Augusta, Georgia -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/21/2006 -- Good business communication is part art, part science and part common courtesy. In “Mind Your Manners: A Lesson in Communication Etiquette” (available at http://www.EmphasisOnSuccess.com), Accent staff writer Lori Davis tackles garbled voice mail and mangled e-mail — and gives a few simple tips to put them back on track. Among her suggestions: Slow down on recorded phone messages and include enough information so the person you’ve contacted knows how to help. On e-mail, be sure your message is clear and concise with no misspelled words, no unnecessary capitalization and no emoticons. And beware all those exclamation points!

“In this fast-paced world, it's easy to overlook the importance of e-mail and voice communication, not only with our clients but also in business-to-business contact,” notes Davis, owner of Davis Virtual Assistants (http://www.DavisVA.com), a firm specializing in administrative support and website technical services. “Still, our tendency to abuse the two most common forms of communication — telephone and e-mail — leads to frustration on the part of the recipient. Accent's March issue tackles this critical topic.”

This month’s entire edition is devoted to the many ways small business owners stay in touch with clients, colleagues and the world. Readers will also find articles on:

• Information accessibility: good, bad or just plain ugly?
• The convenience and cost effectiveness of Web-based training
• The value of virtual assistant message boards: industry leaders weigh in
• Avoiding those nasty digital communication pitfalls
• How VoIP works — and is it for you?

Readers can check out the current issue at http://www.EmphasisOnSuccess.com as well as review previous editions. They may also subscribe to Accent so the next issue arrives directly in their inboxes.

Next month the Accent news team will focus on security. Look for articles on computer safety, confidentiality and the challenges of getting through the airport. Accent will also publish Part II of its series on the Brenner Information Group’s 2004 study of the virtual assistance industry.

Started in summer 2005, Accent delivers information, resources and solutions that enable virtual professionals and small business owners to excel in today’s marketplace. The e-zine was developed by the Accent News Group, a network of virtual entrepreneurs that volunteers its expertise to help other business owners succeed. Because members want to be an independent, informed voice for small business, the Accent News Group is not affiliated with any company or organization.

Current members of the Accent news team are

Editor: Evalyn (Evy) Williams, Brochures By Design.com (http://www.BrochuresByDesign.com)
Assistant Editor: Dawn Mills Fowler, Your Home Office (http://www.virtual-assistant.us/)
Technical Writer: Tom Lamm, Osage Enterprises (http://www.osageinc.com)
Writer: Ramona Goutiere, Goutiere Professional Business Services (http://www.GetGPBS.com)
Writer: Lori Davis, Davis Virtual Assistants (http://www.DavisVA.com)

Their specialties include professional writing, desktop publishing, Internet marketing, website development and administration, cross cultural training, international security, administrative support services and nonprofit management.

To learn more about Accent, visit http://www.EmphasisOnSuccess.com or contact:

Evalyn (Evy) Williams
Accent News Group
Augusta, GA 30906
info@EmphasisOnSuccess.com
http://www.EmphasisOnSuccess.com
Phone: 011.706.294.0765