E-mail Etiquette

What is E-mail?

E-mail stands for 'Electronic mail'. Mail basically means sending a letter or parcel. Henceforth, email is nothing but sending letters or parcels consisting of texts, files, images, or other attachments through telecommunication. 

Why E-mail?

E-mail is universal and is a preferred means of communication in businesses as it provides efficient ways to transmit all kinds of electronic data in seconds. All you need for sending a mail is a recipient's mail address and a subject line. Its simplicity makes it convenient for users globally to accept it as a professional medium of communication. 

Why is it important to write efficient Emails?

Email often creates an impression among your co-workers and peers. Sending an email means being able to write and communicate efficiently. If you lack professional writing skills, no matter how strong you are technically, you would be tagged as incompetent.

Effective email doesn't only mean writing with correct spellings and grammar but also being precise and crystal clear about the message.

We just discussed how crucial it is to write effective Emails and now, let us dive into some of the etiquettes to follow in Email communications.

• If discussions don't end in 2-3 replies, stop mailing. Need to solve a critical problem? Need a quicker response? Then, Email is not the right option for you. Turnabout to a phone call and solve it there.

• Avoid Reply to All. Keep only those recipients in the loop who are necessary for the discussion.

• Avoid BCC as it secretly publicizes without the permission of the receiver.

• Avoid heavy attachments. Large attachments can annoy the receiver. Zip them all with the maximum size of 2MB-3MB.

• Avoid cliche subject lines. If your subject line says "Emergency" or "Urgent!", the receiver might feel he has more comprehensive tasks and ignore it. Keep your subject line direct, for example, “All meetings for tomorrow (10th Feb) is re-scheduled”. This kind of subject line would prompt the recipient to read your mail.

• Learn to greet them right. Surprisingly, there are various ways to address the recipient according to how formal your discussion is! Listed down are some of the ways:

Dear Sir / Dear Madam - More formal

Hello – Formal

Hi – Neutral

Hey – Informal, use with known people

Hi Allison - Use gender-neutral language if not sure

• Explicit body of the mail. If you need a response from the receiver, include a call-to-action. 

For example, "Please give me a call" or "Email me back". 

If you have attached any file, make sure you mention it in your mail. For example, "Please check the attached file for the work schedule".

• End it plain. Don't end your mail vaguely like, "Please do the needful" or "Please take necessary action". Mention what action you want your receiver to take from your mail specifically.

For example, "I look forward to discussing this matter with you further". 

If the receiver reverts to your mail, reply to him saying thanks. Here are a few examples:

Thanks for

            -getting back to me

            -the info

            -the heads up

            -the update

• Elaborative E-mail signature: Use an e-mail signature that gives full contact information, including a phone number, your company name, company website, and relevant contact details.

• Formatting E-mail: Make sure you keep your mail look professional. Use standard fonts like Garamond, Verdana, Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, and Tahoma. Avoid using extensive colours. Line spacing should be legitimate and visually appealing.

• Spelling, grammar, and punctuation: Use of correct spellings, right grammar, and proper punctuations reveal your professionalism. Here is a demonstration.

• Be concise. Who likes reading long paragraphs? Huge paragraphs discourage readers and take away their focus. Writing in the active voice is preferable to passive voice.

For example, use ‘We will process your order today’ rather than ‘Your order will be processed today’.

• Answer all the questions. Make sure to answer all the issues while replying. It would avoid more mail exchange and also reduces frustration. To keep it simple, keep your receiver happy!

• Avoid CAPITAL letters. Text in capital letters conveys that you are yelling. It can be highly annoying and might result in an unwanted response.

 

• Avoid abbreviations and emojis. If you want to seem professional, then avoid casual stuff.

• High priority option: Flagging every mail will give the impression that you are aggressive. It will portray that you are desperate for a response.

• Do not leave out the message thread. Avoid composing a new mail while you are replying to an older thread. It will help decrease frustration for the receiver to know the context.

• Avoid using delivery and read receipts. This feature is usually blocked as it is annoying on the receiver's end. You can alternatively ring up and confirm the receipts if necessary.

• Use the "out of office" option if you are away from emails for more than 24 hours. This feature allows you to set an automated message so that the receiver would get acknowledged of your absence.

• Answer swiftly. Receivers expect instant replies. Reply within 24 hours or at least try to send an acknowledgement if you further need time.

• Things to remember for quality communications: 

• Do not write an email in a state of anger. 

• Do not use email to discuss confidential subjects. 

• Do not reply to spam. 

• Avoid humour in emails. 

• Avoid slang.

• Avoid recall option. There would be no use in recalling your message if it was opened already. It is encouraged to check the to, cc, and bcc fields before you click the send option. 

That's all readers! Proofread your mail when you are calm and patiently click on the send option. You are all set to nail it.