Mind Your E-Mail Manners

Every day many of us send more e-mails that we can count, but are you minding your e-mail manners before you hit send?

Date: September 27, 2006

Category: Marketing Yourself

EMAIL ETTIQUETTE 101

  1. Subject lines
    a. Create single subject messages whenever possible.
    b.  Good hook on subject lines get attention. Start with a strong subject line that identifies the message content.
    c. Descriptive subject lines allow for easy scanning and filing.
  2. Salutation - Each situation will need to be evaluated on its own, but in general, use the following:
    a. If you normally address a person as Miss/Mrs./Ms./Mr., then that’s the way you should initially address them in an email.
    b. If you normally call them by their first name, then either omit the salutation or simply address them by their first name.
    c. If you are unsure, use the formal salutation.
  3. Get to the point quickly. 
    a. The most important statements should appear in the first paragraph.  Details can follow.
    b. Keep paragraphs short for easy reading. – Use bullets if possible
    c. Messages should be concise and to the point.
    d. Use attachments when sending considerable supporting info.
    i. Don’t send an attachment unless you include in the email the name of the file and reason it should be opened.
    ii. Remember that the recipient of your message may not have the same programs you do.
    e. Stick to the subject.
    f. Identify yourself and your affiliations clearly.
  4. Limit line length
    a. Keep line length to approx. 65 – 70 characters. Not all email automatically wraps the text.
  5. Proof read and spell check
  6. Signatures
    a. Name
    b. Title
    c. Company
    d. Email address
    e. Total number of lines for the signature should be four or less
  7. Odds and ends
    a. Punctuation – If something is important, it should be reflected in your text, not in your punctuation!!!!!
    b. Smilies – Use these sparingly
    c. Emoticons – these may work with recipients who are familiar with their use, but not necessarily everyone.
    d. Capitalize words only to highlight an important point.  Capitalizing whole words is generally termed as SHOUTING
    e. Abbreviations – Use abbreviations that are already common to the English language (FYI, BTW).  Beyond that, you might confuse the recipient and your message will be lost on them.  Keep them to a minimum.
  8. Good to know
    a. Flaming - flaming is the expression of extreme emotion or opinion in an email message that can cause a not-so-nice response.
    i. How do you respond to a flame?  Ignore it
    ii. Things that can cause a flame reaction
    1. Sending an email in all UPPER CASE
    2. Making a comment about grammar or punctuation
    3. Sending mass-mailing advertisement
    iii. If communication seems tense or unclear, consider picking up the telephone to clear things up. 
    b. Avoid misinterpretation of dates by spelling out the month.
    c. Never send chain letters through the internet.
    d. Attach return receipt on messages only when necessary.  It can be annoying and may be considered an invasion of privacy.
    e. Keep the list of recipients and Cc’s to a minimum.
  9. Threads
    a. Once you send the first e-mail, you will probably get a response.  If you reply to that message do NOT start a new email, that breaks the link (thread).  Without the link, it can get difficult for the users on each end to follow the sequence of messages.