STYLE & ETIQUETTE GUIDE Babson College
February 9, 2017 Babson College 231 Forest Street Babson Park, Massachusetts 02457-0310
TABLE OF CONTENTS STYLE .......................................................................................... 2 BRAND & E DITORIAL GUIDELINES ................................................................................. 2 LETTER WRITING ............................................................................................................ 3 Format ........................................................................................................................ 3 Address........................................................................................................................ 3 Salutation ................................................................................................................... 4 Example ...................................................................................................................... 5 THE PRESIDENT ’S OFFICE ............................................................................................... 6 INVITATIONS .................................................................................................................... 7 Email ........................................................................................................................... 7 Print ............................................................................................................................. 8 ETIQUETTE .................................................................................. 9 KISS, BOW, SHAKE HANDS ............................................................................................. 9 GIFT POLICY.................................................................................................................... 11 International Gifts ................................................................................................... 11 GOVERNANCE BOARDS & COMMITTEES ........................................................................ 14 INTERNATIONAL ....................................................................... 16 ADDRESSES .................................................................................................................... 16 TITLES............................................................................................................................ 16 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES .......................................................... 18
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STYLE As an institution, it is important that we adhere to the editorial and brand guidelines established by College Marketing when communicating with external audiences. Below you will find helpful guidelines and resources that will answer common questions about font style, size, punctuation, grammar, etc. To obtain a comprehensive copy of Babson’s editorial guidelines, please contact: James Kiley, Senior Editor, jkiley@babson.edu, 781-239-4276 View Brand Guidelines View Editorial Guidelines View Additional Resources
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LETTER WRITING Correspondence sent from any Babson employee to an external partner is a representation of the College. Please follow these guidelines to ensure all communications are universally formatted and adhere to Babson’s letter writing standards. Formatting Your Letter
Use appropriate Babson letterhead Letterhead size: Standard letterhead 8x11 or Presidential Executive Address block and content should be left margin justified Margins: Normal Spacing: Single Spacing between sentences: Single Font: Times New Roman, size 12 Allow 5-7 spaces from top margin to date (for sample size below) - Two lines between date and address - One line between address and opening/salutation - One line between letter text and signature block
Addressing Your Letter Please use this general format when addressing your letters. Title / First Name / Middle Initial / Last Name Professional Title If sending to their business Business Name Suite / Floor Street number and name (Street, Avenue, etc. spelled out) City, State Zip COUNTRY (if international) If sending by email, add Via Email and the preferred email addressed at the top of the letter. Include two lines between the email addresses and the date.
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Using Proper Salutations Millennium is the best resource to confirm preferred salutations. Please always default to formal salutations: Mr., Mrs., Ms. Another great resource for diplomatic and official titles is The Protocol book. To access a full length copy of this book, please contact the Stewardship Office at stewardship@babson.edu. The Stewardship Office has a library of helpful books and resources available to you. Babson College follows The Associated Press Stylebook (2015) and Webster’s New World College Dictionary 4th Edition (2008).
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Example: Letter from President Healey: VIA EMAIL john@gmail.com February 9, 2017 Title / First Name / Middle Initial / Last Name Professional Title Business Name Suite / Floor Street number and name (Street, Avenue, etc. spelled out) City, State Zip COUNTRY (if international) Dear Salutation, Please accept my sincere appreciation for your gift to FUND NAME. I am deeply thankful for this meaningful investment, and for your unwavering commitment to Babson College. As we look to share the power of entrepreneurship with even more students, teachers, and innovators across the globe, Babson’s success can only be ensured with the ongoing leadership and generosity of our most passionate contributors—and we are truly grateful to count you among this dynamic group. Your impactful support serves as a cornerstone to our future success, and will immeasurably enrich the benefit we can offer our remarkable students. Thank you for all that you do for the College. I am honored by your loyalty as a steadfast supporter of the Babson community, and I look forward to our continuing partnership with great enthusiasm. All the best,
Kerry Healey
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THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE Letters from the President to donors are managed by the President’s Office in collaboration with the Stewardship Office. The Process 1.) Diligently verify accurate address and salutation. 2.) Ensure you are using the preferred name and that all content is accurate and abbreviation-free. 3.) Share draft with the President’s Office as specified by them. 4.) Incorporate any requested edits once you receive feedback and final approval from the President’s Office. 5.) If a letter is to be sent via the President’s email account, enter text into the email template with the recipient’s email address included so the final product is ready to send. Do not look to them to verify and format; they relies on your professional work ethic. 6.) If a letter is to be sent by mail, ensure it is properly formatted on the President’s executive-size letterhead. *Please refer to previous section on letter formatting
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INVITATIONS Any invitation sent on behalf of Babson must follow these institutional guidelines.
