On a conference call last week it was said that J&J employees send over 1 million emails per month. Without a doubt, email is a cornerstone of doing business today. Now more than ever, your email etiquette is important in communicating effectively and efficiently. Below are 7 sure-fire tips to think about for the next time you sit down to send off an email:
Make sure “email” is appropriate.
- Email may be quick and easy, but it’s definitely not the proper medium for every message. Consider a live call if your topic is emotional or controversial, your recipient may misinterpret your thoughts if presented on email. Sensitive or private subject? Never forget how easy it is to hit “forward,” not to mention the fact that your message will be sitting somewhere in cyberspace for years to come.
Use the subject line properly.
- Your “subject” line needs to be meaningful and on point if you want get the readers attention. For example: “Action required:” or “Response requested:” grab attention. Avoid a using a generic subject, such as “Hi”, or worse, not using one at all. These messages will be either ignored or relegated to the bottom of the inbox. By leaving the subject blank, you also make it harder for your recipient to find it should they need it later.
Get the name right.
- If you are unsure of the spelling of the recipient’s name or how he/she prefers to be addressed, take the time to find out. Nothing kicks off a great business relationship quite like using the wrong name… it’s worth the extra minute.
Get to the point.
- Emails are not the place for writing your autobiography or a novel. Be respectful of other people’s time by being as brief and as concise as possible. Additionally, with the popularity of the BlackBerry, no one wants to spend 10 minutes scrolling through an email, it will quickly be ignored.
Limit Forwards.
- Instead of forwarding an entire string of emails, if at all possible, cut and paste pertinent information onto a new email. This saves the reader from reading through multiple forwards to find the info they want.
Proofread. Proofread. Proofread.
- Check for grammar, punctuation and spelling errors. Especially check for subject-verb agreement and run-on sentences which are the most common errors. There’s really no excuse for them anymore - Outlook has a setting that requires “spell-check” before it will send message. Use it.
Business email is for business… only.
- With the ease of setting up a Gmail account, you would think this would be a no brainer! Only use your company e-mail for business purposes and only use your personal e-mail when on your own time. Think before you type and think again before you send. If you don’t, HR could do the thinking for you…
Have one you’d like to add to the list? Let’s hear it - Add a comment!
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