Ten Commandments of Email Etiquette

The world has changed into a more digitalized era, in which the use of technology has increased. The very mode through which we communicate has also changed and emails have now become increasingly popular. More and more persons are utilizing various messaging platforms to send emails, but while these are increasing, we must be mindful to follow through with correct email etiquette. The following article will look at ten important email etiquettes that we must all bear in mind as we use this platform to communicate. 

Commandment One: Include a clear and direct subject line. The purpose of the subject line is to tell the prospective reader what the content of the email is about and therefore a subject line should be clear and not vague. Keep in mind also that the subject line should not have the entire content of your email placed there. A clear and concrete subject is sufficient to inform the potential reader of the general essence of what the email contains. 

Commandment Two: Use a professional email address. An email address is a direct representation of an individual. Without seeing you personally or knowing anything else about you, many persons draw assumptions based on your email address. With that being said is it most beneficial to all parties involved if email addresses are kept professional. You can never go wrong with using your name. An email address says a thousand words, without you even opening your mouth. Allow your email address to speak volumes for you, by creating a professional one. 

Commandment Three: Choose an appropriate email salutation. In the virtual arena, we may not always be aware of the persons we are talking to or with. We, therefore, must be mindful of the salutations we use and ensure they are appropriately used. Refrain from using conversational salutations such as ‘hey’ or ‘what’s up’. Instead, use more professional salutations such as Good morning Mrs Brown or Good day Mr Campbell. A great salutation goes a far way and an inappropriate one might stop the potential reader from going any further, so let us get it right from the start. 

Commandment Four: Avoid the use of emojis and slangs. Leave the emojis and slangs for WhatsApp or other conversations with friends. When sending an email, the tone is more often than not professional and therefore the language utilized throughout must follow suit. With that being said emails are not the place for the excessive use of emojis and colloquial slangs. 

Commandment Five: Point your potential reader to attachments. Let your reader know that you have included an attachment in the email that you would like them to examine. If you attach documents, pictures, etc. without drawing their attention to it you run the risk of it being overlooked. Kindly then, ask your reader to see the document, etc. that you have attached below. 

Commandment Six: You don’t always need to reply to all. People don’t want to read messages from a number of persons that is not related or intended for them. Ensure you reply to the person or persons who directly sent the message and not to everyone on the entire email thread. 

Commandment Seven: Respond to emails in a timely manner. As stated earlier the world has been plunged into a digital era and therefore emails have become the means through which many persons and businesses communicate, therefore you must ensure that you respond to emails in a timely manner. Don’t leave emails sitting in your inbox for weeks, make a conservative effort to respond to emails within a 24-hour window. 

Commandment Eight: Read the email once more before sending. We are humans and we make mistakes unconsciously, therefore rereading your email before sending will not hurt you. Just read it once more before clicking and use the spell check option to ensure that the email is comprehensive and free from grammatical errors. After all, our aim is always to present well-read documents that will speak volumes on our behalf.

Commandment Nine: Keep the fonts simple. When sending out emails it is best to keep the fonts simple and readable. We do not want to turn away potential readers, because the font is too excessive and curly, making it hard for them to understand the content within the email. It is best to keep the font simple and use fonts that are easy to read such as Calibri or Times New Roman. Sometimes simplicity works to our advantage. 

Commandment Ten: Be careful of the content you include. In this global landscape, nothing is confidential, and therefore be mindful of the information you send across these messaging platforms. Always assume in your mind that other persons may read your email and with that being said write them accordingly. Leave nothing to chance and always be careful and mindful of the content that is disseminated. 

We all have to use emails whether we are students or working professionals and therefore we must have proper email etiquette that will allow our image to be represented well without persons even knowing us.