The Business E-mail Etiquette Basics You Need to Know
Below are the key Business Email Etiquette issues that need to be considered with every commercial e-mail sent. These are the issues business owners, their employees and Netrepreneurs need to be aware of in their day-to-day online communications to ensure the best possible results.
Professional Behavior on the Job: Know that how you use your e-mail, company e-mail address and employer’s technology is a serious issue! Sending non-business related e-mails, jokes, forwards or chain letters on company time to friends or coworkers reflects on your lack of professionalism. Visiting Websites that are questionable or not necessary to your job responsibilities will reflect poorly on your ability to be trusted. Never assume that these activities are not being monitored. While on company time do not assume you have any privacy when using company resources and equipment.
SUBJECT: Field: The SUBJECT: field is the window into your e-mail and can many times determine if your e-mail will even be opened. If this is an initial contact with a customer based on their request through your site or otherwise, be sure to have a short SUBJECT: that indicates clearly what the topic of the email is. Typos, all caps or all small case can lend to an unprofessional impression or that you may be spammer.
Level of Formality: Try to avoid the prevailing assumption that e-mail by its very nature allows you to be informal in your business e-mail communications. Only time and relationship building efforts can guide when you can formalize your business relationships and your e-mail’s tone. One should communicate at all times as if your e-mail is on your company letterhead. This means black text and standard fonts too! No abbreviations — type full words and sentences too! (Not do “u” get it! Do you get it?) This is your business’s image you are branding!
Addressing: How do you address your new contacts? I would suggest initially that you assume the highest level of courtesy: Hello, Mr. Anderson, Dear Ms. Jones, Dr. Osborne, etc. Until your new contact states, “call me Andy” or “you can call me Diane”. You will also be able pick up clues on when you can address have a more relaxed tone by how contacts approach you as well as how they sign off. Most business people do not mind being called by their first name, however, in a global economy that can be perceived as taking premature liberties in the relationship if used too soon.
TO:, From:, BCc, Cc fields can make or break you:…In the TO: field make sure you have your contact’s name formally typed. John B. Doe – not john b doe or JOHN B DOE. In the FROM: field make sure you have your full name formally typed. Example: Jane A. Jones. Not: jane a jones or JANE A JONES. The latter two give the perception of lack of education or limited experience with technology. By only including your first name or e-mail address you are giving the perception you may have something to hide or do not know the basics of configuring your e-mail program.
…BCc: use this field when e-mailing a group of contacts who do not personally know each other. By listing an arms length list of e-mail addresses in the Cc or TO fields of contacts who do not know each other or who have never met is conducive to publishing their e-mail address to strangers. This is a privacy issue! With those you are forging partnerships with, visibly listing their e-mail address in with a group of strangers will make one wonder what other privacy issues you may not respect or understand.