E-mail has changed how we communicate in business, and has become the predominant language of corporate culture. It comes with its own set of rules called "netiquette".
In honor of National E-mail Etiquette Month, Pat Stonehouse, one of the foremost authorities on etiquette and protocol offers these guidelines for e-mail usage:
Netiquette
- E-mail isn't private.
Don't say anything in an email that you wouldn't want said on the front page of a newspaper.
- Reply promptly.
Reply within 24 hours, preferably the same working day.
- Forward only necessary documents.
Ask permission if you can forward an e-mail to a third party. Add a note about why you are forwarding.
- Use spell check.
Misspelled words should always be corrected. Spell check will catch misspelled words, but not misused ones. For example; weather and whether.
- Reread twice.
Check the content and tone. Don't use sarcasm and humor that could be misinterpreted. E-mails rely solely on words and don't have the benefit of facial expression or voice infliction.
- Avoid emoticons and abbreviations.
Many people don't know what they mean.
- Avoid sending jokes, chain letters and pornography.
Don't waste other peoples' time and fill up their mail boxes by sending junk e-mail.
- Keep your cool.
Never reply to an e-mail when you are upset. Avoid FLAMING!!!, which is using capitals, exclamation marks and red ink.
- Keep it short.
This is not the time to be a novelist.
- Format correctly.
Business e-mail should contain a salutation, a closing and a signature.
- Use a meaningful subject line.
A subject line often determines when an e-mail gets opened. Make the subject line descriptive and meaningful.
- Reply vs. Reply to all.
Know the difference between the two. Use reply to all only when every single person who was sent the e-mail needs to know your reply.
- Don't get too attached.
Ask permission to send an e-mail attachment and identify the program it was created in.
