Email etiquette is something that everyone should know and follow. Whether you work in a 9 to 5 in an office or if you work as an influencer or for your own sake, you will have to answer email. Most of us have an email box that is filled with unopened and responded to emails. But, it is a professional way to communicate, and you need to check it constantly to make sure that you are on the right track.
Email etiquette allows you to get meaning across in a clear and professional manner and leaves a positive impression on your potential employers. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and learn more about email etiquette.
What is email etiquette?
It s the principles that guide someone on how to behave when they are sending and receiving an email. They are codes of conduct that includes guideline that includes appropriate language, manner, grammar, and even spelling.
To err on the safer side in the workplace, you are advised to follow email etiquette, and this will make you remain on the formal and professional side. It helps you establish stronger relationships in the workplace, and it represents your employers well.
On average, a given professional spends about 28% of their working time reading, writing, and responding to emails. This is why people tend to forgo email etiquette at times because they don’t have enough time to follow it, but you have to follow them to remain and sound professional at all times.
Why you benefit from following email etiquette:
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- Efficiency: this template allows emails to adhere to the etiquette, keeping them direct and concise. This means that message is delivered and understood quickly.
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- Professionalism: It is also important to remember that proper email etiquette also helps convey a professional image of yourself and the company you are representing.
1. The Greeting
Any good and professional email starts with an appropriate greeting. The greeting you choose to use will usually depend on your relationship with that specific person and the subject matter of the said email. An email should never, and I repeat, never come across as informal; writing an email may vary from form to casual (if you are writing to your colleague).
Some of the most popular greeting forms of greeting out there are:
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- Hi <first name>
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- Dear <surname>
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- Hello <first name>
Some email faux pas that you should definitely avoid is just starting with the recipient’s name or even slang like ‘yo’ and ‘heya’. These aren’t considered as professional and will definitely be frowned upon.
2. Keep it short
I have a double master’s in English and Linguistics; trust me, I know how to use words to write a 40 000 words paper. But writing an email is not like writing a thesis. You need to get to the point; if it takes someone more than 1 and a half minutes to read and email through and through, then we have issues.
On average, someone who works in an office receives an average of 100 messages per day, which means that no one has time to read a long-winded email. Be upfront about what you want, and don’t use unnecessary and wordy words. Again this is not a college essay; this is an email.
3. Clear subject line
Most of us are buried with emails; I have more than 1000 unopened emails that, at this point, will never be opened nor answered. This is why the subject line of your email will predict whether your email will be opened or not.
Your subject line should be concise and short. It should be to the point because we are not trying to tell a story here; we are trying to get a message across. Use explicit and identifiable terms such as ‘application’ or ‘proposal’ to give the recipient an indication of the urgency and matter of your email.
Another violation of email etiquette is sending an email without any subject line. Most people will usually delete the mail without even reading it, and you’ll have to draft another email, and you will waste both your time and that of the recipient.
4. Proofread
In my book, an email riddled with mistakes is the most unprofessional thing that you can do. Be sure that you get rid of all the misspelling and grammatical errors that will make you look bad. We recommend reading your email twice before sending it off.
If you want, you can even download an app like Grammarly that will help you out in this endeavor. One quick tip that I can give as someone who proofread books for a living is that you might want to read the email out loud to catch any mistakes that your eyes have missed. Preciseness and correctly is king when it comes to email etiquette and staying professional.
Sound off in the comments section below and tell us if you want to read more about email etiquette.
