< back to blog

Do’s and Don’ts of Text Message Etiquette Rules for B2B Communications

Don’ts:

  1. Don’t use abbreviations if you don’t have to. Not everyone knows what “OMG” means.
  2. Don’t text while having a face-to-face conversation. It’s always rude and makes the other person feel like you are not interested.
  3. Don’t text while listening to a speaker or presenter. It is rude and it sends the wrong message about you and the group you are part of.
  4. Don’t text questions that require long explanations. It’s a burden on the recipient. Keep it to short answers like yes, no, 9pm, etc…
  5. Don’t be sarcastic or ironic. Those sentiments do not convey well via text.

Bonus: Don’t write in ALL CAPS, just like in email, it’s the digital equivalent of shouting.

Do’s:

  1. Do send a text when all you are looking for is a simple direct answer.
  2. Do send a text when you don’t want to interrupt the recipient.
  3. Do text when you have something of value or truly worth it to share.
  4. Be polite and courteous in your messages no matter how short they are.
  5. Do help the recipient answer your question by providing options or selections from a multiple choice. Ex. Are we seeing Spiderman at 9pm or 11pm? If so, do we meet at Starbucks at 8:30pm or 10:30pm. Reply example: Spiderman, Starbucks at 8:30pm.

Bonus: Do not text after 10pm in a business setting. Most of us have our mobile phones near us when we sleep and a late text can wake us.