Minding Your Manners: E-mail Etiquette

Contributed by Jay Schroyer

Today, advancing technology is finding faster and irreversible ways for business professionals to bite their tongues and stick their feet in their mouths. E-mail is only one of these services that have all but taken over everyday business communication. That is why it is now more important than ever to remember that all of these advancements that are created with ease of use and efficiency in mind, be treated as carefully as all other time-tested forms of business communication.

A good rule of thumb to use when compiling an e-mail is to treat it as though you were writing a letter. The only difference is that this "letter" will arrive much faster than any delivered by the United States Postal Service. With so many options and features available in office e-mail programs like Microsoft® Outlook®, it is vital to learn as much about Outlook as possible. Below are some basic business e-mail tips to follow when constructing e-mails for business communication, always keeping in mind the importance of business protocol and etiquette.

TO Field
Always double check the mailing address for accuracy. Too many e-mails never make it to the addressee because of transposed characters, a zero mistaken for the letter "o", or dashes used in place of an underscore. To save time and frustration, place often used addresses into the address book of the e-mail program. Most programs feature an auto finish that will actually offer you choices of addresses when the first few letters are entered into the dialog box.

CC or BCC
The use of the CC and BCC fields require some foresight. Carbon copy should be used when all of the addressees are acquainted with one another and the information being sent is pertinent to all involved parties. It is a quick and easy method to get everyone up to speed. Remember, everyone that is included in the CC field will be able to read not only the e-mail, but will also be able to see who else was sent a copy. BCC is a way to send someone else the e-mail without everyone in the TO or CC field knowing that they were included. This method is helpful when a subject may be too sensitive to send CC, but a particular addressee (such as a supervisor) needs to be kept in the loop.

Subject
Choosing an appropriate subject line is as important as an author titling a newly completed novel. Subjects should be short and concise, conveying the general information of the e-mail body text in an easy to swallow form. An addressee should be able to glance at the subject line and have a general idea of the level of importance or pertinence the e-mail has. Do not type subject lines in all caps. All caps are the equivalent of shouting at someone over the phone.

Attachments
There will come many a time when there is a need to attach a file to an e-mail that contains text, a chart, photos, or perhaps an entire presentation. Important aspects to remember when sending an attachment are: size, compatibility, and remembering to attach the file or files. Attachments that are so large that they are measured in megabytes can cause many problems for addressees. Some e-mail inboxes only have a certain amount of allotted space and if a large attachment is sent, it may cause the receiver to miss other e-mails due to a full mailbox. Large files also take longer to download which shouldn't be a problem in the age of T1, T2, and DSL internet connections, but as a rule of thumb, the smaller the better. Make sure the attached file is compatible with the addressee's system and software. Nothing is more frustrating than receiving an important file that is unreadable. PDFs (portable document format) are a good bet as they are generally smaller in size and the Acrobat Reader used to access them is free for download. Finally, always double check to make sure that the file was actually attached. Many an e-mail, promising an attachment, has been closely followed by another embarrassing message that actually contains the attachment.

Message
When crafting the body of the e-mail message, it should be just like any other form of business communication: clear, concise, informative, and readable. Beware of your audience and choose salutations wisely. If the addressee is someone you've played golf with, perhaps a first name basis is appropriate. If it is a supervisor or a new client, always use standard business etiquette and courtesy. Using the age-old intro, explanation, conclusion format, an e-mail can be written that introduces the addressee to the subject, explains why the e-mail is being sent, and wraps up the entire package with a reminder of the facts and an expression of gratitude for the addressee's time or help. Use the default font and size and avoid unnecessary spacing.

Signature
Like a letter, no e-mail is complete without a signature. The signature provides the addressee with more details should they need further contact information. Microsoft Outlook allows you to customize your signature with different fonts, colors, and even business logos making each sender's signature unique and specific. Again, use common business sense etiquette. The signature should contain name, title, company affiliation, and further contact information such as an address, office or cell number, and even a reiteration of the sender's e-mail address.

With the rise in popularity of e-mail, many used it strictly for personal use to keep in touch with friends and family, and consequently, many saw it simply as a form of casual communication. But as more and more companies and businesses began to utilize e-mail as a main form of business communication, users would come to realize that as in any business communication, courtesy and etiquette are as important as the information contained in an e-mail. By remembering good business sense and harnessing the potential of e-mail programs through such features as the Microsoft Outlook tutorial, e-mail will remain a vital source of communication, workflow, and information sharing.

Microsoft and Outlook are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.

About the Author:
Jay Schroyer has worked in the client and customer service end of business for over five years in retail, advertising, and printing. He holds a bachelor's and master's degree in English writing and communication.