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Do...
create the right impression and banish the BTWs. People react to
email within seconds of receiving it. As the Yahoo! research shows,
text speak can be very annoying and shows a lack of correct spelling
ability and laziness. It won’t impress!
Don’t...
offend. Using capitals is the email equivalent of SHOUTING and is
perceived as being extremely rude, so make sure your caps lock is
switched off.
Do...
include a subject line. You’ve got three seconds to grab attention
when an email appears and by not including a subject in the email,
the chances of it being read are greatly reduced. Use the subject
line for the purpose it was made and tell people what the email is
about.
Don’t...
use read receipts. Read receipts demonstrate a distinct lack of
trust, so avoid where possible. Follow up with a phone call if you
want to ensure your message has reached the right person.
Do...
remember the recipient. The failsafe method for emailing is to
imagine you are writing a succinct letter. Address the recipient in
the correct manner and title. You can be light hearted and humorous
as in any written communication, it is a just a matter of judgment.
But if you don’t know the recipient, don’t be over familiar and sign
off with the right degree of formality.
Don’t...
use CC and BCC unnecessarily. The no. 2 email bug bear is mass
distribution of emails, so exercise constraint when it comes to
copying people in. If the email is important to other people, simply
forward to them at the end, rather than them being caught up in a
never-ending email trail. Likewise use the BCC button wisely, again
forward emails separately rather than ‘hiding’ other recipients.
Do...
take your time. Because of the instant nature of emails it is
tempting to deal with them immediately, but rushing an email can
lead to errors. Deal with them promptly but don’t panic and reply in
haste and always check what you have written before you hit send.
Don’t...
over use ‘importance’. Before you even consider using a red
exclamation mark, ask yourself is this really important? Only use
when it is vital that the email is read, otherwise you are drawing
unnecessary attention to yourself and it is a quick way of
irritating recipients.
Do...
save the kisses. Over familiarity towards your boss or work
colleagues is bad etiquette, keep the love and kisses for very good
friends.
Don’t...
email when angry. If you receive a ‘harsh’ email, read it through,
then close it and walk away. Consider your response and if necessary
ask someone else to read your reply before you send it, don’t fight
fire with fire.
Do...
choose a sensible email address. Common sense tells you that you are
less likely to land a job if you use a frivolous email address, such
as, crazychick@yahoo.co.uk. Think about what your email address says
about you as it’s an insight into your personality.
Don’t...
hide behind email. It is often easier to write something in words
than it is to say it out loud, but don’t say something on email that
you wouldn’t say in person. Emails have longevity and it can come
back to haunt you! |
