Composing and sending
an email is one of the easiest activities that a person can accomplish on the
internet. It is also one of the
activities that most people do incorrectly every time. Yes, email can get information to the
recipient instantly, but it can also cause many problems for the sender in the
same amount of time. Spelling and
grammar errors could make an employee look like a dolt to the boss. Sending the wrong email to the wrong person
could prove very embarrassing, especially if said email contains personal
information. The best rule of thumb to
follow when sending emails is to slow down.
Slowing down means to not type the message quickly and
hit send. That is one of the worst
things a person can do when sending an email.
Sure, an email to grandma wrought with grammatical deficiencies probably
won't make her love you any less.
However, a large portion of emails that a person drafts and sends is
meant to go to someone at work. The key
to success is proofreading and professionalism. Three of the seven rules, Mind Your Manners,
Watch Your Tone, and Be Professional, cover the etiquette portion of the
email. Be polite, address people as Mr.
or Mrs., don't sound curt or demanding, stay away from abbreviations and
emoticons, and don't use a cute or suggestive email address (McKay D.R.)
Simply following those rules will keep a person out of
trouble. The next two involve the actual
email content: 'Be Concise' and 'Use
Correct Spelling and Proper Grammar.' Being concise means to get to the point of the
email as quickly as possible without sounding short. To achieve correct spelling and grammar, use
a spell checker or dictionary. Most
email clients contain these programs directly in the text box. If the client doesn't have a spell checker,
type the message into a Word document and then copy and paste the message into
the email client. This will ensure that
the email is properly proofread (McKay D.R.).
The last two are Ms. McKay's personal rules that can be
helpful, but are not as critical to follow.
The first is 'Ask Before You Send an Attachment.' This sounds good in theory but in practice it
merely wastes time and clogs up the recipient's inbox with yet another
meaningless email. If a person is
sending an attachment from their work account, it's a good practice to think
about two things: scan the attachment with antivirus software and ask yourself
if you know or trust the sender. If
those steps are accomplished, then the attachment is most likely safe. The second is Wait to Fill in the
"To" line. This is actually a
pretty helpful tidbit that surely could have helped certain famous figures stay
out of the embarrassing spotlight.
These steps are all helpful, though some more than
others. Some, like proper spelling and
grammar, should be common sense. The
email you send is a representation of you.
Remembering that will make every email a little more important to read
over. The wrong message could be
interpreted due to lackadaisical English standards, and that could end up
making you look foolish. The
professional email address rule is definitely this author's favorite.
If your email address is something silly, then you will
look silly. Your boss should not get an
email from "HelloKittyMeowMeow69@email.com." That will only serve to show the boss that
you are too immature to professionalize your home email address. A great method for determining one's home
email address, especially if it is to be used for business, is a representation
of one's name. The First.Last@email.com
method works very well. If that is
taken, then use a variation of your birth year: First.Last85@email.com or
Last85@email.com. This ensures that the
recipient sees your name in the address and that it is not in poor taste. The silly email address tip goes triple for
job applications. Do not expect to hear
back from potential employers because you used your
"OptimusPrimeIzNumberOne@email.com" address.
A little practice with sending work emails and these tips
should become second nature. Common
sense will take over when a person strays from them if a little effort is
applied. Even sending emails to personal
friends can benefit from following these rules.
Email is great because of its speed and its simplicity. It's those positive traits that can turn your
work image from superstar to super dud.
Remembering these rules will help keep emails professional and make you look like a professional.
References
Mckay, D.R. (n.d.). Tips
for writing professional email. Retrieved from
http://careerplanning.about.com/od/communication/a/email_tips.htm
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