Make sure
your e-mail includes a courteous greeting and closing. Helps to make your e-mail
not seem demanding or terse.
Address your
contact with the appropriate level of formality and make sure you spelled their
name correctly.
Spell check -
emails with typos are simply not taken as seriously.
Read your email
out loud to ensure the tone is that which you desire. Try to avoid relying on
formatting for emphasis; rather choose the words that reflect your meaning
instead. A few additions of the words "please" and "thank
you" go a long way!
Be sure you are
including all relevant details or information necessary to understand your
request or point of view. Generalities can many times cause confusion and
unnecessary back and forths.
Are you using
proper sentence structure? First word capitalized with appropriate punctuation?
Multiple instances of !!! or ??? are perceived as rude or condescending.
If your email is
emotionally charged, walk away from the computer and wait to reply. Review the
Sender's email again so that you are sure you are not reading anything into the
email that simply isn't there.
If sending
attachments, did you ask first when would be the best time to send? Did you
check file size to make sure you don't fill the other side's inbox causing all
subsequent e-mail to bounce?
Refrain from
using the Reply to All feature to give your opinion to those who may not be
interested. In most cases replying to the Sender alone is your best course of
action.
Make one last
check that the address or addresses in the To: field are those you wish to send
your reply to.
Be sure your
name is reflected properly in the From: field. Jane A. Doe (not jane, jane doe
or JANE DOE).
Type in complete
sentences. To type random phrases or cryptic thoughts does not lend to clear
communication.
Never assume the
intent of an email. If you are not sure -- ask so as to avoid unnecessary
misunderstandings.
Just because
someone doesn't ask for a response doesn't mean you ignore them. Always
acknowledge emails from those you know in a timely manner.
Be sure the
Subject: field accurately reflects the content of your email.
Don't hesitate
to say thank you, how are you, or appreciate your help!
Keep emails
brief and to the point. Save long conversations for the old fashioned
telephone.
Always end your
emails with "Thank you," "Sincerely," "Take it
easy," "Best regards" - something!
Formatting
Emails
Do not type in
all caps. That's yelling or reflects shouting emphasis.
If you bold your
type, know you are bolding your statement and it will be taken that way by the
other side - X10!
Do not use
patterned backgrounds. Makes your email harder to read.
Stay away from
fancy-schmancy fonts -- only the standard fonts are on all computers.
Use emoticons
sparingly to ensure your tone and intent are clear.
Typing your
emails in all small case gives the perception of lack of education or laziness.
Refrain from
using multiple font colors in one email. It makes your email harder to view and
can add to your intent being misinterpreted.
Use formatting
sparingly. Instead try to rely on choosing the most accurate words possible to
reflect your tone and avoid misunderstandings in the process.
Email
Attachments
When sending
large attachments, always "zip" or compress them before sending.
Never send large
attachments without notice! Always ask what would be the best time to send them
first.
Learn how to
resample or resize graphics to about 600 pixels in width before attaching them
to an email. This will greatly reduce download time.
Never open an
attachment from someone you don't know.
Be sure your
virus, adware and spyware programs are up to date and include scanning of your
emails and attachments both incoming and outgoing.
It is better to
spread multiple attachments over several emails rather than attaching them all
to one email to avoid clogging the pipeline.
Make sure the
other side has the same software as you before sending attachments or they may
not be able to open your attachment. Use PDF when possible.
To, From, CC,
BCc, RR, Subject:
Only use Cc:
when it is important for those you Cc: to know about the contents of the email.
Overuse can cause your emails to be ignored.
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.
Include
addresses in the To: field for those who you would like a response from.
Include
addresses in the Cc: field for those who you are just FYI'ing.
Make sure your
name is displayed properly in the From: field.
Remove addresses
from the To:, CC; and BCc: field that don't need to see your reply.
Always include a
brief Subject. No subject can get your email flagged as spam.
Think about your
motives when adding addresses to To:, CC:, BCc. Use your discretion.
Never expose
your friend's or contact's email address to strangers by listing them all in
the To: field. Use BCc:!
Make sure when using
BCc: that your intentions are proper. To send BCc: copies to others as a way of
talking behind someone's back is inconsiderate.
Email
Forwarding
Don't forward
emails that say to do so--no matter how noble the cause may be. Most are hoaxes
or hooey and may not be appreciated by those you send to.
If someone asks
you to refrain from forwarding emails they have that right and you shouldn't
get mad or take it personally.
When forwarding
email, if you cannot take the time to type a personal comment to the person you
are forwarding to--then don't bother.
Don't forward
anything without editing out all the forwarding , other email addresses,
headers and commentary from all the other forwarders.
If you must
forward to more than one person, put your email address in the TO: field and
all the others you are sending to in the BCc: field to protect their email
address from being published to those they do not know. This is a serious
privacy issue!
Be careful when
forwarding email on political or controversial issues. The recipient may not
appreciate your POV.
