Friday, March 8, 2013

Writing Tip - E-Mail Etiquette

E-mails have come to play a huge role in modern life. Let's make the world a little more pleasant for everyone by using proper e-mail etiquette. Here are some tips:

Don't forward an e-mail without permission.

Forwarding an e-mail that was only meant for you is a breach of trust. Get permission or don't do it.

If you can't respond fully to an e-mail in a timely manner, send an acknowledgement.

People resent being ignored. When you don't have time to respond to an e-mail, send a standard reply, such as: "Thanks for your e-mail. I can't respond right now, but I'll get back to you soon. I appreciate your patience."

Don't make the recipient dig through a long string of messages for a needle in a haystack.

Don't write, "Yes, let's go ahead with the sixth option," and make the reader search through 10 pages of previous e-mails to find out what the sixth option is. Be kind. It's easier for you to copy and paste the relevant material into your current message.

DON'T USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

Capital letters SCREAM. No one likes to be screamed at.

Don't mark it "URGENT!" unless it really is urgent.

Fight the temptation to be like the little boy who always cried "Wolf!" just to get attention. Remember, when a wolf really came to eat him, everyone ignored his cries.

Don't clutter inboxes unnecessarily.

Is your e-mail necessary, important or useful? If not, don't send it. That includes unnecessary replies, such as "Okay, thanks," or "Take it easy."

Don't copy the wrong people.

Let's say you have to e-mail a work associate about a mistake he has made. If you "Cc" the president of your company, that associate is going to be embarrassed, at best. At worst, he'll assume you're trying to undermine him and will stay awake nights plotting your destruction.

Personalize for clarity.

Unclear e-mails that impose unnecessarily on other people's time are not polite. The following e-mail is an example:

To: Jill Nye; Bill Todd; Jane Smith

Subject: The report is due today

The monthly report is due today at 5 p.m.. Please review the attached draft. We need to verify that the profit figures are right, finish the graph on page four and proofread the entire report.

Do you see what's wrong? The e-mail doesn't specify who is supposed to do what. The one that follows solves this by pinning everything down....

To: Jill Nye; Bill Todd; Jane Smith

Subject: The report is due today

The monthly report is due today at 5 p.m. Please review the attached draft.

Jill: Please verify that the profit figures are right.

Bill: Please finish the graph on page four.

Jane: Please proofread the entire report.

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