Email etiquette refers to the principles of behavior that one should use when writing or answering email messages. It is also known as the code of conduct for email communication.
Email etiquette depends upon to whom we are writing- Friends & Relatives, Partners, Customers, Superior or Subordinates.
When it comes to business communication, it is our responsibility to convey to our business contacts that we are easy and with pleasure to work with.
And thus, we should know how to contact business professionals properly. It is of utmost importance to be aware of how business email etiquette matters and how the organizational technology should be used as well.
Poor etiquette can be a deal killer.How then can we turn our emails into deal breakers
According to Sanjutha Ravindrakumaran’s blog on email etiquette,there are key factors when it comes to email etiquette.
- Know when to use reply and reply all
- Practice to provide meaningful and direct-to-the-point subject line
- Subjects are not all in CAPS or all in lowercase
- Change relevant or open a new email thread
- Provide warnings while sending large attachments
- Use proper abbreviations (not recommended for external email-use)
- Know top post and bottom post
- Avoid bottom posts; instead, use top posts for business emails.
- Addressing and courtesy models
- Be careful while using To, CC, and BCC
- Provide proper signature
- Focus on language like grammar and punctuations
- Highlight the date/time (font / color bold / italicized & underlined)
- Be careful in forwarding emails (some emails contain sensitive information and data)
- Out of office emails (provide modes of contact or alternative personal’s contact information)
- Practice immediate replies
And lastly, never assume.
