Email Etiquette: Who Needs It? » Key Organization Systems

SCENARIO: You invited a business acquaintance to a special luncheon, one which required advance purchase of the $50 per plate ticket. Your friend accepted the invitation enthusiastically. On the day of the function, your friend sends an email message at 10:30 a.m. to tell you something came up and she won�t be able to make it to the lunch.

Several etiquette issues may come to mind when you consider this scenario. However in the email context, how can this person presume that you will see the message before the luncheon, let alone as quickly as possible so that you have a few minutes to try to find a replacement? No one is at their computer non-stop throughout the day. If there is a time-sensitive issue, use the phone to ensure that your message is received.

This was an actual incident. The party on the receiving end of the email in this situation asked me to write an article about email etiquette. I passed the question on to a large group for their feedback and will summarize the main issues that respondents brought up. Most of the topics were touched on several times. They may appear to be common sense, but the fact that they were raised means that many people are not stopping to think about etiquette and common sense before they hit that "Send" button.

"Reply" vs. "Reply to All"
Be careful in choosing the correct button, especially if you are in a group such as a Yahoo group. When the group gets a message and you hit "Reply", it goes to everyone. If you are the one writing the message, put your reply email address in the very first line rather than at the bottom. It is easier to locate and will catch the reader's attention right away. When the address is added toward the bottom of the message, it is often overlooked as the reader skims through the text.

Bcc:
Use this field when sending to a large group. No one wants to scroll down a full page to get past the list of addresses. Even if it is not a large group, use this when not everyone in the group knows each other. People can be very sensitive about their addresses being revealed in light of spam proliferation.

Subject lines
Create a *spark* to get someone's attention. You can include 6-8 words within a subject line. Think back to the old days when telegrams were the urgent communication medium. At $10 per word, what words would you choose?

Emotion
Technology is not the means to employ in demonstrating anger, hurt, or any other negative feeling. First of all, it is hard to communicate those expressions, and second, it is easy to misinterpret something that is written. A poorly worded or emotional message can escalate feelings and be difficult to correct.

Forwarding

Sensitive/confidential information. There are copyright laws involved in writing a message. Just because the message is sitting in your inbox does not mean that you own it and have the right to do whatever you please with it.
Jokes / motivational messages / inspirational photos. No matter how cute or clever you think a message is, do not forward it to a work address. It takes time and space and could eventually end up costing someone their position. If you do not have the courage to tell friends to stop sending these, sign up for a free email service and have the non-business correspondence sent there.

Salutations
Manners are still valuable. You do not have to put a greeting on notes you send back and forth within your department or company. However if you are corresponding with an outside party or someone that you do not frequently contact, you might include a greeting that will reflect the level of formality in your relationship:
Hi, Cathy --
Dear Cathy,
Dear Mrs. Brown:

Spelling
Yes, spelling counts, along with proper grammar. Even though email in itself bespeaks informality, it still conveys both your professional and your personal image. Do not hit the �Send� button until you have proofread the text.

Colors
The easiest setup is to use dark text against a light background. Textured backgrounds and neon lettering do not convey a business image. In addition, some people who are colorblind are not able to read colored text.

It is sometimes difficult to remember a time when email was not a dominant form of business communication. Its ease-of-use creates value for a company, but then its ease of use can also create problems. The fact that all of the above issues were spotlighted as irritants means that training and awareness are still needed in the workplace.

What image do you choose to portray? How are employees representing you in their messages?