In today’s evolving digital world, email remains a crucial tool for communication in both professional and personal settings. Mastering proper email etiquette is essential to ensuring clear, respectful, and effective communication.
Whether you’re reaching out to a colleague, responding to a client, or applying for a job, understanding email communication’s do’s and don’ts can help you make a positive impression and avoid misunderstandings.
Discussed in this article are the meaning of email etiquette and common etiquette you should know.
What Is Email Etiquette?
According to Grammarly, email etiquette is the set of social guidelines that govern polite, productive email communication.
Email etiquette, which is also known as email courtesy, includes guidelines that help you communicate in an appropriate way, whether that’s in a professional or social capacity.
1. Be Concise
A key etiquette to keep in mind when working on emails is conciseness. You should keep your emails short and not lengthy as the latter may make the recipient lose interest.
Do not bother the recipient with extraneous details or include multiple discussions in one email. Keep the email as brief as possible while still highlighting the main information needed.
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2. Be Mindful Of Your Tone
When working on an email, be mindful of your tone – use a professional, polite, and positive tone. The use of a casual tone can undermine your professionalism and give a wrong first impression to the recipient.
You should also be careful with the use of emojis when writing an email.
3. Be Mindful Of Your Grammar And Punctuations
Your grammar and punctuation are important details you should give your full attention to. The appropriate use of grammar and punctuation in emails helps give your message clarity and makes it more organised.
You can also make use of grammar-checking software to aid your emails.
4. Describe Any Email Attachments
Email etiquette requires that you describe any attachment to your email.
You should explain to your recipient what the attachment is and the required line of action expected of the recipient upon interacting with it.
5. Use The Standard Fonts And Formats
There is a standard format to writing an email and this should be adhered to.
The format for writing an email includes:
- Subject line
- Greeting
- Opening paragraph
- One or two main paragraphs
- Closing paragraph
- Sign-off e.g. Regards, Sincerely, etc.
You should also make use of widely accepted fonts like Arial, or Times New Roman.
6. Use CC And BCC Appropriately
In adhering to email etiquette, it is important you understand the meaning of CC and BCC and how to use them appropriately.
CC stands for Carbon Copy while BCC stands for Blind Carbon Copy.
CC is often used in emails where a response isn’t expected, but recipients will be kept in the loop while BCC is used to protect the privacy of the email’s recipients.
With BCC, you can send an email to a large group of people without showing the individual recipients’ email addresses. This way, none of the recipients can see who else received the email but the reverse is the case when CC is used.
7. Proofread Your Content
Nothing undermines your professionalism like a grammar mistake or spelling errors in an email.
Before you send that email, proofread it more than once, use a grammar-checking app, or ask someone else to help you review the content before sending it.
Also, double-check that all other details, including the spelling of the recipient’s name, are correct.
8. Wait For 24 hours For Follow-ups
Once you send an email, give the recipient time to respond. The appropriate period to wait often depends on factors such as your relationship with the recipient and your message’s urgency. But generally, it’s best to wait at least 24 hours before following up.
It is also important that you respond to every email you receive within 24 hours.
In conclusion, observing proper email etiquette is essential for building and maintaining professional relationships. By applying these principles consistently, you can be sure that your emails are effective, courteous, and well-received.
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