Do you spend most of your time communicating via email? Knowing email etiquette will help you look more professional, especially to those you’ve not yet met in person. We have previously posted Email Do’s and Email don’ts, and this week we’re offering up 10 tips for email etiquette.
1. Use a proper email address for business. Imagine how people would perceive you if they were receiving an email from: kissmebaby@gmail.com or scoobymoo@hotmail.com.
2. Apply bullet points to emphasize the key points or numberings for steps or procedures. This makes the message reader-friendly and to the point.
3. Use standard fonts like Time News Roman, Verdana or Ariel. Fonts like Comic Sans does not look professional and fancier fonts are usually converted to fonts the receiver has.
4. Type in complete sentences instead of random phrases or text message abbreviations to reduce any obscurity in communication.
5. Write with appropriate sentence structure and punctuation, like capitalize the first word and put the comma and/or question mark in the right place. This ensures the receiver reads your email correctly.
6. Stop typing in all lower-case even for the ‘i’ and the names. It shows laziness and can be perceived as unprofessional.
7. Stay away from overloading your email with emoticons, unless of course the receiver is a close work colleague or friend.
8. Applaud and thank more in the lines to create a positive atmosphere in your business relationships.
9. Always include an email close. If your email is more formal, use a formal closing such as Sincerely, Best regards, All the best, and if your email was informal, you could use Cheers, Thanks, Talk soon.
10. If you have said you’re sending an attachment, double check that you have indeed included it before sending your email. It is wasting the receivers time and shows absent-mindedness.
Do you have any tips you would like to share? If so, please leave a comment.
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