How to Observe Email Etiquette

As email becomes one of the most frequently used forms of communication, it's important that you observe proper email etiquette so that you keep communications cordial and respectful. From using basic writing etiquette rules to more complex technical customs, follow these steps to observe good email etiquette.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Write to your audience. Just as with letter writing or spoken communication, it's important that you write email with your specific audience in mind. Keep the email personal, but appropriately formal or casual, by starting with a greeting and a few words of courtesy. Use spaces between paragraphs and an appropriate salutation such as "Best regards," or "Sincerely," to end the email.
2. Keep file attachments light. One of the most common violations of email etiquette is attaching very large files to the email. Large files literally clog the recipient's email box, making the download very slow. If you need to send someone an email with an attachment that is larger than one megabyte get approval from the recipient in advance or ask if there's a better way to transfer the file.
3. Make sure the email is relevant. An email is an address box, just like your physical mailbox at home. So, flooding people you know with emails that are important to you but irrelevant to them is considered bad etiquette and sometimes is even classified as "spam," or unwanted junk mail. Before you forward someone a joke, announcement or chain letter make sure you know that person will appreciate the email's contents.
4. Keep email addresses private. If you need to send an email to many people simultaneously, or if you're forwarding an email from one person to another, it's very important that you protect the email addresses of your contacts. To write an email with numerous recipients, put your own name in the "To" field and then use the bcc function to hide the recipients' emails addresses. When forwarding an email, remove all mentions of the sender's email address before you send the email.
5. Use online abbreviations sparingly. Although you might love using your favorite internet abbreviations such as "btw," or "brb," you should be careful not to overuse such language. Many email users might not understand the Internet-speak and other may find it too casual. Observe the same principle of email etiquette when using smiley faces or other emoticons.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't type email in all caps. It's considered the equivalent of screaming in someone's face.
• Think before you send. You may feel better venting your anger in an email to the boss, but sending it may get you vented from your job. Humor and sarcasm don't always translate in email, either, so read through what you write before you hit "Send."
• Don't make the mistake of hitting "Reply All" when you only mean to respond to the sender of a group email. This is especially true if you don't want everyone on the recipient list to know what you're saying.