter nor the presentation.”

First off, Barak Obama can, under the worst possible circumstances, look you in the eye, without losing his cool, and deliver a great speech. He does not need teleprompters. That being said, I am willing to wager that none of us have that wonderful ability when facing the public. Cynthia is absolutely right. You should practice your presentation with an audience of at least one native English speaker. He/she can correct your grammar, syntax, intonation and general speaking posture. In addition, I strongly suggest that you first give your complete presentation to a good editor who understands your field. After your text has been corrected you can start annoying your neighbors. By the way, writing and editing presentations are services that I offer to my clients.

Also, I have started writing a piece on contending with the fear of public speaking. It will appear in one of my coming newsletters.

THE QUEEN AND THE EX-COLONIALS

Kim commented:

“You write: Unless your documents are intended exclusively for the UK, I would recommend using American spelling. Why? Why not: Unless your documents are intended exclusively for the US, I would recommend using British spelling. Far more people around the world come from a country or region where their formal/school education is influenced by the British (as opposed to the Americans).”

English is a difficult language to learn. It is horribly irregular in spelling and pronunciation. It has been subjected to more than a thousand years of external influences – the forced imposition of French (1066 and all that), shifts in pronunciation after spelling became fixed, the linguistic influence of Latin, and a huge importation of foreign words as a result of colonialism. English is a mishmash. The Americans have tried to simplify spelling and I am all in favor. Furthermore, American English is certainly the language of preference in most business circles. That is the bottom line as far as I am concerned. But, it is not a big deal. Use whatever spelling you prefer, but make absolutely certain that it is correct and consistent.

The queen’s official birthday was on 13 June. Although she turned 83 in April, the “trooping of the colour” is put off every year until June because of the dreadful British weather. I use the British spelling here as I do not want to raise the wrath of those anglophiles who are still faithfully hanging on to their spelling. Maybe it has something to do with the weather!