There is a term used for Internet and email etiquette - "Netiquette". Here is what it's all about. Although there are no rules governing email etiquette, we are all well aware of what a rude or distasteful email looks like. We also know how we prefer to receive emails so here are some tips to email etiquette.
- Re-read and then re-read once again before sending an email. It's obvious, but so few people do it.
- Send it to the right person and keep personal emails for your personal home life.
- DO NOT USE ALL CAPITALS - As this is considered to be shouting and is quite rude.
- Don't end sentences with !!!!! or ???? one is enough!!!!
- Be aware of how big your file attachments are. Don't send emails to people that are 50Mb - it just clogs up their servers and takes forever to retrieve.
- Compress big files to make them smaller, using ZIP, or RAR.
- Always use a subject line - Most email clients and spam filters will put your email in the junk mail if you don't and it really just makes it easier for everyone involved to search for the email they need.
- Don't send chain letters or "make money fast" messages. If it's too good to be true, it probably is!
- If you do foward a multi-recipient email from a friend, strip any email addresses from the body and use the BCC field for everyone, to reduce any chance of email address harvesting.
- Don't criticise peoples spelling, it's considered petty.
- Check the tone. Please, thank you, exclamation marks when ending sentences on a lighter note, perhaps even an emoticon or two, all add to the tone and manner of the email.
- Spelling, grammar, punctuation are all important aspects of a professional email. If your spelling isn't great, take advantage of the spell checking feature built into most email software.
- Keep it snappy and concise. There is nothing worse than scrolling down five pages to get to the point.
- Do trim any quoted message down as much as possible.
- Do be polite with pleases and thank-you's.
- Do tell people the format of any attachments you send if they are anything other than standard Microsoft office file types.
- Irony and humour can be difficult to express, so be careful how you use it.
If we all begin to follow the rules of Netiquette, the world might become a more well-mannered place.
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