7 Email Etiquette Rules To Help You
Email is a beautiful thing: it provides you a record of every conversation, it’s easily searchable, and you’re one click away from everyone you want to connect with.
At the same Email is the jack-in-the-box ready to bite you in the @$$ when you turn it one too many times. Pay attention when you’re using email or suffer the embarrassment of the “Reply All” with the off-color comment or the “Forward” to the wrong “Susie” that deep-sixes your idea, or tips off your competition.
Follow these 7 email etiquette rules to make it work for you, not against you.
Say Hello and Goodbye. Start your email with a salutation — “Hello,” “Hi” “Dear….” something that starts the email with a polite introduction. Email is a written form of communication – not a ping pong game without the need for introduction. Likewise, end your email with a closing phrase — “thanks” “best regards,” “all my best” “sincerely” — let the person know you’ve finished your email.
Don’t leave the sender hanging. Particularly your teammates, your partners, your clients or your family. Reply to every email that has you in the “To:” line. Every one. Even if it’s a “got it, will do later.” If you don’t reply to these people in your work and personal life then you’re leaving the sender wondering if you got it – you’re taking up THEIR brain power. Don’t be rude.
Don’t “Reply All” when it’s not called for. If your name is in the “CC:” line – you don’t have to reply at all unless you can materially change the direction of the email or the input of the discussion.
Don’t send email between 7pm and 7am unless it’s an emergency. Many of us work late at night or early in the morning to catch up from our work or life day (going to the dentist in the middle of the day, volunteer work that needs to get done in the middle of the day, a commute that eats up regular work time so that you can get home in time to relieve the sick babysitter – whatever). However, instead of just sending it at 2am, use the delayed sending option and send after 7:30am. One teammate was most productive between 9pm and midnight and would just fire off email after email until she cleared her deck. But that meant that her teammates were getting pinged all night long and/or had their email clogged in the morning before they even got out of bed. Email is 24/7 but your people aren’t. Also don’t let your clients or partners know that you’re working around the clock — they’ll think they can always get you without repercussion.
Do use a clear, actionable Subject Header, including a deadline if it’s urgent. Never leave the subject line empty or use in-descriptive words such as “news” or “notes” or “idea.” Tell the person what’s in the email in the subject header with clear language that will compel the ready to open your email. (E.g. Notes from 11-22-14 Call, Action items Due 11-25., or “New idea for Project Red – need your input by Tuesday at 10.)
Don’t start an email with “Start from the bottom.” If you’re forwarding an email string to bring someone else up to speed, then summarize the situation in your email with clear, bulleted points so that the reader can quickly suss the situation and then go back and read the whole string if they need to. Again, don’t be rude. Tell your reader what he/she needs to know.
Lastly, remember that email lives forever. Don’t write anything you want to have to explain to your mother. Leave the swearing, inappropriate photos and jokes out of email. You never want to be sitting in a deposition having someone else read your emails that were better left said (or unsaid). (And yes, I’ve learned a LOT in some of the depositions I’ve had to do.)
Bottom-line – your email is taking up valuable space in your readers inbox and brain. Emailers who are known for well-done, actionable emails are much more likely to be read than emailers who are lazy and rude. And in the end, nothing’s worth sending unless it’s going to be opened up.
Nuff Said.