{"id":327,"date":"2020-10-14T08:00:43","date_gmt":"2020-10-14T08:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/?p=1323006"},"modified":"2020-10-14T08:00:43","modified_gmt":"2020-10-14T08:00:43","slug":"why-getting-peoples-names-wrong-is-costing-you-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=327","title":{"rendered":"Why getting peoples\u2019 names wrong is costing you money"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

My name is Yessi, which is short for Yessica \u2014 and yes, that\u2019s literally Jessica with a \u2018Y.\u2019 <\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not complicated, is it?<\/span><\/p>\n

Well, you think that but every day I get countless emails addressed to Yossi, Yassi, Yussi, Yesse, and Mr Yassi. <\/span><\/p>\n

The list goes on. <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/a>I\u2019ve been telling myself that this is a forgivable mistake because the \u2018a\u2019 and \u2018e\u2019 co-exist in close proximity in a keyboard. But I\u2019m over this.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/i><\/a>This is particularly fascinating. Why add an \u2018o\u2019 when you can stop at the \u2018i\u2019?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
<\/i><\/a>I give up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

[Read: Using jargon to sound smart? Science says you\u2019re just insecure<\/a>]<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve scrolled this far, congratulations \u2014 I hope it\u2019s given you some insight into what it\u2019s like to have a unique, different, or dare I say it, foreign-sounding moniker.<\/p>\n

Now, I\u2019m white and privileged and while I realize there are far bigger problems in the world, I can\u2019t even begin to tell you how frustrating it is to get an email when the sender hasn\u2019t even bothered to spell your name correctly.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it happens as a one-off, the sender realizes their mistake and they follow up with an apologetic email, which by the way, is totally fine. I can forgive a typo \u2014 that\u2019s not an issue. <\/span><\/p>\n

Mistakes happen and I\u2019m not immune to making them but come on, my email address is yessi<\/strong><\/em>@thenextweb.com. No excuse is valid.<\/span><\/p>\n

In other instances, people continue to misspell my name during a lengthy email exchange \u2014 even after I\u2019ve politely corrected them.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s your problem, not mine<\/h2>\n

For years, I tried really hard to ignore misspellings. Time and time again I told myself that people weren\u2019t doing it on purpose (I know most don\u2019t), that it wasn\u2019t really a problem, and that I was over-reacting.<\/p>\n

The thing is, though. It is<\/em> a problem. Every Yassi, Yesso, or Yussi digs away at my identity. It\u2019s othering \u2014 and what\u2019s more, totally avoidable.<\/p>\n

Olivia James<\/a>, a London-based performance and confidence coach, told me I was right to feel offended because names are closely linked with identity and self-worth:<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of us want to belong, we all want to feel like we matter, and we have a voice, and that we have value in the workplace. If people get our names wrong and are difficult about our names, all those inner wounds are activated.\u201d<\/p>\n

By wounds, James refers to the reaction that being called the wrong name triggers. In my case \u2014 as I discovered during our chat \u2014 it\u2019s about reinforcing the notion that me having an unconventional name in the UK is my fault, like I\u2019m somehow making life difficult for others.<\/p>\n

This, James adds, can leave you feeling exhausted and frustrated \u2014 and these are emotions I\u2019m certainly familiar with.<\/p>\n

Yeah, but why will it cost me money?<\/h2>\n

So far, I\u2019ve spoken about how getting someone\u2019s name wrong \u2014 or making a point of mispronouncing it \u2014 can evoke negative emotions and feelings in the recipient, but it\u2019s important to note that these can result in missed business opportunities for the culprit, or sender.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s the crux of the matter. In my current role, I have the power: as a journalist, I can decide what I write about and whom.<\/p>\n

People typically email me when they want to get press coverage, either for themselves or the clients they represent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like most journalists, I receive hundreds of emails a day, so don\u2019t be surprised when I tell you that spelling my name correctly or incorrectly can determine whether an email is read or deleted; a company gets coverage or is ignored.<\/span> Yes, I use it as a filter.<\/p>\n