Email and
Perception, Privacy, Copyright
Choose your
email address wisely. It will determine, in part, how you are perceived.
Try not to make
assumptions when it comes to email. Always ask for clarification before you
react.
Posting or
forwarding of private email is copyright infringement -- not to mention
downright rude. You need permission from the author first!
Even though it
isn't right; emails are forwarded to others. Keep this in mind when typing
about emotional or controversial topics.
When there is a
misunderstanding by email, don't hesitate to pick up the old fashioned
telephone to work things out!
Know that how
you type, and the efforts you make or don't make will indicate what is
important to you and if you are an educated courteous person.
If you forward
an email that turns out to be a hoax, have the maturity to send an apology
follow up email to those you sent the misinformation to.
When filling out
a contact form on a Web site, do so carefully and with clarity so your request
is taken seriously.
If a friend puts
your e-mail address in the To: field with others you do not know, ask them to
no longer expose your address to strangers without your permission.
Business
Email
Think of your
business email as though it was on your business letterhead and you'll never go
wrong!
If you cannot
respond to an email promptly, at the very least email back confirming your
receipt and when the sender can expect your response.
Emailing site
owners about your product or service through the site form is still spam. Ask
them if they want more info first!
When replying to
emails always respond promptly and edit out unnecessary information from the
post you are responding to.
Formality is in
place as a courtesy and reflects respect. Assume the highest level of formality
with new email contacts until the relationship dictates otherwise. Refrain from
getting too informal too soon in your email communications.
Never send
anyone an email they need to unsubscribe from when they didn't subscribe in the
first place!
Be very careful
how you use Reply to All and Cc: in a business environment. Doing so for CYA or
to subtlety tattle can backfire and have your viewed as petty or insecure.
When replying to
an email with multiple recipients noted in the To: or Cc: fields, remove the
addresses of those who your reply does not apply to.
Never send
business attachments outside of business hours and confirm that the format in
which you can send can be opened by the other side.
Chat, IM,
Texting
When Texting or
participating in IM and Chat, try not to be overly cryptic or your meaning can
be misread.
Use Instant
Messaging (IM) for casual topics or informational briefs. IM is not the place
for serious topics or confrontational issues.
Start by always
asking if the person you are IMing is available and if it is a good time to
chat. Refrain from IMing during meetings or when your attention is required.
Practice
communicating briefly and succinctly.
Always consider
if calling the other party on the phone is better when Texting about sensitive
topics.
IMing is not an
excuse to forget your grade school education.
If you are not a
smooth multi-tasker, do not continue multiple IM sessions and leave folks
hanging while you communicate with others.
Learn how to use
the features of your IM program. Specifically your "busy" and
"away" message features.
Never IM under
an alias to take a peek at friends' or associates' activities.
Take into
consideration who you are communicating with to determine the acronyms and
emoticons that should be used - if at all.
Social Media,
Blogs and Forums
Keep in mind
when Tweeting, on Facebook or message boards that you are in a global arena.
When discussions
get out of control; don't stoop to name-calling or profanities. You are better
than that!
In forums, keep
your signature file to no more than 2-3 lines.
Keep
commercialism to no more than a link at the end of your comment or
contribution.
Stay on topic
and discuss issues only relative to the thread/topic in question.
If new to a
group or forum, "lurk" for a while to get a feel for the community
and personalities of the regulars before you post.
Never give out
personal information or specifics to your location on online -- nor should you
give out the personal information of others!
Keep in mind
there will always be differences of opinion. Try to remain objective and not
personalize issues.
Don't fall for
trolls. Trolls are folks who will post rude comments just to get a rise out of
everyone.
Be sure to down
edit, or remove any part of the post you are replying to that is no longer
necessary to the ongoing conversation.
Email
Considerations...
Before getting
upset because you perceive someone didn't respond, check to see if their reply
was inadvertently deleted or sent to your Trash or Junk folder.
With emotionally
charged emails, wait until the next morning to see if you feel the same before
clicking Send.
Feel free to
modify the Subject: field to more accurately reflect a conversation's
direction.
When it comes to
your email communications, know who you can trust; trust only those you know.
Take the time to
review each email before clicking Send to ensure your message is clear and you
are relaying the tone that you desire.
Never use an old
email to hit reply and start typing about an entirely new topic.
Regardless of
how noble a forwarded email may be, don't just forward without investigating
its authenticity
Always add the
email addresses of Web sites and new contacts immediately to your approved
senders or address book so they get through Spam filters.
Before
completing a Web site's Contact form; make an effort to review the site to be
sure the information you seek is not already available.
Take a quick
look at the e-mails in your Trash before you delete them just in case a good
e-mail landed there by mistake.
Don't mass
e-mail people who didn't ask to be on your personal "mailing list".
Double check
that your adware, spyware and virus programs are set to automatically update at
least once each week so the software knows what to protect you from.
