Imagine ... you are in a rush and send someone a short email written in capital letters only. The receiver reminds you that doing this is equivalent to shouting at someone. You were absolutely not aware of it and apologise. You feel embarrassed.
After this incident, you are determined to learn more about proper email etiquette rules in order to avoid any future awkward situations.
Here are 15 tips that you should consider when emailing someone.
1) Always use a courteous greeting and salutation with the right level of formality.
2) Write in complete sentences and use proper grammar. Avoid abbreviations such as LOL, or symbols such as :-o (shocked) and check your spellings.
3) Put the most important information at the beginning of your email.
4) Keep your emails short and to the point.
5) When forwarding an email, include personal comments to the recipient.
6) Let your recipient know if you plan to send a large attachment.
7) If your entire message is contained in the subject line, use EOM (end of message) so the recipient knows they don't have to open the e-mail.
8) Double-check your recipient list before sending.
9) Acknowledge emails, even if they don't "need" a reply.
10) Respond to emails within 24 hours.
11) Avoid writing in CAPITAL LETTERS only. It's like shouting at the person who reads your e-mail.
12) Don't use any offensive, sexist or X-rated communications.
13) Don't forget to include the words PLEASE and THANK YOU. Reading your email out loud helps you to see whether you got the right tone.
14) Don't use email to sort out complex issues, instead set up a face-to-face meeting. This is particularly important if more than 2 people are involved.
15) Remember that emails can leave a trail and can easily be forwarded, printed, shared and saved forever. You don't want that your messages fall into the wrong hands.
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