Email Invitation Guidelines:
Always send invitation through Constant Contact to ensure the send data is tracked and fed back into Millennium. Use Constant Contact templates created by Marketing for AFN events and Development events, including a choice of headers. Templates adhere to brand and mobile-friendly guidelines, as well as standardization for the alumni audience. Invitation should go out approximately 4 weeks in advance of event date. All events should have 1 invitation. Additional follow up is done through personal outreach, social media, etc. Institutional events with the President, or in special circumstances, can include a second email invitation. RSVP method is through Active Data, but in special circumstances a personal email RSVP may be used. For complex events, alternative methods may be explored such as Qualtrics or a custom build through IT.
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Print Invitation Guidelines: *Working with EMO to finalize guidelines.
Develop content. Partner with Marketing on design. Establish who will collect RSVPs.
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ETIQUETTE Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands? Global Business Etiquette INTERACTING ACROSS CULTURES, be aware that what you recognize as normal, professional, and/or appropriate is influenced by your own culture. As you prepare for such interactions, consider how you would answer the following questions in reference to your own culture as well as research how these questions might be answered by someone in the other culture. Listed below is an overview of basic business etiquette, adapted from “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands” by Terri Morrison and Wayne Conaway.
THAILAND KISS, BOW, OR SHAKE? The graceful, traditional Thai greeting is called a wai. Press your hands together as though in prayer, keeping arms and elbows close to your body, and bow your head to touch your fingers. The height of your hands is related to the level of deference or respect you are giving to the person you greet. The higher your hands, the more respect you show. The wai is used for both meeting and departing. You do not have to wai children. Thais will shake hands with westerners, but they will be pleased if you greet them with their traditional greeting. When introduced to a monk, never touch him; simply give a verbal greeting without shaking hands. Monks do not have to greet you with a wai.
SAUDI ARABIA KISS, BOW, OR SHAKE? As there are several styles of greeting currently in use in Saudi Arabia, it is safest to wait for your Saudi counterpart to initiate the greeting, especially at a first meeting. Westernized Saudi men shake hands with other men. Some Saudi men will shake hands with Western women. Saudi women are generally not involved in business. When a veiled Saudi woman is with a Saudi man, it is not traditional to introduce her. Again, follow the Saudi’s lead. A more traditional Saudi greeting between men involves each grasping the other’s right hand, placing the left hand on the other’s right shoulder, and exchanging kisses on each cheek.
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JAPAN KISS, BOW, OR SHAKE? The Japanese are very aware of Western habits and will often greet you with a handshake. The bow is their traditional greeting. If someone bows to greet you, observe carefully. If you are greeting an equal, bow to the same depth as you have been bowed to, because the depth of the bow indicates the status of the relationship between you. As you bow, quickly lower your eyes. Keep your palms flat against your thighs.
CHINA KISS, BOW, OR SHAKE? The traditional greeting is a nod or smile, although handshakes are common in a formal meeting. Visitors to factories, theaters, or schools may be greeted with applause as a sign of welcome. The usual response is to nod or smile back. Introductions tend to be formal, with courtesy rather than familiarity preferred.
COLOMBIA KISS, BOW, OR SHAKE? It is polite to shake hands the first time you are meeting someone, regardless of gender. However, after establishing a relationship or in more informal environments, it is also acceptable to kiss on the cheek once.
INDIA
KISS, BOW, OR SHAKE? Handshakes are the most common form of greeting. The majority of Indians are Hindu and may avoid public contact between the opposite sex. For more detailed information on the following countries or countries that are not listed, please contact the Stewardship Office at stewardship@babson.edu to review the full length copy of Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands.
