Monday, September 13, 2010
Email Etiquette (Dos and Don'ts)
Using the information that you learned last week, I would like everyone to post (and explain) one do and one don't regarding email etiquette. There are plenty of dos and don'ts to consider, so there should be no duplicates throughout the entire class. Any posts that do not include an explanation for each do and don't (even though some may be obvious) they will not be considered for credit.
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Do: Proofread
ReplyDeleteSpell check can catch some of the spelling mistakes but not all. Remember, you may be sending this to numerous recipients. It only takes a minute or two to read it again.
Don't: Overuse "Reply to All"
Only Reply to All when everyone listed on the email needs to see your response. Email boxes can become filled with unnecessary responses.
Do: Keep you email concise
ReplyDeleteTry to stay focused on one topic in your email so the body isn't cluttered and disorganized.
Don't: Forward emails without permission
Make sure you get permission from the original sender before you forward their email to someone else.
Do: Type to others as you would want to be typed to.
ReplyDeleteIn other words uses the "Golden Rule" with emails.
Don't: Click reply to an old email if it is a new topic.
Clicking reply with an old email with a new topic makes the other person you are bringing up something old.
Do: Acknowledge the receipt of an e-mail in a timely manner. Don't wait longer than necessary to reply to any e-mails. Always respond that you, at least, recieved the message- even if the sender does not request a confirmation.
ReplyDeleteDon't: Over use acronyms or emoticons. Using "btw" instead of "by the way" makes you look unprofessional- regardless of whether or not it saves you time and energy. Also, ending every sentence with a smiley face, not only makes the recipient take you less seriously, but also makes your message seem silly and unimportant.
(Kelly Medeiros)
Do: Answer all questions and try to be preemptive to further questions that might arise.
ReplyDeleteDon't: Use capitals because it might come across as an aggressive tone.
Do: use the subject line to identify what the email is about. A brief couple of words would be the best and the reader should be able to get an idea on what to expect.
ReplyDeleteDo not: make unnecessary attachments to the email. This is a waste of time on both ends and could cause more harm than good.
Do: Use common courtesy when writing an email, be sure to include a greeting and farewell and mind the basics, like "please" and "thank you".
ReplyDeleteDon't: 3. Don’t publicize a recipient’s email address unless you’re positive they approve. If an email is being sent to a mixed group of recipients, use BCC to keep sensitive addresses private.
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteDo: Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. The use of abbreviations and slang are not proper etiquette.
Don't: Attach unnecessary files, this can be a real nuisance and comes across as unprofessional.
Hello, my name is Jeff Robbins and I am pursing my Associates in Business Administration. If I can successfully complete the next couple of semesters I do plan to go further to the next step towards my under graduate with a university to be determined at a later date. I have 15 plus years in the banking industry and am familiar with and have moderate experience in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint presentations. I have compiled reports, created sales spread sheets and only one sales PowerPoint presentation in my career. I have no formal training in these applications they have been self taught, trained or administered as requested. I am taking this course not only as a requirement but with the hope I will be more proficient in these applications and may also have a topic to discuss at a cocktail party.
ReplyDeleteDo: Reserve an email for a single subject. This will hinder lengthy and potentially confusing emails.
ReplyDeleteDon’t: Use HTML in an email. A person’s email provider, or security or privacy settings, might not allow your message to be viewed.
Do: Use proper sentence stucture. Capitalize the first word in a sentence with apropriate punctuation.
ReplyDeleteDon't: Drag out an email, keeps your thought direct and to the point. Leave long conversations to the telephone.
Do: Try and use humor and sarcasm sparingly as it can easily be misunderstood when read through email.
ReplyDeleteDon't: Reply to an email message when angry or upset. You can't recovered a sent email and you may regret sending it later.
Do: Always use the subject line in your email so that it is easier for your recipient/s to find it's contents at a later date in their inbox.
ReplyDeleteDon't: Forward comical emails in the workplace as some co-workers might find the email humorous but not the fact that you are using company time and company property for personal use/entertainment.
Do: Always double check the email address you have typed to ensure it is correct. You wouldn't want the wrong person to get your email.
ReplyDeleteDon't: Never use fancy font styles. Some people may not have the same font styles on their computer and in which case it can result in the person getting the email having to try and figure out what letter that little square box or whatnot is suppose to represent.
DO: Re-read your email before you send it. If you send an email with all kinds of spelling and grammar mistakes, the person reading the email will think you are very unprofessional and not even want to read the email.
ReplyDeleteDON'T: Do not use capital letters, underlining, bold, colors, or italics in an email. The person reading the email could take it the wrong way and think the person sending the email is showing anger or yelling at them.
Do: Greet your recipient(s)
ReplyDeleteEven if it is an email to multiple recipients, traditional letter structure looks more professional, and a proper greeting sets a better tone than simply beginning the email with the first sentence of business.
Don't: center or right-align your email.
You may think you're being creative, but it is distracting and looks unprofessional. Emails should be left-aligned; they will be easier to read and look much more professional.
Do: Provide a summary when you forward an "FYI" email
ReplyDeleteIn order to save your recipient some time you should include a quick summary of the conversation thread that is being forwarded, especially if the recipient was not included in the original dialogue. This will clear up any misunderstandings and get your point across loud and clear.
Don’t: Do not use e-mail to discuss confidential information
Upper management can intercept company emails since they are considered company property. If inappropriate emails are sent they may place the company at risk especially since emails are easily copied, printed and forwarded.
DO: Enter a reference or introduction in the subject line. This not only grabs the attention of the recipient but also can avoid the email being discarded by some anti-spam software.
ReplyDeleteDON'T: Assume your reader will understand any industry jargon or abbreviations...(e.g.) btw, ttyl etc.