E-mail is one of the most often used tools to communicate within companies and with clients. Its prominence in the workplace has become so great that it has become a way of making, or breaking, business relationships. Here are some tips for proper e-mail etiquette at the office:
Addressing the E-mail
Seems easy right? Fill in the subject line, address it, carbon copy if necessary, and then you’re ready for the body copy. Not so fast. This is the first thing the recipient will see and first impressions can go a long way, at least that’s the rumor!
• The subject line should be descriptive. Lines like “Hello” or “Project” don’t cut it. Let the recipient know what they are going to be reading about. Your subject line is like the headline of a news story.
• Use the reply button. It creates a thread between e-mails so they read more like a conversation. This helps people keep your information sorted out from the other e-mails they received.
• Use reply, but not Reply All. If someone sends 30 people an e-mail asking for help, you don’t need to tell all 30 that you are available. Only send it back to the person who asked.
• Also, just because your recipient will see the address first, it doesn’t mean you have to fill it in first. Leave the “To” field blank until you have finished proofreading and are ready to send. Nothing is more embarrassing than sending an incomplete e-mail, or one full of your personal writing notes.
Writing the E-mail
Even though cyberspace has become a breeding ground for slang and informal writing, leave it out of business e-mails. Stick to the grammar rules you learned in high school. It doesn’t have to be like you’re writing about Shakespeare, though, you can still write conversationally and be professional.
• Always, always, always spell check and proofread. Once you hit send, you can’t take it back.
• Be concise. The usual “How are you?” is fine to start off an e-mail, but don’t go on a tangent about family or pets. It’s not a college essay, so you don’t need a half-page introductory paragraph.
• Avoid excessive punctuation!!!!!!! See: high school grammar rules.
• DO NOT TYPE IN ALL CAPS. This is the internet equivalent of screaming at the top of your lungs. It can actually offend some people.
• Sign your e-mail. You wouldn’t leave a handwritten letter unsigned, so don’t do it to e-mails. You can’t assume that people will remember who you are based on your e-mail address.
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