This document outlines 12 common mistakes people make when sending emails. These include omitting the subject line, using generic subject lines, failing to change the subject line when replying to indicate a change in topic, not personalizing emails, not considering tone, failing to proofread for spelling and grammar errors, writing emails that are too long, forwarding emails without permission, thinking emails will not be shared widely, omitting signatures, expecting immediate responses to emails, and filling in the recipient before fully composing the email. Avoiding these mistakes will help people write more effective emails.

1. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
If you want to impress all that you come into
e-mail contact with and build positive
business relationships, pay attention to your
e-mail and avoid the following mistakes ...

2. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 1: Omitting the Subject Line
q With the huge volume of e-mail that we send and
receive everyday, the subject line is essential if you
want your e-mail to be noticed and read.

3. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 2: Not Making Subject Line Meaningful
q Your e-mail is going to have lots of competition and
the reader is going to decide on the order in which
he will read his e-mails based on who sent it and
what it is about.
q Your subject line should be related to your message
and specific. Don’t just put “Hi”, “Hello” or
something generic.

4. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 3: Failing to change the header to correspond
with the subject
q If the topic of your email changes when you reply,
your subject line should also change. This makes it
easier to refer back to in the future.
q You can also choose to start a new message
altogether.

5. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 4: Not personalizing your message to the
recipient
q E-mail, although less formal, still needs a greeting,
especially if we are sending external e-mails to
clients.
q Begin with “Dear Mr/Mrs xxx”, “Dear Jane/John”,
“Hello Jane/John”, or just “Jane/John”.
q Failure to put in the person’s name could make you
and your e-mail seem cold and impersonal.

6. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 5: Not accounting for tone of the message
q Since there is no face-to-face or verbal contact, the
recipient of your e-mail has no visual or vocal cues
to gauge your reaction or your intention.
q Choose your words carefully so that you are not
misinterpreted.
q Avoid sending jokes or sarcastic remarks because
these might be taken the wrong way.

7. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 6: Forgetting to check spelling & grammar
q Spell-checking functions will only catch misspelled
words but not misused ones, so always proofread!
q All communication, whether verbal or written, is a
representation of you. If your e-mail is full of flaws,
people will question the caliber of the other work
that you do.

8. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 7: Writing too lengthy messages
q E-mail is meant to be brief and concise.
q Use only a few paragraphs and a few sentences per
paragraph because the reader usually just skims
through the message.
q If you find yourself writing an overly long message,
pick up the phone or call a meeting.

9. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 8: Forwarding e-mail without permission
q If the message was sent only to you, why should
you take the responsibility of passing it on?
q Too often, confidential information has been leaked
because of thoughtless forwarding of messages.
q Unless you are asked to forward it or you have
asked permission to do so, refrain from forwarding
anything that was sent to you alone.

10. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 9: Thinking no one else will read your e-mail
q Once your e-mail has left your mailbox, you don’t
know who’s going to read it or where else it will
end up.
q Don’t send anything that can be used against you or
embarrass you.
q Use other means to communicate personal or
sensitive information.

11. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 10: Leaving out your signature
q Always close with your name and your position,
even if it already appears at the top of the e-mail.
q Also add contact information such as your phone,
unit/branch, fax, address because the recipient may
want to contact you or send you documents that
cannot be e-mailed.
q Avoid adding cute or inspirational messages to your
business signature block.

12. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 11: Expecting an instant response
q You don’t know when the recipient of your e-mail
reads his messages so don’t post “action or else”
messages.
q If you need feedback right away, pick up the phone.

13. The Top 12 E-mail Mistakes
l Mistake # 12: Completing the “To” line first
q This should be the last item that you fill up. If you
enter the recipient’s name first, a mere slip of your
finger could send the message out before it’s time.
q If you leave the “To” line blank, and inadvertently
press “Send”, it will not go out of your mailbox.
q Check the body of the message carefully first for
correct grammar, punctuation, spelling and clarity.
q Check for any attachments that you need to
include.