Email communications often turn into a Tower of Babel, with everyone speaking in different languages if we don't understand the do's and do nots.
There is no doubt that business communications, especially electronic business communications, can be made more professional and more effective with better email etiquette.
Why is Email Etiquette Necessary?
Companies and organizations need to implement email etiquette rules for these reasons:
- Professionalism: by using proper email language the company will convey a more professional image.
- Efficiency: emails that get to the point are much more effective than poorly worded emails.
- Protection from liability: employee awareness of email risks can help protect the company from costly law suits.
Electronic Business Communications Demand a Formal Email Policy
A formal email policy with all the do's and do not's is suggested for more streamlined workplace communications. Here are a few pointers that can help companies formulate their email rules and policies.
Tone in Business Email Communications
- Informality is acceptable in email correspondence, but it is still polite to address people by name – Dear Mr Carter or Dear Joe if a more friendly relationship exists.
- It is considered very impolite to type the email in capital letters – it is the email equivalent of shouting at someone.
- Emails demand a prompt response. Reply to e-mails within 24 hours. As with phone calls and faxes, if it is not possible to provide the right response in that time, e-mail the other party to let them know tthat the matter is being attended to.
- An email reply must answer all questions and pre-empt further questions.
- Remember that business email is not a private form of communication – don’t use it for private correspondence or gossip.
Format in Business Email Communication
- Format a standard ‘signature’ for emails which includes: full name, title, department, telephone numbers and e-mail address. (Skype and other relevant details can also be added).
- In business communications, it is better not to play around with fonts and background colours or borders for your email. Keep it Simple.
- Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. This is really important because bad spelling, grammar and punctuation give a bad impression of the company.
- Write a meaningful subject line that will be helpful to the recipient.
Style in Business Email Communication
Since reading from a screen is more difficult than reading from paper, the structure and layout is very important for email messages. The do's and don't in the style section can avoid a lot of irritation. So make sure you use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making points, number them or mark each point as separate.
- Try to keep sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant to be a quick medium and requires a different kind of writing than letters. Also take care not to send emails that are too long.
- Large attachments can annoy recipients and even bring down their email system. Avoid them.
- Avoid using ‘smilies’ and cyber-space abbreviations in electronic business correspondence, it looks unprofessional and not everyone will understand what these symbols mean.
- Use templates for frequently used responses. Some questions are asked over and over again, like directions to the office or how to subscribe to a newsletter. Save these texts as response templates and paste these into the message when needed.
- Add disclaimers to emails since this can help protect the company from liability.
- Do not forward chain letters. Delete them.
- An email that comes from an unknown source and asks for an attachment to be opened, should be deleted– it may be a virus.
Karen Lotter - Karen Lotter is a journalist and writer based in Durban, South Africa. She has written profiles, features, advertising copy, ...
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