Chatting with your friends through email can be just as fun as hanging out with them in person. Email conversations can contain as much juicy gossip as any dialogue. Yet, even though friendships don't always require a structure of formality, levels of etiquette can apply to email.
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Email Greetings
It is in good form to begin emails to friends with appropriate greetings. Stating your friend's name or saying things like "Good morning" or "Happy Wednesday" at the opening of your email shows respect to your friend. Not taking the time to create a greeting can be misinterpreted, causing you to come across as terse or rude.
Email Sign-Offs
Similarly to greetings, having proper sign-offs in your emails to your friends is another way to maintain a courteous boundary. Rather than ending your email in mid-air, try closing the conversation with something like "Talk to you soon" or "Have a good night." By following proper sign-off etiquette, your friends will feel valued and respected.
Being Friendly
It is proper etiquette to ask friends in your emails how they are doing. Inquiring about their lives shows your level of interest in their well-being. When they email you back with updates on their personal lives, it is common courtesy to respond with comments about the things they share with you. According to the November 2006 issue of Psychology Today, friendly comments and questions exhibit participation in the conversation and can add value to the friendship.
Communication Style and Tone
According to a March 2007 article by the International Association of Business Communicators, people should communicate with others in the same way they would like to be treated. When sending emails to your friends, be sure that your emails have the appropriate tone that you are meaning to convey and that you do not come across as sounding gossipy, short, frustrated or irritated, because this can be a turnoff. A tone can also be established by the style of font you use. For instance, using all caps in an email, or in part of a sentence, can be interpreted as shouting. Taking measures to reread the body of your email before sending it off will eliminate unwanted communication styles and tones.
Responding to Emails
If you are unable to respond in length to a friend's email, it is proper etiquette to send off a quick email response informing them that you will get back to them later. This lets them know that their email was received and wasn't lost in cyberspace. Friends will appreciate this courteous gesture, since they won't be left hanging.
