e-mail Etiquette at Work
Contents
– Communicating by e-mail: what for?
– Communicating by e-mail: what are the simple rules to communicate well?
– Communicating by e-mail: some advice
– Communicate by mail: what not to do
Knowing how to communicate by e-mail is a way to make yourself heard.
Whether a public career or even a private career, a job starts with successful integration into the company and mastering interpersonal communication.
Communicating by e-mail: what for?
The purpose of the e-mail is to send a message via the Internet, generally hoping for a response, not like writing a note.
The mail can concern two targets:
– the correspondent with whom you already have regular contacts, he knows you;
– the correspondent you wish to address or even convince to enter into a relationship with (potential customers, suppliers, etc.).
There are several simple rules to follow to communicate well by e-mail.
Communicating by e-mail: what are the simple rules to communicate well?
The first and most important is to make a good impression so that your recipients open and read your messages.
To do this, you will have to:
– Identify yourself:
◦ By putting your sender name in the sender field and stating the subject of your message.
◦ These two points will help you get past the “trash can” of unread mail; your recipients are already overrun with spam.
– The content of the e-mail: it must be concise, airy and pleasant to read.
◦ To proscribe “high definition” pictures that block for a while the mailbox of your correspondent. Keep your e-mail in simple unformatted text.
◦ However, you can send the attached documents; beware of the weight that should not exceed more than 500 kb.
◦ To not annoy your interlocutor, write links from your website or blog instead.
– The text: do not write a long novel; it will not be read. Prefer a summary of your message (10 to 15 lines maximum):
◦ insist on what you can bring to your correspondent as well as on the many advantages;
◦ also indicate in the body of the text the presence of an attached document;
◦ of course, take care of the presentation, grammar and spelling;
◦ be aware that capitalized words mean you are angry and yelling; think carefully before sending capitalized words or sentences.
– The layout: beware, not everyone has a large screen, use classic fonts suitable.
– The selection of recipients: there are two types of recipients:
◦ those who are recipients of the e-mail and who usually have to respond to it,
◦ those who only need to be informed, so they will be carbon copy (Cc).
– Sending:
◦ Take a step back, reread, because once the e-mail is sent, it is irreversible; you will not be able to go back.
◦ You can also set the priority of messages according to their importance or urgency. To be credible, do not use this option on all your message sending.
In conclusion: your e-mail is your image and that of your company.
Communicate by e-mail: some tips
Here are some tips for communicating well with your correspondents:
– Check your message before sending it to avoid blunders and damage.
– Avoid giving your address book to all your correspondents; it does not concern them. Send the e-mail as a blind copy to all recipients, or create a group.
Note: It is crucial to install an antivirus on your computer to prevent viruses that may crash the company server and get yourself kicked out!
– Before forwarding an e-mail, make sure you have the permission of the author.
– Do not forget the polite formula of the style: “Yours truly” or “Kind regards”.
Communicating by e-mail: what not to do
There are also things not to do:
– Avoid participating in the circulation of chains that are often harmful and of no interest to your correspondents.
– Do not send confidential information, passwords or credit card numbers or others.
Hope the above e-mail etiquette will be helpful in your career. Please, let us know what you think in the comments below.
