Mind Your Manners: Business Email Etiquette

Following a few simple guidelines will ensure your email communications are professional and effective.

Communicating by email at work is as common as coffee breaks. But are you really using it to its full advantage or are you inadvertently sabotaging your communication? Here are a few things you should keep in mind when sending emails.

Curb the Caps
Have you ever received an email that's written entirely in capital letters? Annoying, isn't it? Using all caps is the email equivalent of screaming, so unless you're really ticked off, just don't do it.

Use Ur Wrds Wisely
With text messaging and its abbreviated spelling all the rage, it's easy to let 'text-speak' spill over into your business emails. Unless you're 12 and discussing that note you got in homeroom, resist the temptation to abbreviate. It's just not professional and makes it difficult for you to be taken seriously.

Get In, Get Out
Be as concise as possible with your email communications. No one has the time or desire to read a lengthy dissertation when all they need is the pertinent information. If anything lengthy needs to be discussed, you should do it in person.

Patience is a Virtue
Repeat after me: read and reread your email before you hit send. Does it make sense? Does it accurately convey your message? Is it grammatically correct? Put yourself in the recipient's shoes. How will they interpret it? It's well worth your time to make sure your email is both professional and gets your message across.

Response Time
It's easy to let emails sit idly in your incoming mail folder, but you should try to respond to messages in a timely manner. If you need more time to gather information, send a quick email letting the initiator know that you are working on their request.

Address Check
Once you've read and reread your email, double check the recipient's address. Not only will this save time, but it could also save you some embarrassment. Once it's sent, it's sent.

Selective Reply
Oftentimes emails are sent to a group or team that require individual responses. But do you really need to reply to everyone included on the email. If you have information that only needs to be shared with the sender, don't reply to everyone. It keeps the information exchange from getting confusing, and there are times not everyone needs it. However, if all recipients need your information or comments, don't hesitate to reply to all.

There's no question that email has increased productivity in offices worldwide, but it's important to remember that even though it's a quick and easy form of communication, the messages you send should still be well thought out and professional.