E-MAIL ETIQUETTE

WRITING EFFECTIVE MESSAGES

E-mail is not the same as talking to someone face-to-face or even over the telephone.
When we talk face-to-face, we pick up meaning from facial expressions, body language,
specific gestures, and, of course, tone of voice. Even telephone conversations preserve
the meanings conveyed by tone of voice.

But e-mail messages lose these extra ways of conveying meaning as we exchange
messages, and so writers need to take care when writing email messages, even though
they seem impromptu or off-the-cuff.

Guidelines For Using E-Mail

Reply Promptly

E-mail is one of the quickest means of communication today, and the sender often
expects a quick reply.

Subject

 Create a Subject Line that is brief. The subject line need not be a complete sentence.
Eg: Need 3 Computers on Wednesday
 If you are sending a Reply, always add a “RE” before the subject line.
Eg: RE: 3 Computers are available
 If message is urgent, indicate it before the subject line.
Eg: URGENT: Need 2 computers
 If you are sending a request, add REQ before the subject line.
Eg: REQ: Need CSO Information
 If message is not Urgent, add FYI (For Your Information) in front of the Subject line.

Eg: FYI: Book Fair on 23rd August.

-1-
Message

 Be Brief
 Limit your message to one subject per paragraph.
 Do not exceed a 25-line message (one computer screen).
 Keep paragraphs short; indicate breaks between paragraphs by using a blank line.
 Use capitals and punctuations as in any written correspondence.
 Avoid SHOUTING (typing in Caps).
 Avoid too much of Punctuation.
 If you are sending a Reply, always quote the Customer’s query.
 Always check the spelling and grammar before you send out the mail.

Signature

Include your Full Name, Designation and your Company’s name.

Eg: Regards,

John Smith
Customer Support Officer
Revlon Cosmetic Co.

Use A Conversational Tone

The most effective tone for business correspondence is a professional, yet conversational
tone. Try to use the same tone that you would use in a business environment.

Bending the rules to strike an Appropriate Tone

 Contractions aren’t bad.
 ‘I’, ‘We’ and ‘You’ belong in business writing. The purpose of e-mail is to persuade
the reader to take some sort of action. Persuasion requires connection on a human
level. It’s hard to connect if you depersonalize your writing by eliminating all the
pronouns.
 It’s all right to start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction to create a smooth
transition from one sentence or thought to another.
 Humor: As e-mail is an impersonal medium that offers none of the benefits of
inflection, facial expression or body languages, don’t use humor unless you are a
professional humorist.

-2-
 Technical language is to be used based on the client.

The Benefits of Short, Simple Sentences

 Short sentences are easier to write, read and understand.

 Long sentences, always difficult to read, are particularly hard to read on-screen.
 Long sentences test the writer’s ability to use grammar and punctuation correctly.
 Long sentences tend to bury ideas.
 Limit most sentences to one major idea.

Abbreviations

 Use Abbreviations only in the Subject Line.

Eg: RE, FWD etc.
 Avoid using BTW (By the way), IMHO (In my humble opinion) and other such
abbreviations in business emails.
 Avoid using Emoticons (Smiley Faces etc.)
 However, you can use legitimate abbreviations to shorten e-mail messages and only
if the customer can recognize and understand them.
 Never overdo it. Too many abbreviations can make a sentence hard to read.

Formatting

Quoting Documentation
 If you are quoting a customer’s query, indicate it by using a “>” in front of each line.
Eg: > I need some information about your company and the various products
> you offer.
 Edit the Customers query. Include only relevant information while quoting the
customer.
Eg: > I need information about your company and its products.
Underlining
 Since you cannot underline in emails, use “ _”before and after the words or the
phrase.
Eg: I like the _brown color_ bag.

Problems That May Arise

-3-
Problems due to mismatch between sending and receiving software:
 Avoid fancy text
Eg: Hi, I enjoyed the presentation. It was a great job!
This message may show up as:
Hi, I <I>enjoyed <I> the presentation. It was a <B>great job <B>.

The best general advice

What you include in your email message depends on why you are writing and to whom.
Effective email messages are short and to the point. Receivers don't want to scroll
through two or more screens of text to get your message. On the other hand, don't
make your messages so short that the receiver doesn't understand you. Provide enough
information so that the receiver understands both the context and the details of the
message.

Ten More Tips for Effective Email

1. Think before you write. Just because you can send information faster than
ever before, it does not mean that you should send it. Analyze your readers'
needs to make certain that you are sending a message that will be both
clear and useful.
2. Remember that you can always deny that you said it. But if you write it, you
may be held accountable for many, many moons. You may be surprised to
find where your message ends up (as an example of "What Not To Do" in
our e-mail etiquette class?).

3. Keep your message concise. Remember that the screen only shows about
half of a hard-copy page. Save longer messages and formal reports for
regular (snail) or overnight mail. On the other hand, do not keep your
message so short that the reader has no idea what you’re talking about.
Begin long email messages with summaries.
4. Remember that email is not necessarily confidential. Many companies retain
the right to monitor employees' messages. (Refer to #1 and #2.) Do not
send anything you would not be comfortable seeing published in your
company's newsletter (or your community's newspaper).

-4-
5. Do not "flame" (send hostile messages to) your readers. It is unprofessional
to lose control in person; to do so in writing makes any situation worse.
(Refer to #2 and #4.)
6. Don't "Spam" your readers. Don't send them unnecessary or frivolous
messages. Soon, they'll quit opening any message from you. (Refer to #1.)
7. DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS! IT LOOKS LIKE FLAMING! Remember, if you
emphasize everything, you will have emphasized nothing.
8. Do not type in all lower case if you violate the rules of English grammar and
usage; you make it difficult for the reader to read.
9. Use the Subject line to get the reader's attention. Replace vague lines
("Information on XYZ Project," or "Status Report Q1”) with better hooks:
Exciting Career Opportunity, Serious Problems with the New Veeblefetzer,
or Free Money.

10. Take the time to proofread your document before you sent it. Rub the
document thru the spell checker and/or the grammar checker. Even simple
slips will make you look sloppier and damage your professional credibility.

-5-