E-mail etiquette refers to the principles of behaviour that one should use when writing or answering e-mail messages. It is also known as the code of conduct for e-mail communication. E-mail etiquette depends upon to whom we are writing mail, i.e. friends & relatives, partners, customers, superior, or subordinates.
We must follow e-mail etiquette in our professional communication because it is a form of communication which is a reflection of senders and responders. Bad e-mail etiquette reflects badly on us, and a record of this is kept in mailboxes over which we have no control. Good e-mail etiquette reflects well on us, improves our public perception and persona and increases the chance of a prompt and comprehensive response. It is not hard to maintain good e-mail etiquette once we know what it is. A company needs to implement etiquette rules for the following three reasons:
• Professionalism: By using proper e-mail language, your company will convey a professional image.
• Efficiency: E-mails that are to the point are much more effective than poorly worded e-mails.
• Protection from liability: Employee’s awareness of e-mail risks will protect your company from costly lawsuits.
Before Composing E-Mail:
One thing before you start means before composing or responding to an e-mail, ask yourself this: is e-mail the right medium for this communication? If you are not sure, pick up the phone or walk over to the person and have a conversation. E-mail only if it is the right medium.
The first step in writing an e-mail message:
Identify the purpose of the message in the e-mail you are going to send. In other words, focus your objective, i.e. try to follow the five I’s: Inform Inquire, Influence, Instruct, and Incite.
Focus your content. Do not let unnecessary ideas impose on your principal message.
To:
Each individual on the To box of an e-mail is responsible for the response or taking an action (or part of an action) outlined on the Subject line and the message relates directly to them.
CC:
Cc means Carbon copy and the same message will be received by the recipients along with the recipients mentioned in the To box of the mail. No action or response is expected of individuals on the CC the recipient needs only to read or file the message. The individuals whose work is indirectly affected by the communication should be included on the CC.
BCC:
BCC means Blind Carbon Copy and the same message will be delivered to the recipients mentioned in the Bcc, CC and To box of the e-mail. However, the recipients are invisible to the other recipients mentioned in the BCC. So always use Bcc field cautiously.
Subject:
A subject line effectively summarizes the message. If the subject line is clearly written, each recipient will have a clear understanding of the objective that the message relates to.
• Subject line should effectively summarize the message
• Do not use more than six or seven words in a subject line
• Never use capital letter
• When replying, change the subject line when the topic changes.
Salutations:
We should be very careful in writing the salutation (greeting) because it can be mistranslated by the reader. So, the sender must ensure that his/her reader is comfortable and happy with the salutation, otherwise, rest of the communication may not bring any positive result.
Privacy:
E-mail is not and never has been private. Once you send an e-mail, the recipient can and will do what they want with it. If you need to share private information, pick up the phone, use a different secure system, or use coded attachments.
Use your corporate e-mail for work only. Never use it for personal stuff. Corporate e-mail is not private, it is archived, it is monitored, and most have policies against it. Use your private e-mail for personal affairs; never send personal messages to a recipient’s corporate addresses. Use the blind copy (BCC) or mail merge function to protect the privacy of your contacts.
Attachments:
When you are sending an attachment, tell the recipient what the name of the file is? What program it is saved in, and the version of the program. Compress large attachments and send attachments only when they are necessary. Use a good virus scanner as mails with viruses are not appreciable, and the receiver may become annoyed.
Reply or Reply to all:
Ask yourself: “Does everyone need to know this information?”
• Each e-mail should be replied to within at least 24 hours and preferably within the same working day.
• If the e-mail is complicated, send an e-mail saying that you have received it and that you will get back to them. This will put the people’s mind at rest, and usually, they will be patient.
• Respond only to messages that require one. When replying, make sure that you are adding value to the conversation, truly moving it forward.
• While replying to an e-mail message with an attachment, which is to accompany your reply, you must forward the message instead of using the "Reply" or "Reply All" button. Otherwise, the attachment is not included with the message.
• Do not reply to spam.
The Closing:
In the business world, ending an e-mail professionally is just as important as perfecting the rest of the message. If you do it sloppily, you might lose some precious business opportunities. Courtesy is always important, no matter how short the e-mail is. Before you end your e-mail, you can add some sentence as follows: Thank you for your patience and cooperation, Thank you for your consideration. Include an accurate follow-up statement:
• I will send you additional information.
• I look forward to receiving your input.
• If you have questions or concerns, do let me know.
• I look forward to hearing from you.
• Please let me know if you need further assistance on this.
• If a response is required, specify what, when.
Do not forget to attach documents:
If you plan to attach a document, attach it as soon as you refer to the document in the e-mail. So, often people forget to attach even when they indicate an attachment.
Signatures:
A professional signature makes it easy to contact you. Your e-mail account can automatically add these data to the bottom of the e-mail: Full professional name, Job title, Business phone/fax numbers, Business Street address, Business website (if any), A legal disclaimer (if required by your company).