EMAIL

Email is now the

dominant method of
communicating in
business. It is quick,
inexpensive, flexible
and convenient
Why is email etiquette important?
 We all interact with the printed word as
though it has a personality and that
personality makes positive and negative
impressions upon us.

 Without immediate feedback your

document can easily be misinterpreted by
your reader, so it is crucial that you follow
the basic rules of etiquette to construct an
appropriate tone.
 The elements of email
etiquette
 General format  Flaming
 Writing long  Delivering
messages information
 Attachments  Delivering bad news
 The curse of  Electronic Mailing
surprises Lists
 General Format: The Basics
 Write a salutation for  Use caps when
each new subject email. appropriate.
 Try to keep the email
 Format your email for
brief (one screen length).
 Return emails within plain text rather than
the same time you HTML.
would a phone call.  Use a font that has a
 Check for punctuation, professional or
spelling, and
grammatical errors neutral look.
But it could be a time-bomb

USE WITH CARE….

 The Benefits (email)
 Can be sent and received any time
 Very time effective, can be sent and received
within seconds
 Cost effective -- no paper, no stamps, no
costs -- yet(?)
 Allows for direct access to others
 Messages can be saved and stored
The Benefits (email) cont...
 Convenient for communicating with people in
different places and different time zones

 Easier to communicate with people who

understand written English but don’t speak it
well

 Excellent mechanism for follow-up or action

items after a meeting
 The Challenges (email)
 Not everyone has an email account or
access to email at all times

 Email etiquette -- no standards -- people

make up own styles, can be very confusing

 Email is not confidential -- emails can be

obtained from central network even if
deleted from personal computers
The Challenges (email) cont...

 Email is too often used to distribute

inappropriate material, such as racial
and gender jokes

 Email is too often used to avoid

confrontation and can be easily
misinterpreted
The Challenges (email) cont...

 Email is often sent out without re-reading,

proof-reading and other standards applied to
written communications. We press the send
button too soon…

 Emails can be forwarded and sent to others

without the author’s approval or knowledge
 The Challenges (email) cont...

 Emails are often casual and informal -- this

can create a potential hazard

 Senders often assume that email is read

immediately which can create problems
 Do’s and Don’ts (email)
 DO -- always begin your email with a salutation
and the person’s name -- a date is a good idea as
well

 DO -- always close the email with a closing

sentence and your name

 DO -- in the subject line write a brief and clear

reference to your topic
 Do’s and Don’ts (email) cont...
 DO -- consider the order of the recipients -- be
sensitive to organizational hierarchy

 DO -- limit the number of attachments

 DO -- consider the purpose of the email -- why is

it being written in the first place?

 DO -- consider alternatives -- phone, voice mail,

note, etc. can be more appropriate
Do’s and Don’ts (email) cont...
 DON’T -- Send the entire email when
replying. Only send the part that is
essential
 DON’T -- Be too blunt -- email is the
coldest form of communications. Watch
the tone. Be friendly but polite
 DON’T -- Write an email longer than two
screens -- it probably won’t be read
Do’s and Don’ts (email) cont...
 DON’T -- use “CAPS” for emphasis in the
body of the email. It looks and “sounds”
angry

 DON’T -- use an automatic signature with

every email. Use only in your initial email,
not when replying to a message
 E-Mails
 The beginning of the an e-mail is
the most important position
because it prepares the reader for
the rest of the e-mail.
 General Format: Character
Spacing
 Try to keep your line length at 80
characters or less.
 If your message is likely to be
forwarded, keep it to 60 characters or
less.
 Set your email preferences to
automatically wrap outgoing plain text
messages.
General Format: Lists and Bullets

