The American Saddlebred Horse Association’s (ASHA’s) Marketing Committee is pleased to present a feature to aid the ASHA membership in public relations best practices. This feature is written by Ray Drasnin, founder of Purple Penguin PR in San Diego, CA.

Today it’s true more than ever – communication is everything. Every introduction is a potential business deal. And every missed connection is a missed opportunity. The communication game has changed, and now we must be more selective with our words than ever before. This digital age comes with a virtual trail leading right back to your email, phone, social media, and even finances. Trust me, no one is safe.

So how does one prevent this inevitable “bite in the butt?”

1. Before you email/text/post/blog/say anything at all, ask yourself, “How would this look on the front page of the New York Times?” If you’d be embarrassed or would be placing yourself and/or others at risk, PUT THE DEVICE DOWN.
2. Proofread everything. You could offer the most intelligent, creative idea, but the second you commit a grammatical error or spelling mistake, you lose all credibility. It’s just not worth it.
3. On that note, research the spelling of names and companies. It’s as simple as a Google search– everyone has an online presence these days; there is no excuse. Spelling a word incorrectly is bad enough, but if you misspell a person’s name or company, that is even worse.  It’s downright disrespectful. Think about it—how would you feel?
4. Always double check the email address and contacts that you’re about to send that snooty remark to. Let’s be real, we all do it. But you’re going to regret it when you hit “send” and notice your boss’s email address in your outbox. Oops.

And lastly,

5. In every situation, BE NICE. People are far more responsive to kindness than sarcasm.  If you’re trying to get help, cut a deal, pitch a story or even get hired – nice guys finish first.

Now get out there, be careful and stay a step ahead of technology.