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Good email etiquette is like an electronic dress code. Would you conduct a sales presentation with wrinkled clothes and yesterday's soup on your tie or blouse? Not only do we need to be concerned with our outward appearance, we need to use courtesy and clear communication with each interaction we have. Today's effective business person needs to include all the components of professionalism in every message sent. We need to put some thought into each message we craft, and like any other interaction we have, ask ourselves a few questions about how we wish to be perceived by others.

Is email the right media for the message you want to send?

Email is great for outlining more complicated ideas and can be retrieved later for reference. When replying to an email, separate your responses from the original message and be sure to include relevant keywords in your subject line. We can search our inbox or sent items using keywords or read a succession of replies to recall a conversation. It is helpful to use only one email account for work and keep all messages in one place. Email is not suitable for delivering bad news or saying no.

Try to respond to all your emails in a timely manner. If your email is emotionally charged, walk away from the computer and wait to reply. Typing in UPPERCASE could be considered yelling. Keep attachments small as they could cause your emails to end up in the junk folder or not be delivered at all. Be cautious about sending personal information as the confidentiality of e-mail can never be guaranteed.

Is your email concise?

The less emails you send, the more likely they are to be read! Re-read your email before you send it to ensure it is clear and understandable and send a new email for each topic you want to be addressed. If your email is too long, the reader may not read the entire email and miss critical information.

When composing an email, state your name because your e-mail address may not be clear enough. Use a professional greeting and sign off and be courteous; use please and thank you. Keep your signature short and limit it to something you're prepared to have anyone read. Be sure to use the spelling and grammar check before you hit send.

Does everyone need to be part of this conversation?

Use care when replying to all. If you leave long lists of email addresses in the to: or cc: fields, you may be sending others' addresses to people they don't want it shared with. Use bcc:, but use it with care; sending bcc: copies to others as a way of talking behind someone's back is inconsiderate.

www.enough.utoronto.ca/computeruse/eetiquette.htm

www.roberthalf.us/businessetiquette

www.bytestart.co.uk/content/24/24_6/email-etiquette-tips.shtml

www.101emailetiquettetips.com