Making the Most of Your Emails

Email is one of the most used communication tools in our business. According to a recent article in Inc. magazine, the average US employee spends about a quarter of the work week combing through the hundreds of emails we all send and receive every day. Unfortunately, most business professionals aren’t practicing basic business email etiquette.

Below are tips on how to make the most of your business email correspondence:

Keep it professional. You are representing your company when you send an email from your business email address. Sending non-business related emails, jokes, forwards or chain letters to friends, co-workers and clients does not represent you or your company well.

Include a clear, direct subject line. Examples of a good subject: "Meeting date changed," "Quick question about your presentation," or "Suggestions for the proposal." Don’t make your recipient guess the contents of your message.

Think twice before hitting 'reply all'. Refrain from hitting "reply all" unless you really think everyone on the list needs to receive the email.

Proofread every message. Don’t just complete a spell check on your email, but, make sure you read before sending.

Make sure your email includes a courteous opening and closing. Yes, email is an easy way to send a quick message. However, it is still a business communication. Without an opening and closing, your recipient may find the tone of your email demanding.

Check your “tone". Read your message out loud before you send it. What you thought was straightforward and direct, could be taken as abrasive and rude by the receiver. Or, what you thought was humorous may not be taken that way by your reader. Remember, the recipient isn’t there to see your body language and hear your voice. So, his/her perception of what you wrote may not be what you intended.

Add email address last and make sure you are sending the message to the correct recipient. Most people write a “draft” before they send a message. You don’t want to accidentally send it before you are ready. When replying to a message, it’s a good precaution to delete the recipient’s email address and insert it when you are ready to send the message. Additionally, because of auto-fill capabilities in many programs, check the correct recipient has been selected.

Reply to your emails – even if the email wasn't intended for you – promptly. Yes, your email box is overflowing and it is easy to put off responding to an email. At the very least, send a reply that you have received the email within 24 hours and if they have asked for further information, tell them when they can expect a full reply.

Nothing is confidential--so write accordingly. Every electronic message leaves a trail. Assume that others will see what you have written. Don’t write anything that you wouldn’t want everyone to see.

Article excerpted from “15 Email Etiquette Rules Every Professional Should Follow,” from Inc.com, February 2, 2016, by Jacquelyn Smith.