E-mail Etiquette

Do
• Be concise and specific
• Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Proofread
• Keep language gender neutral
• Use a salutation and signature
Don’t
• Use text abbreviations and emoticons
• Send confidential information
• Use all CAPITALS
• Flame
• Use fancy formatting

E-mail Dos and Don'ts

Do
• Be concise and specific
• Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Proofread
• Keep language gender neutral
• Use a salutation and signature
Don’t
• Use text abbreviations and emoticons
• Send confidential information
• Use all CAPITALS
• Flame
• Use fancy formatting

E-mail is business correspondence, not IM

As we deal with customers via e-mail, we need to remember e-mail is a substitute for what we used to put on paper and snail mail. E-mail that goes to customers is business correspondence, not IM. Because it's business correspondence, it needs to meet the rule of business correspondence. Here's a formula for a good customer e-mail:

1. Use a salutation: Dear Title Last Name: or Dear First Name,.
2. Offer your help.
3. Use a meaningful subject line, re: or title.
4. Keep the e-mail short and simple.
5. Provide assurance that any promises will be fulfilled.
6. Leave the customer with a positive feeling.
7. Use a signature line that shows your name, department and phone number.
8. Proofread.
9. Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Keywords for subject lines

I refuse to open e-mail from senders I don't recognize. If I don't know who sent it, it goes straight into the trash. If I do know the sender, I look at the subject line (SL) to decide when -- or if -- I'm going to read it.

Subject lines have to say something, have to help me prioritize my e-mail, or they get relegated to the bottom of my to-do list for the day. I like an SL that tells me what the e-mail is about.

Here's a trick I learned from a project manager who attended one of my workshops. Start every e-mail with a keyword, such as "Review," "Approve," "Action," "Decision Needed." A keyword can be anything that tells me what I'm expected to do with this e-mail. When I put a keyword in an e-mail, I get a faster, more complete response.

E-mail matters in business

Why care about grammar and punctuation in e-mail? Y cnt we jst ttfy and lol n eml?

Taking time to use correct grammar and punctuation is good business. It shows respect for the reader, reflects well on your professionalism, and, most importantly, contributes to understanding. Grammar and punctuation mistakes and text messaging abbreviations open the door to misinterpretation -- and readers will always interpret something to their advantage, not yours.

What about those oh-so-cute smilies and emoticons? What's wrong with ;-)? Nothing -- if you want to come across like a 14-year-old. If you want to look like a professional, limit the smilies and emoticons to non-business e-mails to your BFF.