I always find it interesting how people communicate. Regardless, if it’s in person, snail mail or email communication is an art. “The art of communication is the language of leadership.”- James Humes

I enjoy observing people and it intrigues me how business people interact. It’s interesting that although technology has changed continuously, there are tried and true practices that are relevant in today’s world of communication in business as well.  It’s a mix of old and new it would appear.

Double Check Spelling

I treat my outgoing email the same as a letter. First, I double check and make sure the recipient name is spelled correctly, first and foremost. Although mistakes can happen, receiving an email where your name is spelled wrong or addressed incorrectly, might be perceived as not so good. My name has been misspelled quite often.

Do’s and Don’ts

In the subject line, clear and direct and addressing concerns or information. Short and sweet.

Make sure that your address is professional not personal. They’ll be able to see it’s from you and it’s of business nature, not wonder who sent the email.  

Keep the font, size and color as classic as possible. It’s easier to read and in business, black is a safe color choice for correspondence.

Best Closing? Cheers to you.

Reading emails is a daunting task at times. Would it interest you to know there’s a way that could improve the chance of a response? This interested me. I was reading an article that shared Boomerang had reviewed over 350,000 email threads. They found certain closings delivered higher response rates. Interesting, right? They also ran another test, looking for a question mark, which meant the sender was looking for a reply.

Here’s the fun part. Which of these closings did the data prove to be most effective for replies?

Sincerely         Cheers

Warmly           Thanks

Regards           Best

Take care         Ciao

Talk soon         Your initials

Looking forward to your thoughts

(No closing at all)

Wait for it. The closings that expressed gratitude. Thank you, or any variation of, received more responses than other “popular” endings. Emails that ended in Thanks in advance had a 65.7 response rate. Thanks; 63 percent response rate, Thank you; 57.9 percent response rate.

The article by Inc., shared the worst ways to end emails as well. Interesting, that Regards or Best might not be such a good idea to close with. Best was the worst performer of them all.

One final thought. The Business Insider also mentioned that EVERY electronic message leaves a trail. When writing an email or any other correspondence, think about the tone and the information being sent so there isn’t anything that could be “ruinous to you or harmful to others.” It’s always better to air on the side of caution. It’s that old-school adage, better to be safe than sorry still rings true.

Thanking you in advance,

Tracey

We’ve driven past the sign so many times. I kept thinking that it would be interesting to have the time to follow the signs. Day after day, I’d see that red sign and think the same thing. 

Finally, the girls and I were on our way home the one afternoon and Meridian had the day off. We decided to go find this place. We went into the wrong building at first. Anyone who knows me is laughing right about now. I admit to being geographically challenged, at times. I realized the signs were actually pointing west. So, I followed them. We turned down an alley and there it was!  Now, this adventure looked like it was going to be fun and I had my daughters with me. Alright, alright, alriiiight!

We pulled up, parked and admired the unique artistry on the outside of the building. It looked to be an upbeat store, no doubt. When you enter Found By The Pound, the music is playing in the background and you are immediately greeted and made to feel welcome. I’ve been shopping in the past but this was different. I felt at ease and relaxed. As we walked and looked around, I noticed leather jackets, coats, jeans, shirts, sweaters. What really caught my eye was a dark denim moto jacket that was Sherpa lined.  I also noticed the walls and the floor. Very creative and I liked it. The floors are spray painted with words like love, peace, vintage and retro. The walls had musical notes and photos. One photo is of Audrey Hepburn.  I felt very comfortable as I browsed and enjoyed the shopping experience.

We did have a good time looking at the selection that has something for everyone. I found a pair of cotton leggings. It’s kind of ironic.  Printed on the back is Las Vegas. I lived there for many years. I traveled a long way just to find those ya know. Meridian found a very nice black leather jacket that will most definitely keep her warm as the days get colder. It’s so soft and in excellent condition. Hals found many things. She found two pair of boots.  She chose the one pair of semi platform black leather boots. They reminded me of the 70’s. I liked the 70’s. She informed me that they were very cool. I said yes, I get that because they were really cool back then. I explained the classic, black suede boot with a pointed toe will always be in style. Nope, not having it.  She chose the platforms. Guess whose black suede, classic, pointed toe boots she wore at a fashion shoot? You guessed it. Mine. She needed a coat for winter and chose a tan coat with a fur collar.

This was an incredible experience might I say. It's a great find. The selection of clothing that they have and offer to the community is fantastic. Being new to the area, we really enjoyed our shopping experience at Found By The Pound. If you live in St. Louis, you owe it to yourself to go in and say hello and shop. They charge $3.00 a pound and they weigh the items at the checkout counter. So, not only is it a fun, pleasant experience, it’s easy on your wallet. I can tell you this much. I have found a new place to shop, where the people are friendly, the clothes are nice and the atmosphere, a pleasure. 

You can follow Found By The Pound on IG and FB as well. They’re located off 170 and Hanley Road at 6740 Romiss Ct., Berkeley, Mo 63134. When you get off at Hanley Road, at the first stop light, make a left and you’ll see the red and white signs. Trust me, follow them.