Email Etiquette - It Could Make or Break the Deal...

There’s no question email is still a powerful and vital communication tool. Although the first email was sent back in 1965, we didn’t really begin using it in business until 1993.  Since then, email has been used by business owners and professionals to communicate with each other, with clients and with complete strangers. The problem?  Email really just "came to be".  No rules or guidelines.  Few know about “email etiquette”, or “netiquette” as it's also called.  Understanding netiquette is critical.  Mistakes can kill business relationships.

There are many netiquette guides and rules.  I've been using email daily for 18 years.  During that time, little has changed.  It's still about text communication being sent and received, occasionally with an attachment or two... or more.  I’ve compiled a list I call “Top 10 Tips for Effective and Professional Email”.

1. Use a business-like email address. Free services like Gmail, Hotmail, AOL, Yahoo!, etc… are less professional and frequently used by spammers.  Spam filters often block these email addresses. Your email could get “lost”, your recipient won’t receive it and you’ll never know.  If you have a website, email service generally comes with it. Use it. If you MUST use ISP email such as TDS, BellSouth, etc… or free email service, avoid cute or suggestive words.
     
2. Use the “Subject” line effectively.  Summarize your point in five words or less.  Avoid using common symbols like: !, ?, ‘, “, *, $, %, as well as words such as ‘online’, ‘sales’, ‘urgent’, and 'money'. You may as well delete the email yourself. That’s what most spam filters will do.
    
3. Use a polite, professional, respectful greeting or salutation.  Don’t be presumptuous and assume you’re on a first name basis.  Use of words such as ‘Greetings’ or ‘Hello’, followed by Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Dr., (if appropriate) is safe.
     
4. Keep it basic. Avoid stationary, graphics, logos, and fancy fonts. The email may look fine to you. However, spam filters can’t wait to intercept, delete, or strip it bare before passing it on.  Those who may receive your email could have trouble viewing it.  Stationary, logos and fonts can turn into attachments.  Email programs don’t always display email the same way it was sent, especially if viewed on PDAs, Smart Phones, or cell phones.
    
5. Watch what you say and how you say it.  Comments made in person, accompanied by gestures and facial expressions, will be understood as intended.  The same comments in text can easily be misinterpreted.
     
6. Avoid emoticons, abbreviations and ALL UPPER-CASE LETTERS.  Leave the smileys, BTW’s and LOL’s out of your professional email.  It’s PROFESSIONAL email, remember? Using all upper-case letters is the email equivalent of shouting.
     
7. Use a “Signature” at the end of your email. You close letters, memos, and other hard copy correspondence.  The same applies to email. Conclude politely and professionally with ‘Thank you’ or ‘Sincerely’, followed by your full name, business name, phone number, email address, and website address.  Most email programs allow you to set up a signature which is automatically added to your email correspondence.
     
8. Be considerate. Confirm before sending attachments. Verify that the recipient can receive large files and open certain file types.  Sure, you may be able to send attachments over 1 MB in size.  However, whether dial-up, high-speed, and now with recipients using Smart Phones to view email... enough of these can clog a recipient’s email forcing them to sit, wait, and in some cases, prevent them from receiving email altogether. Files made on “Windows” software may not be viewable on a “Mac” and vice-versa. Checking first will save time and minimize problems.
     
9. Proof Read and Spell Check. You get one chance to make an impression.  All credibility is lost if the recipient is busy trying to interpret a word or sentence instead of focusing on your message.  Most email programs provide "spell check".  If yours doesn't, use word processing software, check it there, then copy and paste it into your email.  This is also a good method for checking grammar.
     
10. Fill in the “TO” email address last. Ever hit “Send” only to realize you forgot to attach something?  Or worse… you realize you said things you really didn’t want to say.  Filling in the “TO” email address last helps prevent accidentally sending an email before you’ve completed it, proofed it, spell checked it, attached files, or reconsidered.

Not only can each of these tips be expounded on, but this list just scratches the surface. Visit your favorite search engine and type in “email etiquette” or “email netiquette” for more information if you really wish to perfect your email communication skills.

Written by William H. Wells III for Monroe County, Tennessee Newspapers.

Monroe County, Tennessee includes Coker Creek, Madisonville, Sweetwater, Tellico Plains, and Vonore

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