Every time my name is butchered I ask myself: why would I want to engage with someone who can\u2019t even be bothered to get my name right? Why should I give this person my time?<\/p>\n

In my case, I\u2019m talking about the written exchange between a journalist (aka me) and a public relations exec or founder but I promise this applies across the whole business world.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a salesperson, or an entrepreneur, looking to connect with potential business partners, VCs, or clients, you better make sure you don\u2019t shoot yourself in the foot by getting someone\u2019s name wrong.<\/p>\n

If you do, you\u2019ll likely be perceived as lazy and careless and your mistake could be costly. That partnership you tirelessly worked on could fall through, your fundraising dreams may be slashed, and your clients may drop you all because you couldn\u2019t even be bothered to spell their names correctly.<\/p>\n

Now, I obviously can\u2019t vouch for everyone else in the industry but I know my feelings are shared by many people whose names are also destroyed on a daily basis.<\/p>\n

\n

Speaking from experience it is a nightmare! People tend to type my name wrong in emails. I let them off once. Maybe twice. After that, it\u2019s a problem!<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ricardo Sinclair (@rickstar7891) October 12, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Thank you! It just shows me that you have no attention to quite a simple detail. If that\u2019s the case, why on earth would I want to do business with you?!<\/p>\n

\u2014 Ricardo Sinclair (@rickstar7891) October 12, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I really want you to know that I\u2019m not trying to be sanctimonious. I\u2019m simply highlighting how this seemingly innocent \u2018mistake\u2019 can be perceived as carelessness, and at times, as a lack of respect \u2014 and how something so menial as getting someone\u2019s name wrong in an email, or mispronouncing it in the offline world, can prevent you or your business from making money.  <\/span><\/p>\n

In business, names do matter<\/h2>\n

Names are obviously important in our personal lives \u2014 why else do expectant parents spend months looking for a suitable moniker for their offspring?<\/p>\n

But let me tell you, they are no less important in the world of work and there\u2019s plenty of literature to support my argument. <\/span><\/p>\n

Back in 2011, a <\/span>New York University study<\/span><\/a> found that easier-to-pronounce names often had higher-status positions at work. Prior to that, in 2009, <\/span>a different study<\/span><\/a> concluded that companies with easier names and ticker symbols tended to perform better in the stock market. <\/span><\/p>\n

A study conducted by <\/span>Marquette University<\/span><\/a> in the US found evidence to suggest that names that were viewed as the least unique were more likable. People with common names were more likely to be hired than those with more unconventional names.<\/span><\/p>\n

All in all, research for this piece unpacked a long list of research papers that looked at the correlation between peoples\u2019 names and bias, and how this translated into success, or lack thereof, in the world of work. <\/span><\/p>\n

My own experience with my own name has made me acutely aware of others\u2019 struggles with their own.<\/p>\n

\n

An educational resource I made for respecting ethnic names. I thought I\u2019d create a shareable resource so that it can help people and empower. pic.twitter.com\/TPDQrx5laf<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Anpu (@AnpuLondon) October 8, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You may think that getting someone else\u2019s name wrong, or mispronouncing it is OK but put yourself in that person\u2019s shoes and think about how that makes them feel. After all, isn\u2019t empathy one of the most sought after qualities<\/a> in business?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not asking you to be perfect, but if you\u2019re unsure about someone\u2019s name ask \u2014 in the same way you would ask someone to clarify metrics in a fundraising deck.<\/p>\n

Before sending an email, proof it. It literally takes one second and it could save you a lot of unnecessary pain and embarrassment.<\/p>\n

I know you\u2019re probably thinking that there are more pertinent business issues to focus on \u2014 especially in 2020 \u2014 but this is such an easy problem to solve so don\u2019t let it be your downfall.<\/p>\n

Published October 14, 2020 \u2014 08:00 UTC <\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My name is Yessi, which is short for Yessica \u2014 and yes, that\u2019s literally Jessica with a \u2018Y.\u2019 It\u2019s not complicated, is it? Well, you think that but every day I get…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":328,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=327"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/328"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}