Business Etiquette This book teaches individuals how to represent their

ready to do
business 
on a moment’s notice? Whatever guidelines your
organization has set out, you can be sure that the way you
dress is a reflection of how credible you are perceived by
clients, vendors, investors and/or stockholders.
Ask yourself, “How would others describe your style of
dress at work?” Would it be “business professional”? Would

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42
Business Etiquette
it be “business casual”? Or might it even be (gasp!) “busi-
ness sloppy”?
Today in business, “looking the part” has definitely re-
surfaced as a priority in the eyes of many decision-makers.
Perhaps that’s why so many organizations are encouraging
their employees to wear “business ready” attire. Dressing
in a “business ready” mode means wearing clothes that en-
sure that you are one of the first individuals to come to
mind when your manager realizes he or she is double-
booked and needs an instant replacement for that upcom-
ing meeting. “Business ready” means never having to say
you’re sorry for how you look during a meeting.
In short, “business ready” attire means dressing for the
position you 
want 
rather than for the one you 
have
. It’s the
best (and most lucrative) approach to business attire, and
it’s one you should adopt 
whatever 
formal style guidelines
your organization promulgates.
Key point summar
Key point summar
Key point summar
Key point summar
Key point summaryyyyy
Š
Don’t pick clothes that reveal too much or
leave too little to the imagination. And when
in doubt, always err on the side of dressing
slightly more conservatively than the situation
demands.
Š
Keep accessories to a tasteful minimum.
Š
Avoid chintzy-looking accessories.
Š
If you’re the boss, make it clear exactly what
“business casual attire” means in your work-
place.

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43
Business Dress 101
Š
Avoid pointless conflicts—pull errant or in-
appropriately dressed employees aside, and
have a low-key “rules are rules” meeting about
company attire standards. (Make sure you
have a documented dress policy at hand.)
Š
Still stumped about what to wear? Try this
rule: Change your regular professional attire
by only a single garment.

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44
Business Etiquette

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45
Correspondence
Chapter 3
Correspondence:
Putting It Down in
Black and White
Š
45 
Š
“This morning I took out a comma and this
afternoon I put it back in again.”
—Oscar Wilde
t would certainly be nice if we all had the kind of sched-
ule that allowed for the leisurely approach to writing
that Mr. Wilde seemed prepared to follow. But in
today’s business world, where deadlines are tight, budgets
are tighter, and more people than ever act as their own
“secretary,” the truth is that we’re spread thinner than ever.
That means that we have to learn how to develop corre-
spondence that makes the right first impression—in a
hurry—and avoid the careless errors that can (and do) lose
business for organizations.
I

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46
Business Etiquette
In this chapter, you find out how to make sure the docu-
ments you prepare in a business setting look as sharp as
they possibly can. You’ll get important advice on using
proper English, formatting your letters and reports cor-
rectly, and addressing your intended reader in the right way.
You’ll also get some valuable advice on preparing and send-
ing communications via fax, e-mail, newsgroup postings, and
overnight courier.
Is it worth your while to bother about putting a comma
where it belongs? You’d better believe it is. Thankfully,
though, once you’ve assimilated the easy-to-follow, easy-
to-execute advice that appears here, you’ll be in a great
position to make your correspondence “letter perfect”—
without spending an entire day pondering a single sentence.
Tip #17
Tip #17
Tip #17
Tip #17
Tip #17
Br
Br
Br
Br
Brush up your English.
ush up your English.
ush up your English.
ush up your English.
ush up your English.
Many people place a high importance on a well-writ-
ten letter or document—and rightfully so. Not only does
proper grammar and spelling increase the likelihood of a
positive response to the message contained in any piece of
writing, it also demonstrates your own care and attention
to detail. If you send out a letter that is rife with misspell-
ings and grammatical errors, you will present yourself as
someone who doesn’t care enough to proofread—or sim-
ply doesn’t care about the basics of good writing.
Reacquaint yourself with the basic rules of grammar
and style. Read