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GIFT POLICY Looking to give a gift to a prospect, donor, or friend of the College to thank them for their support? Unsure what is appropriate and/or readily available to you? Below you will find everything you need to know about Babson’s gift policy and guidelines. 1. Host Gifts for Sponsored Alumni/Parent Events - Substantial green and white flower arrangement sent to the host’s home the day of the event. - The note accompanying the flowers should come from Kerry. If not, they should be from most senior staff member in attendance or “Your friends in Advancement.” 2. Special Donor Dinners (Healey, Chiu) - Individualized to the donor - Alumni business product gift 3. Speaker Gifts, Reception Take-Aways - Babson-branded pens, stationary, keychain, etc. 4. Holiday/Birthday/Anniversary/Milestone - Cards are available in the Stewardship Office for specific milestones, holidays, etc. - Two Babson alum anniversary are sent champagne glasses - New dog receive Babson bandana - New baby Babson bib 5. Major Gift Officer Visits - TBD 6. Other (Gift Matrix will soon be finalized) ______________________________________________________
International Gifts Even the most well-intentioned gift can be viewed as unacceptable or even disrespectful without the appropriate cultural knowledge. Below you will find examples of gift etiquette for the following areas.
THAILAND
Don’t open a gift in the presence of the giver. Do bring flowers, cakes, or fruit if invited to a meal. Don’t bring marigolds or carnations as a gift when invited to a meal because they are associated with funerals. 11 | P a g e
Do gift high-tech gadgets, local handicrafts from your home, finely made pens and stationary, imported perfumes, select liquors, cigarettes, and illustrated books from your area.
SAUDI ARABIA
Don’t bring a gift when invited into a Saudi home. You are not expected to. Don’t present any gift that is of inferior craftsmanship. Saudis have a great appreciation for craftsmanship. To show respect for a gift, a Saudi is likely to open it immediately in the presence of the giver. Then he and everyone assembled will examine it minutely. Don’t give gift anything gold or silk. Muslim men do not wear gold jewelry or wear silk clothing; these are reserved for women. Do gift oriental carpets (which must be handmade), jewelry (silver or platinum, never gold), incense, and perfume. Be aware that prestigious incense and perfumes can be extraordinarily expensive. The traditional male scent is called oud and is made of an extract of aloes wood. Don’t give a gift to a Saudi woman if you are a foreign man. Another woman must present gifts to a Saudi woman.
JAPAN
Don’t give that is gift made in China. Do give modest or extravagant gifts. The ceremony of gift giving is more important than the actual gift. Do let Japanese partner give their gift before you give them yours. Don’t expect Japanese to open their gift upon receipt. If they do, they will be restrained in appreciation. Do gift imported Scotch, cognac, or frozen steaks; electronic gadgets and toys for the children of associates; or items from well-known manufacturers. Elite, foreign name-brands are always best. Do wrap gifts in Japan with rice paper. Wrapping that is considered tasteful in home country may be unacceptable or unattractive in Japan. Do bring flowers, cakes, or candies to a Japanese home if invited. Don’t give gifts with even numbers of components, such as an even number of flowers in a bouquet. Four is an especially inauspicious number. Don’t give four of anything.
CHINA
Don’t give anything of value to someone in front of others. It could cause the recipient both embarrassment and trouble because gift giving in China 12 | P a g e
is a sensitive issue. While often in violation of Chinese law, gift giving is widespread. Do give a gift on behalf of your company to a Chinese organization. Make it clear that it is from your company and present it to the acknowledged leader. Gifts of this sort might include items from your region like local crafts, historical memorabilia, or an illustrated book. Do give a banquet as this is considered an acceptable gift. Your Chinese hosts will certainly give you one, and you should reciprocate. Do give high-quality pens, gourmet food, and expensive liquors like cognac. Stamp collecting is popular in China, so stamps are appreciated. Cigarette lighters and T-shirts of popular foreign sports teams are also great gifts. Do give gifts using both hands. The gift will not be opened in the presence of the giver.
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GOVERNANCE BOARDS & COMMITTEES
Chairman of the Board Joseph L. Winn MBA’74, MP’15
Chair of Overseers Jeffrey J. McLane ’96 Bank of America
Board of Trustees and Trustees Emeriti The Board of Trustees is the governing body of the College and the most powerful of all three governance boards. Trustee responsibilities include making legal and fiduciary decisions, approving the organization's mission, strategic goals, and objectives, establishing policies related to membership, programs, and services, approving the annual budget and major program fees, and advising the president. Babson.edu / President’s Office / Board of Trustees and Trustees Emeriti http://www.babson.edu/about-babson/president/Pages/board-of-trustees.aspx Board of Overseers and Overseers Emeriti Overseers work predominately to secure the involvement of individuals who can assist in the advancement of the College. Their responsibilities include serving as a resource to the President, Board of Trustees, and Senior Administration of the College on matters related to strategic planning, admission, philanthropy, and other operational initiatives. They also furnish an avenue for members to become familiar with the College’s progress and challenges to better assist in growth and Development and build a network of supporters who may be helpful in identifying and providing resources. Babson.edu / President’s Office / Board of Overseers and Overseers Emeriti http://www.babson.edu/about-babson/president/Pages/board-of-overseers.aspx Global Advisory Board The Global Advisory Board (GAB) focuses on one of the College’s top priorities – extending Babson’s global reach. The GAB takes Babson to the world and the 14 | P a g e
world to Babson. Board members serve as ambassadors for the College represent Babson in their countries and communities counsel the President, Trustees, and the Babson Community by providing a global perspective assist students on professional matters and provide meaningful philanthropic support. Babson.edu / President’s Office / Global Advisory Board http://www.babson.edu/about-babson/president/Pages/global-advisoryboard.aspx Committees *Will include information on all Babson Committees with a description of what they each do at the College.
