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When the use of email became common in the early 90s, the
business world changed. Email now takes up a significant portion of our
workday.
While we try to work faster and more efficiently, we must
not forget the social rules that accompany any form of communication. Here are
some of the dos and don’ts of email etiquette.
Do have a clear subject line.
Most of us have to compete with the
hundreds of emails clogging our inbox every day, so the clearer your subject
line, the more likely your message will be read. For example, if you’re sending
a proposal to someone, be specific and write, “The Fitch Proposal Is Attached.”
Don't forget your signature.
Every email should include a
signature that tells the recipient who you are and how to contact you. Set it
up to automatically appear at the end of each email. Include all of your
contact details so the recipient doesn’t have to look up your address, email or
phone number.
Do use a professional salutation.
Using “Hey,” “Yo,” or “Hiya” isn’t
professional, no matter how well you know the recipient. Use “Hi” or “Hello”
instead. To be more formal, use “Dear (insert name).” Using the person’s name
in the salutation -- “Hello Robert” -- is quite appropriate, but remember
not to shorten a person's name unless you're given permission to do so.
Don't use humor.
Humor does not translate well via
email. What you think is funny has a good chance of being misinterpreted by the
other party, or taken as sarcasm, without the accompanying vocal tone and
facial expressions. When in doubt, leave humor out of business communications.
Do proofread your message.
Don't be surprised if you're judged
by the way you compose an email. For example, if your email is littered with
misspelled words and grammatical errors, you may be perceived as sloppy,
careless, or even uneducated. Check your spelling, grammar and message before
hitting “send.”
Don't assume the recipient knows what you are talking about.
Create your message as a stand-alone
note, even if it is in response to a chain of emails. This means no “one-liners.”
Include the subject and any references to previous emails, research or
conversations. It can be frustrating and time consuming to look back at the
chain to brush up on the context. Your recipient may have hundreds of emails
coming in each day and likely won’t remember the chain of events leading up to
your email.
Do reply to all emails.
Give a timely and polite reply to
each legitimate email addressed to you. Even if you do not have an answer at
the moment, take a second to write a response letting the sender know you
received their email. Inform the sender if their email was sent to the wrong
recipient, too.
Don't shoot from the lip.
Never send an angry email, or give a
quick, flip response. Give your message some thoughtful consideration before
sending it. If you feel angry, put your message into the “drafts” folder, and
review it again later when you are calmer and have time to formulate an
appropriate response.
Do keep private material confidential.
It is far too easy to share emails,
even inadvertently. If you have to share highly personal or confidential
information, do so in person or over the phone. Ask permission before posting
sensitive material either in the body of the email or in an attachment.
Don't! overuse exclamation points.
Exclamation points and other
indications of excitement such as emoticons, abbreviations like LOL, and all
CAPITALS do not translate well in business communications. Leave them off
unless you know the recipient extremely well. It’s also not professional to use
a string of exclamation points!!!!!
It may take some practice to keep
your emails professional and to the point, but you will look more polished and
organized in the long run.
Article written by Jacqueline
Whitmore
Originally culled from entrepreneur.com
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