Monday, July 15, 2013

Five Ways to Improve Your Email Etiquette & Efficiency

The following article was taken from the June issue of Global Reach Internet Productions’ newsletter. The company did the redesign of our agency’s website and has extensive experience with many things related to the web.

With email being the most prevalent form of communication for many business endeavors, it is important to make sure that basic etiquette guidelines are followed. We’ve put together a list of the top 5 ways to start improving your email etiquette today.

1.    Use a meaningful subject. When emails have generic subjects, or even worse--no subject at all, it can be very difficult for the recipient to guess what the message may be about. A meaningful subject will ensure your message receives due priority and can prevent it from being overlooked completely. Using subject lines such as Action Need, Important and FYI can help the recipient know right away what is expected of them.

2.    Don’t use ALL CAPS. In the world of online communication, using ALL CAPS is the equivalent of shouting. If you want to stress a specific part of the message, you should opt for a subtler alternative like italicizing, bolding, or underlining.

3.    Be concise. If you can say something in a sentence or in a paragraph and make it equally clear either way, choose to be brief. Do not make others waste time reading lengthy messages. Learn to communicate effectively and efficiently. Practice this and soon you will even see a boost in your productivity.

4.    Proofread your email. Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Answer all questions and pre-empt follow-ups. Also, make sure that you correctly spell any names included in the message, and replace all the necessary fields if you are using a template.

5.    Ensure readability. Use a suitable structure and layout. A wall of text is uninviting and may deter recipients from reading your message. Proper formatting enhances your message’s visual attractiveness, makes it easy to scan, and highlights important information.

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