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INTERNATIONAL When writing to an international audience, there are styles and formalities unique to a region that must be acknowledged. In this section, you will find information about formatting international addresses and proper titles.
ADDRESSES
Please reference this Guide to Addressing International Mail Items ___________________________________________________________________
TITLES As a sign of respect and honor, we must ensure we are addressing international partners by their proper title in all written correspondence and interactions. Below you will find examples of proper titles for specific countries that are key geographic locations for the College. For more detailed information on the following countries or countries that are not listed, please contact the Stewardship Office.
THAILAND Titles are very important. Many Thai businesspeople are Chinese. Chinese names generally consist of a family name, followed by two (sometimes one) personal names. In the name Chang Wu Jiang, “Chang� is the surname (or clan name). He would be addressed with his title plus Chang (Mr. Chang, Dr. Chang).
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JAPAN In person, use last names plus San, meaning “Mr.” or “Ms.” Do not immediately assume that the Japanese will call you by your first name. In correspondence, it is more respectful to add –dono or –sama to the last name. Use last name plus Sensei to indicate teacher.
CHINA Names are listed in a different order from Western names. Each person receives a family name, and a given name. In work or professional environment, most people you meet should be addressed with a title and their name. Use official titles when possible.
COLUMBIA Titles in Colombia are very informal. Unless a person is a professor or a doctor, it is acceptable to call them by their names. Usually, when referring to older people, you would say “Señor” or “Señora” and then their surname.
INDIA Titles are highly valued in India: use professional titles. Traditionally, Hindus did not have family surnames. They used the initial of his/her father’s name first, followed by his/her own name. Muslim names are usually derived from Arabic. Generally, a Muslim is known by a given name plus bin (son/daughter of).
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES The following print resources are available in the Advancement/Stewardship Office. BOOKS: 1.) Business Communications Today ($48.88) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1292099860/ref=oh_aui_detailpa ge_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1#reader_1292099860 This book contains vital communication and instructions for International addresses and salutations: 2.) Kiss, Bow, Or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries ($14.30) The most authoritative and comprehensive text of its kind, Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, 2nd Edition is your must-have guide to proper international business protocol. With countries such as China and India taking on a more significant role in the global business landscape, you can't afford not to know the practices, customs, and philosophies of other countries. Now fully revised, updated, and expanded with over sixty country profiles, Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands, 2nd Edition provides invaluable information on how to handle common business interactions with grace, respect, and an appreciation for different cultures. 3.) Multicultural Manners: Essential Rules of Etiquette for the 21st Century ($12.72) Multicultural Manners gives readers the understanding they need, the perfect words to say, and the correct behavior to use in a wide range of cross-cultural situations. This incisive and award-winning guide to etiquette features completely updated etiquette guidelines with special emphasis on post–September 11 culture clashes as well as a brand-new section that demystifies unfamiliar cultures in the news. 4.) Protocol ($38.99) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935451162/ref=oh_aui_detailpag e_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 In this comprehensive guide to proper diplomatic, official and social usage, the authors define and describe the forms and procedures that constitute good protocol. They provide information on the order of precedence, ranking officials at every level from the President of the 18 | P a g e
United States on down, on titles and forms of address to be used in written and oral communications, on calling cards, invitations and replies, official entertaining and private parties, table seating arrangements, flag etiquette, and much more. Also, this expanded, updated and indexed edition contains new chapters on military protocol, international business, diversity and gifting. There is a fascinating section on the historical background of modern protocol, and an appendix filled with valuable information on dealing with the press, wearing decorations, proper dress, and diplomatic terms. 5.) Etiquette and Protocol: A Guide for Campus Events ($41.95) CASE
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