Margaret Elmendorf   
I personally like the smileys. I vote that it shows personalization. And breaks down the impersonal nature of the internet.
Margie
Jul 12th 2007 16:04   

Robert McDaniel   Tax Professional
I guess I'm old school having spent over 30 years as a CPA. Cutesy is personal and business is business. While it is necessary to establish a relationship to succeed in business the big smiley guy is a bit over the top.
Jul 12th 2007 17:28   

Thea Westra   Adding Wings To Our Unique Life Journey!
I use smileys depending on the situation.

On occasion, print can be misinterpreted and if I believe that a line that I write could put the reader on the defensive then I might drop a smiley at the end to indicate that what I write is intended as 'tongue in cheek', not to be taken at face value or too seriously.

I may use smileys if a personal relationship has already been established. In my line of business I develop pretty personal connections with my clients.

A smiley can bring a message toward being less formal when I want that.
With any initial communications with clients and certainly in any formal business communications, I never use them. It also depends on your industry and how you want your industry to be perceived.

There is a time and place for everything. Use your own discretion and consider the impact on the reader and consider what it would do to your credibility, when writing or including anything in messages, emails, letters, articles etc.

I rarely. if ever, use the yellow smiley images. If I use smileys it will be a simple :)

Namaste, Thea
www.forwardsteps.com.au
Jul 12th 2007 17:45   

Ron W.   Administrator
I agree with Margie :) GEESH dont take the world so seriously,you never get out alive any way roffffffffffffff
Ron Withrow
Jul 12th 2007 17:47   

Joan F Nzerem   JustPrints10.99 an eBay Company
I think it helps in the form of repoire establishment. The problem is, and I really hear you with this one; is how the emoticon may be perceived.

Will it make you or break you. I suggest, if you use them be careful and choicy with the ones you decide to use.

I have never used them until recently. I was using my Skype Chat and I was chatting with someone I have established a great repoire with.

And when reading your BLOG it came to mind.



Jul 12th 2007 18:11   

Jamen M.   Information Technologist
I have been communicating online for many years - even got my Masters degree through a completely online program. At that time, the little yellow ball would never show up - it would just be the colon with the closing parentheses. I do not have a problem with people using them, and I myself do use them when appropriate. The problem is deciding what is appropriate and what is not.

Jamen
http://2390.leisureaudiosales.com/
Jul 12th 2007 18:48   

Coletha Browning   Runner Blogger
After reading some of the other responses I too agree you have to be really disearning with smiley faces. It all depends on your audience.
Jul 12th 2007 23:51   

Selya Rollins   Creative Imagery
I agree, its does show personalization, the internet can be so cold sometimes,
ease up a little bit.

Selya
Jul 13th 2007 07:47   

James L.  Advertiser
Smileys have come a far way, but I do not use them anymore.
Jul 13th 2007 09:18   

Michael Brock   
Wasup E'rybody,

My name is Michael & I just joined the group cuz of this post, so I guess I should comment on it....*smiles*....

I agree with most of what's been said so far in terms of using smiley's &/or other emoticons on a case by case basis.

But I do want to point out that sales / purchases are made on *emotion* more than anything else. So when used appropriately, emoticons can be the thing that makes the difference between a sale or not (can also include sign-ups, referrals, etc. 2).

That's all for now folks, and I hope e'rybody has a great weekend!

Best Wishes,

Michael Brock
A.k.a. Michael Brockefellerâ„¢ 1 & Mike B

P.S. Come by my APSense profile and say hi sometime, K?! And/or add me to your contacts list, if I'm not already there, and I will accept....*smiles*...

Jul 13th 2007 10:39   

Valerie Hasara   Marketing, Web Designer, Owner
Excellent point Michael, we are emotional buyers for sure. This is an advantage I had not thought of, and sometimes it doesn't take much.

Welcome to the group

Valerie

Jul 13th 2007 13:05   

Michael Brock   
Wasup Valerie,

And heya to the rest of the group 2!...*grinz-2-all*....

Thanx 4 the comps / props Valerie, i really 'preciate it! Esp. coming from the creator / author of such a large and evidently active APSense group, given your Group Honor Points & your own User Level status & all (KUDOS 2 U my new friend!). Now i'm really glad i joined - Haha!

Yeah, as i'm sure you can tell by now, i like using emotion / emoticons (when available) in my writing for the most part, esp. win socializing / Web 2.0 social netwerk'n like now... i find that it usu. helps break the ice & they say if u can make sumone laff, u gotta friend 4 life. And if they don't say it yet, i jus did & they will now, haha...*smiles*...!

But, o'course, there are times win it's strictly bizness & this is not appropriate as others have previously pointed out. Not to mention the myriad diverse cultures on the Internet & wide range of age groups as well. Each having their own etiquette (so to speak) with respect to this topic. The trick is in realizing the difference!...*cheez-grinz* & says...

Peace Out & God Bless,

Michael Brock
A.k.a. Michael Brockefellerâ„¢ 1 & Mike B


Jul 13th 2007 14:13   

Diane Cooke   
Plain text can be a bit bland and boring. On the other hand, with mobile phones and text messages people can harldy write or spell at all any more. (Shall I leave the typo in? I thought it was very funny.) Somebody recently said that adding exclamation marks makes the messages more interesting so I am trying it but am really of the old school that they don't belong. I suppose we usually also take into account the inflection in the voice of a speaker which we don't have with writing so use smiles etc. instead. :)
Jul 13th 2007 17:19   

Sher :)   
I think smileys are a must. How else can we add emotion/feelings to text.
:)

Jul 15th 2007 07:22   

Alvin E Johnson   Online Marketing Connection
I would like to add my position on the use of smileys. I'm old school. It has been proven in business writing emotional comments can create wrong impressions and cause itentions to be misunderstood. Many secretarial positions have been lost due to emotional comments made to clients in responding to requests and replying to responses. Clients have canceled due to emotional content in letters. Business writing is not the place for general respose and using smileys. These are more properly accepted for more personal enviroments and casual communications. Dating sites and chat environments are where they are more acceptable, or when messaging a friend. When it comes to serious business it is not considered tactful use.
Jul 16th 2007 08:29   

Karen Weir  Local Internet Advertising Consultant
Ah, don't be scared Valerie - he's harmless really.

I love the emotion icons on skype and use them all the time. The thing with written words is that they are missing some critical elements of communication... things like body language, and expression. In a personal chat situation, the icons help to put some of those missing elements back in... for example you can use the winky icon if you are making a sarcastic joke.

Of course there is a time and a place. I wouldn't use smileys in a business email - in fact I don't use them in email at all, but I think they are a great addition to IM conversations.

JMHO ~ Karen
Jul 16th 2007 11:51   

Bob Laibach  
Hi Valerie,

Don't be scared. He was designed for the exact opposite. You know to make you warm and fuzzy. lol

I do like to use them but not in business. If I send out and email or something and sign it (enjoy :)) it is usually because I found what I sent to be useful or humorous.

People do have a tendency to over-do things though. They use them everywhere thus making them obsolete. But until they go away I will continue to use them

Bob Laibach

Jul 16th 2007 15:38   

Beth Schmillen   

: ^ )

;^)(^;

; ^ )

Professional networking should never have superfluous and silly characters or smiley faces of any kind! Do not use elipses................ to the max!! Never try to be funny or overly friendly!!! Clear, concise, to the point, check spelling, and... you can always include you sig in the message or email or posting and if that is where you like to have an emoticon? Who'se to say that's wrong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jul 19th 2007 07:28