5 Tips on Excellent Texting Manners
Texting is a wonderful aspect of today’s communication technology. It allows just one more way for people to stay connected. Whether for business or pleasure, everyone seems to be benefiting from the use of mobile phone messaging.
What you don’t want is to become so distracted with texting that you disregard everyone and everything going on around you and become a text offender. Follow these tips to ensure that you do not make others feel you are ignoring them, or worse, that they don’t even exist.
- Don’t text in front of people you are in the company of. When you are with someone, you should give them your full attention. Texting would be just as inconsiderate as talking on your phone while in the presence of another person.
- Do not become a serial texter. Keep in mind that other people have lives just like you do and they may not be able to respond to your text messages immediately. There will be times when people do not have their phones with them or are not in a position to respond. Exercise patience and wait for their reply.
- Avoid 007 encryption and the use of code. Spell words out. You don’t want the person receiving your text to have to spend hours trying to decipher what you are trying to say.
- No sneaky texting under the table. You may think you are being surreptitious, but your guest knows what you are doing because such distractions break the flow of conversation.
- Sign your name. It is probably fair to assume that not all of your family, friends and colleagues are clairvoyant, so it’s a good idea to sign your text messages. You can go into your phone settings and set up an automatic signature. This will ensure your recipients know exactly who they are responding to.
Although this list is far from complete, hopefully by following these basic guidelines, you will minimize the chance of offending those you prefer to keep in your social network.
Wishing you much happiness and success!
Patricia Rossi, America’s Etiquette and Protocol Coach, www.patriciarossi.com
