Email Etiquette

Participant Guide

Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

Table of Contents
Defining Communication ................................................................................................................ 3
Why do we use email? ................................................................................................................... 3
How do we translate a message?................................................................................................... 4
Components of a Professional Message ........................................................................................ 4
Message Formatting ....................................................................................................................... 5
When Your Message is Long!......................................................................................................... 6
Dos & Donts................................................................................................................................... 7
Reply vs. Reply to All ...................................................................................................................... 8
Forwarding...................................................................................................................................... 8
Delivering Bad News ...................................................................................................................... 8
Flaming ........................................................................................................................................... 9
When Email Wont Work ................................................................................................................. 9
Notes ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Email Etiquette PG

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

Defining Communication
Communication is

Why do we use email?

Fill in the blanks.

Email Etiquette PG

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

How do we translate a message?

Fill in the blanks.

Components of a Professional Message

Fill in the blanks.

1. Great ________________ line.

2. Write ________________ to get more responses.
3. Fit it onto ________________ screen with no scrolling.
4. Add only ________________ points about a given topic.
5. Create ________________ emails when you have a lot to say.

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

Message Formatting
When writing email messages, keep these great formatting tips in mind:

Write a salutation for each new subject email.

Try to keep the email brief.

Return emails within the same time you would a

phone call.

Check for punctuation, spelling and grammatical

errors.

Format your email for plain text rather than HTML

Use caps when appropriate

Use a font that has a professional or neutral look

Try to keep your line length at 80 characters or less

If your message is likely to be forwarded, keep it to 60

characters or less

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

When Your Message is Long!

Fill in the blanks.

Create an _______________________.

Provide a _______________________ on the first screen of your email.

If you require a response from the reader then be sure to _______________________ in

the first paragraph of your email.

Create _______________________ for each major section.

True or False?
Circle True or False for these statements in regards to professional email messages.
True / False

Use graphical symbols

True / False

Do not use Instant Messenger language

True / False

Use grammatical symbols to express emotions

True / False

Use contractions to add a friendly tone

True / False

Use a Distribution List so that readers do not have to scroll too much before
getting to the actual message

True / False

Use a table of contents for long messages.

True / False

Send emails to more than four addresses at once.

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

Dos & Donts

Donts

Dos

Write in a positive tone

Start with a great Subject line!
Use bullets.
Create contact groups.
Use spellchecker.
Count your words.
Use the company signature.
Use automatic replies.
Write a salutation for each new subject
email.
Try to keep the email brief.
Return emails within the same time you
would a phone call.
Check for punctuation, spelling and
grammatical errors.
Use a font that has a professional or
neutral look.
Use caps when appropriate.
Format your email for plain text rather
than HTML.
Try to keep your line length at 80
characters or less.
If your message is likely to be forwarded,
keep it to 60 characters or less.

Email Etiquette PG

Graphical symbols (emoticons)

because they are rarely appropriate in
business (smiles, winks ;), etc.)
Instant Messenger lingo (BRB, LOL,
YT?, CU, etc.)
Grammatical symbols to express
emotions (!, ?, )
contractions unless you want to add a
friendly tone (dont, wont, cant)
Include the whole message in the
subject with no body content.
Send long emails where an employees
name shows up a page down and
somehow people think everyone reads
every word in every email.
State the summary first, so that you
only need to read the whole thing if you
have interest. This will add efficiency.
Make the email subject John Doe
READ THIS!!" and copy numerous
recipients.
Include dial in details if you setup a
meeting and some attendees are
offsite.
Include the whole message in the
subject with no body content.

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

Reply vs. Reply to All

Do not default to Reply to All

Use Reply to All only if the reply is really important to all the recipients.
Do not use Reply to All when only the original sender needs to know your reply.
Make thanking everybody via a group mail the exception. Send personal emails
expressing your gratitude instead.

Forwarding

Ask for permission from the sender and the receiver of the message.
Don't forward the message to everyone just in case.
Don't "piggy-back" personal notes on forwarded messages.
Forward the original message only.
Dont use your work email for personal use.
Don't forward junk.
Read your Employee Handbook.

Delivering Bad News

It is better to deliver bad news up front in the elevator summary.
When delivering bad news, remember to

Avoid using weasel words:

I will try to
It is my understanding that
I am advised that
Presumably
It appears that

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

Flaming
Definition:

Before you send an email message, ask yourself: Would I say this to this persons face?

Calm down before responding to a message that offends you. Once you send the
message it is gone.

Read your message twice before you send it and assume that you may be misinterpreted
when proofreading.

When responding to a flame, the respondent must do his or her best to remain professional and
neutral. Emails are infamous for creating misunderstandings. Try to be as clear as possible and
as empathetic as possible.

Empathize with the senders frustration and tell them they are right if that is true.
If you feel you are right, thank them for bringing the matter to your attention.
Explain what led to the problem in question.
Avoid getting bogged down by details and minor arguments.
If you are aware that the situation is in the process of being resolved let the reader know at
the top of the response.
Apologize if necessary.

When Email Wont Work

There are times when you need to take your discussion out of the
virtual world and make a phone call.
If things become very heated, a lot of misunderstanding occurs, or
when you are delivering very delicate news then the best way is
still face-to face.

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

10 Best Practices of Business Email

1.

Imagine your message on a billboard.

2.

Remember that company emails are company property.

3.

Avoid offensive comments.

4.

Read every message before sending it.

5.

Think before sending confidential information.

6.

Avoid emoticons and initialisms.

7.

Keep the message cool.

8.

Think carefully before forwarding messages.

9.

Include the message thread (if appropriate).

10. Reply responsibly.

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Email Etiquette
Participant Guide

Notes

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