Skip to main content

Email Etiquette

Yes, even on the Internet, there is etiquette. Experts agree that your e-mail behavior has the potential to sabotage your reputation both personally and professionally. So let's look at the etiquette of email.
  • Avoid Caps Lock in the email and in the subject line.
  • Use punctuation and edit your email for grammar
  • Don't use Return Receipt (RR) on every single email. Doing so is viewed as intrusive, annoying and can be declined by the other side anyway.
  • Use a subject line that reflects what you are saying in the email.
  • Keep your emails brief and to the point. Long emails are often put it aside until they have more time, which may not be too soon.
  • In the same regard, read the entire email and response appropriately, answering all questions even if you don't know the answer.
  • Respond promptly, 24 to 48 hours at the most.
  • Like a letter, it is good form to add a opening and closing salutation.
  • The recipient can change the size of the font if they have trouble reading your message, so keep the text size normal. 
  • Only discuss public matters via email, if it needs to be private, email is not the secure means of transmitting that information. 
  •  Don't use email for sending bad news, reprimands or saying unkind things about your boss. Remember, emails can last forever!
  • Don't send one-line emails of thanks. 
  • If it is a business letter, never use jargon, slang, emoticons or word shortcuts such as "BTW".  Very unprofessional.
  • Do not forward chain letters
  • If it sounds too good to be true don't forward it.
  • If it sounds fishy, don't forward it.
  • If it is a email petition, it has no value, don't forward it. 
  • If it is worth forwarding, clean up the text, remove other people's email addresses and remove all the excessive carrots (>>>). 
This is just a brief look at email etiquette, but you get the idea. Until next time. ☺

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Digital Marketing for the Small Business

OutMarket has put out in interesting white paper on " 15 Ideas to Grow with Digital Marketing ".  Online marketing is not just for the big guys but is easily available for small businesses and you need to take advantage of that opportunity to level the playing field in your industry. The article provides some of the first steps in developing your online marketing plan and well worth reading. Some small business owners want to save funds and do it themselves but you might want to consider hiring this out to an online marketing specialist so you can focus on YOUR business. Twitter, Facebook, Google Analytics and social media monitoring can monopolize your time, taking you away from running your business. Shameless plug, McAllister Park Design can help you with your online marketing and increase your exposure online to potential clients. We will work with you as a consultant to help you develop a plan or as your regular marketing guru, your choice.

Google: Now you know!

Google has released clear information on how to perform better in search engines. Provide useful, legitimate content!  This update is called the " Helpful Content Update " and it is clear that original, informative information is king.  A new sitewide ranking system is being added which awards people with good quality content.  Now, this isn't really new, but it clarifies that your ranking can be impacted and if you are a subject matter expert in your field or business, make it shine!  Utilize your website as informational, not just a short brochure or a business card.  Show your knowledge and experience and make it work for your organically. 

How Do We Prepare Students for a Global Knowledge Economy?

I recently participated in a discussion regarding the direction of our community here in Northwest Georgia. Although many candidates for our county commission would like to see more manufacturing jobs, I truly feel that we are not preparing our students to be part of the 'global economy'. Why are we happy with more retail jobs at minimum wage or warehouse  jobs for $10 per hour?  In our community we can strive to provide a better education geared toward the future. We can also improve our local economy with drawing technology related businesses that are required to have access to highways and won't require more truck routes into our area. We, as a community, aren't preparing our students to strive for better jobs. We, as a community need to move into the 21st century before its too late. Check out this seminar on preparing our students for a global knowledge economy.  I hope you will consider the need to prepare your children for the world with soft skills such as d