Whether we are in office or working remotely, we rely on e-mails and chats to communicate. We spend most of our workday writing e-mails. There are times when we read e-mails and get confused, irritated or ignored. We send and respond to e-mails in a hurry leaving a trail of silly mistakes, and our messages are misunderstood. If this has happened to you, you’ve landed at the right place. Whether you’re interacting with senior managers, your colleagues or friends, here are some e-mail etiquette that if followed, can make you a master at effective e-mailing.
Use a sensible e-mail address
We use office e-mail IDs that contain our full names and the company domain. For example: ‘John.Smith@abc.com’. Your e-mail address is how recipients know who you are. Avoid using personal e-mail addresses at workplaces and if you need to, make sure you choose one that isn’t an odd sounding one. For example: ‘mylove123@…’
Include a clear subject line
The subject line is the first thing everyone reads. We decide whether to open that e-mail. Leaving it blank in e-mails is unprofessional and an outright no! Assume that the person you are sending an e-mail has a crowded inbox. Your mail is likely to be ignored, if you leave the subject line blank or write a long one. The subject line must be short, clear and it should reflect the intent of your mail. Avoid using shortcuts or vague words such as ‘Hi’ or ‘FYI’.
Keep font style and size standard
Text with a lot of formatting can confuse the reader. Try sticking to the standard font size and style. Bold the text to highlight it but avoid using colours. Keep the mail body simple with minimal formatting.
Use salutations and simple language
Always start a mail with the salutation. If you are writing a mail to someone you don’t know by name, for example a department, add a line ‘To whom it may concern’. Preferably, try and find the person’s name before you write a mail. If you know the person’s name, add ‘Dear Mr. John/Ms. Nisha’ or ‘Hi John’. A word like ‘Hey’ and ‘Hello’ sounds informal and maybe acceptable in some situations. You can use these salutations if you are writing to your friend or to someone very close in the team.
Use simple, short language when drafting a mail. Write to the point, using the help of bullet points to help more complex topics. End the e-mail with a message to set up a meeting or discussion on the subject. If you feel the topic is lengthy and can’t be explained in short, use alternate communications.
Introduce yourself to new individuals
When writing an e-mail to new acquaintances, customers or clients, make a habit to introduce yourself in the first few lines. Mention your name and some details such as your designation and what you do. This is how your recipients know how you got their contact information. For example – ‘My name is Sharon and I am from ABC.LTD. I am writing to you about . . .’ or ’Dear Ms. Nisha, My name is Sharon, founder of ABC.LTD. I was referred to you by . . .’
End e-mails with a message
The last line of your e-mail should conclude with a message along with a nudge for the recipient to take some action. Add a line, which says ‘I am hoping to meet you can discuss this further at 10am Monday’ or ‘Please look at the attached PPT and share your feedback’ or ‘It was nice meeting you. I look forward to being in touch’.
Read e-mails thoroughly before sending
This is as important as writing a mail, so read through the mail before hitting the ‘Send’ button. Check spellings, grammar and punctuation. While you read, make sure you have mentioned everything you wanted to and attach files if any. If you need to send large attachments, compress them and attach them. The best practice is adding attachments before drafting a mail. That way, you don’t have to send the dreaded ‘Sorry, I forgot the attachments….’ mail again.
Include a signature
Sign-off with a signature. Use ‘Regards’, ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Thank you’. Give details to your recipients in case they want to reach you. Mention your first name along with your phone number or e-mail address. If you are sending an official mail, create a professional signature with your full name, office details and phone number.
If you’ve ever tried composing e-mails on your phone, you might see a signature added – ‘Sent from my iPhone’. You can choose to remove or customise it.
Flag urgency as needed
Sometimes we need to send an important e-mail that’s urgent. Flag it as urgent to recipients take it seriously, but don’t abuse it. In such cases, also mention it in the subject. For example – ‘Important announcement: Year-End Tax Documentation requirement’.
Reply to e-mails promptly
Respond to e-mails within a few hours or by the end of the work day but don’t obsess over e-mails or you might not get a lot done. If you cannot respond promptly, mark these mails as unread and reply within a day. Respond that you have read the mail and that you will mail back later.
We hope you find these e-mail etiquette helpful. Sending e-mails is one of the best ways to convey a message quickly to the masses. It is simple but making it sensible without offending anyone is equally important. That’s where e-mail etiquette can get your message across effectively. Most of us may have heard of these etiquette before and now is a good time to start implementing.