When you are For example,

writing directions 1) Place the paper in
drawer A.
or want to
2) Click the green “start”
emphasize button.
important points, Another example,
number your • Improve customer
directions or bullet satisfaction.
your main points. • Empower employees.
 General Format: Tone
• Write in a positive tone • Use smiles ,
“When you complete winks ;), and other
the report.” instead of graphical symbols
“If you complete the only when
report.” appropriate.
• Avoid negative words • Use contractions to
that begin with “un, add a friendly tone.
non, ex” or that end (don’t, won’t, can’t).
with “less” (useless,
non-existent, ex-
employee, undecided).
General Format: Addresses
 Avoid sending emails
to more than four
addresses at once.
 Instead, create a
mailing list so that
readers do not have to
scroll too much before
getting to the actual
message.
To: maillist4@cs.com
Attachments
 When you are sending
an attachment tell your
respondent what the
name of the file is,
what program it is
saved in, and the
version of the
program.
 “This file is in
MSWord 2000 under
the name “LabFile.”
 General Tips for Electronic
Mailing Lists
 Avoid discussing private concerns and issues.
 It is okay to address someone directly on the
list. Ex, “Hi Leslie, regarding your question”
 Change the subject heading to match the
content of your message.
 When conflict arises on the list speak in person
with the one with whom you are in conflict.
 When your message is long
 Create an “elevator” summary.
 Provide a table of contents on the first
screen of your email.
 If you require a response from the reader
then be sure to request that response in
the first paragraph of your email.
 Create headings for each major section.
 Elevator Summary and Table
of Contents
 An elevator summary  Table of contents
should have all the
“This email contains
main components of
the email. A. Budget projections
“Our profit margin for for the last quarter
the last quarter went B. Actual performance
down 5%. As a result for the last quarter
I am proposing
C. Adjustment proposal
budget adjustment for
the following D. Projected
areas…” profitability”
Delivering Information About
Meetings, Orientations,
Processes
 Include an elevator
summary and table of
contents with headings.
 Provide as much
information as possible.
 Offer the reader an
opportunity to receive
the information via
mail if the email is too
confusing.
 Delivering Bad News
 Deliver the news up
front.
 Avoid blaming
statements.
 Avoid hedging words
or words that sound
ambiguous.
 Maintain a positive
resolve.
 Delivering Bad News
Deliver the news up Avoid using “weasel
front: words” or hedging:
“We are unable to order “Our pricing structure
new computers this is outdated.”
quarter due to budget More examples of
cuts.” hedging are:
Avoid blaming: Intents and purposes
“I think it will be hard to Possibly, most likely
recover from this, but Perhaps, maybe
what can I do to help?”
 Writing a complaint
• You should briefly • Show why it is critical
state the history of the for the problem to be
problem to provide resolved by your
context for your reader.
reader. • Offer suggestions on
• Explain the attempts ways you think it can
you made previously be resolved or how
to resolve the you are willing to
problem. help in the matter.
 Writing a complaint
Briefly state the history: Show attempts made by
you thus far to
“The current way we
resolve the issue:
choose officers for our
organization is not “I have offered two
alternatives for officer
democratic. As a selection that still
result, we have a involves the votes of
popularity contest the members but both
that does not always have been rejected by
get us the best the executive board.”
candidates.”
 Writing a complaint
Show why it is important for your reader to get
involved:
“This is a problem for two reasons. First, I am
concerned that the executive board no longer protects
the interests of the organization and that their actions
are not in keeping with the constitution of the
organization.
Second, there have been a number of complaints from
the members who feel that their concerns and
preferences are not being addressed by the executive
board, which decreases morale and productivity.”
 Writing a complaint
Ask for help and offer a resolution:
“Please let me know what other options I may
have overlooked. I am willing to meet with the
department head and the executive board to
seek out a solution that is fair to the members
and is good for the business of the organization.
”
 Do not take your reader by
surprise or press them to the
wall
• Do not wait until the

end of the day to

introduce a problem
or concern via memo
or email.
• Avoid writing a litany
of concerns that you
have been harboring
for a long period of
time.
Taking Professors and TAs By
Surprise
 Be sure you have
permission to
communicate with
your professors via
email.
 Complaints about
grades and projects
should generally be
discussed in person.
 Post your concerns or
questions in a timely
manner.
 If you are a professor or
instructor
 Be clear with your  If you have cut off
students about times for when you
whether they can will respond to email,
contact you via email. inform your students
 Tell them what kinds about those times.
of subjects you are  Seek consent from
willing to deal with students before
via email in case you discussing their
have some emails in the
restrictions. classroom.
 Flaming in emails
• Flaming is a virtual • Flame fights are the
term for venting or equivalent of food
sending fights and tend to
inflammatory affect observers in a
messages in email. very negative way.
• Avoid flaming • What you say cannot
because it tends to be taken back; it is in
create a great deal of black and white.
conflict that spirals
out of control.
 Keep flaming under control
• Before you send an  Read your message
email message, ask twice before you send
yourself, “would I say it and assume that
this to this person’s you may be
face?”
•
misinterpreted when
Calm down before proofreading.
responding to a
message that offends
you. Once you send
the message it is
gone.
 When you need to flame

 There are times when

you may need to Here’s a way to flame:
blow off some steam. Flame On
 Remember your Your message
audience and your
situation before Flame Off
sending the email.
 Responding to a flame
 Empathize with the  Avoid getting bogged
sender’s frustration down by details and
and tell them they are minor arguments
right if that is true  If you are aware that
 If you feel you are the situation is in the
right, thank them for process of being
bringing the matter to resolved let the
your attention reader know at the
 Explain what led to top of the response
the problem in  Apologize if
question necessary