Email Etiquette

2. By the end of this training you will be
able to:
 Choose when to write an email.
 Follow “To”, “CC” and “BCC etiquette.
 Write a clear email subject.
 Structure your email to get more results.
 Avoid major mistakes in email writing.

3. Why email?
 To reach many people at the same time.
 Across the globe.
 Gives you a searchable record.
 It enables you to attach information.

4.  Body: The message you are writing. It is usually two to
three paragraphs each paragraph from 5 to 6 lines.
 Closing: Sincerely or Sincerely Yours or Best Regards.
 Signature block: This includes your name and address.
 End notation: Optional it’s below the signature.
Email Layout

5.  TO
 CC
 BCC
 Subject
 Opening
 Body
 Closing
 Signature
 Attachment
Email Layout

6. “To” who?
 Those who need to act.
 The person you are addressing only.
 Don't “To” anybody who is not an action owner.
 Don’t “To” too many. As (1 = 95% answerable; 10 = 5%
answerable).
 In the “To” field , arrange the recipients in an ascending order
according to positions or Grade.
 Your managers first then other departments managers order
according to positions or Grade.
 If the recipients are in the same grade, so arrange in
alphabetical order .

7. Who to “CC”?
 Those who need to know, but not act.
 Don’t add the universe.
 In the “CC” field , arrange the positions in a descending order as mentioned
before.
 If the positions are in the same grade, so arrange in alphabetical order as
well.
 Use the Distribution List.
Take care
 If you Cc someone’s boss on a complimentary email, you enlarge the
compliment. If on a complaint mail, you make it worse.
 Offer to liberate people from your cc list.
e.g. “Let me know if you still wish to be cc’d or you’d rather we didn’t

8. Who to “Bcc”?
 Those who you want them to know but you don’t
want the receiver know that they are seeing the e-
mail.
 Don’t misuse the “Bcc” as a “reply all” can ruin
everything.
 Take care “BCC” is unethical !

9. “Subject”
 A good subject increases your chances to make your
email read and makes it easier to find later.
 Make the subject reflect the whole content.
 Give new emails new subject lines so they are not mistaken
as old.
 Don't exaggerate.
 Don't send any email without a subject !
 Be honest, message should not contradict its subject line.

10. “Attachments”
 Attachments consume valuable space; hard to see on
handhelds; and bear viruses.
 Don’t attach logo or signature to every email you send out,
especially not to insiders.
 Tell recipients what’s in the attachment so he/she can decide
whether to open it or not.
 Never above 1MB, it may not open and crowds memory.
 Tell your respondent ‘if external eye’ what the name of the file
is, what program it is saved in, and the version of the program.
“This file is in MSWord 2000 under the name “Lab File.”

11. “Font, Size and Color”
 Choose the readable default size of the font.
Bigis impolite.
 Stick to black color but when replying to
someone’s mail by keeping his sentences
interlace your comments in blue.
 Red is an angry color and might cause
aggravation.

12. Opening - Salutation
 Give a good start by giving a good greeting.
 People we don’t know or older are Mr. and Ms.
 Use profession titles but avoid seniority terms (Ph.D., M.D.,
Jr., Sr. …)
 Don’t use first names unless you know the receiver well and
have his/her approval to do so.
 Dear …..: Always acceptable and correct.
 If you don’t know the gender, use both parts of the name: Dear
Pat Riley. But you have no excuse, do your homework and get
the gender right.

13. Opening - Salutation
 If you use first name, don’t go back to a
formal address on your own. It implies a
cooling in the relation.
 With internal mail you may use very casual
salutation : Hi.. But don’t do that with higher
management unless they start doing it
themselves.
 Even with outsiders you may drop the
salutation if it’s a long chain in a short time.

14. If you do not know the name or the gender of the
person :
“Dear Sir or Madam”/ “Dear Title”
If you are addressing a group:
Dear Ladies/Gentlemen/ladies and
gentlemen/Colleagues/Team
If you are addressing a woman whose marital
status is unknown:
Dear Ms. ------
Special
Situation

15. “Sign Off”
 Discard with internal or long chained external email.
 Closings: Best Regards, Regards, As Always, and
(all natural greetings) such as “have a nice weekend”
is acceptable.
 Add your first name only if you want to be addressed
as such; or even simply your initials.
 Or simply mirror your sender’s closings.
 Be consistent; don’t confuse the reader by thinking
something is wrong.

16. Elements of email
etiquette
1) General Format:
-Use a font that has a professional or neutral look.
-Try to keep the email brief (one screen length).
- Check for punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors
- Try to keep your line length at 80 characters or less.
-Writing directions or want to emphasize important points,
number your directions or bullet your main points.

17. Elements of email etiquette
2) Tone:
- Write in a positive tone.
“Please complete the report.” instead of “If you complete the report.”
- Avoid negative tone.
“If you hadn't done that, the problem wouldn’t have happened”
- Avoid giving orders, instead make it in a form of a request.
“Would you send me the date by 5 PM?”

18. Elements of email etiquette
 When your message is long!!
- Create headings for each major section.
- If you require a response from the reader then be sure to request
that response in the first paragraph of your email.
- Create an “elevator” summary.

19. Elements of email etiquette
 Delivering Bad News:
-Deliver the news up front:
“We are unable to order new computers this quarter due to budget
cuts.”
-Avoid blaming:
“I think it will be hard to recover from this, but what can I do to
help?”

20. Elements of email etiquette
 Writing a complaint:
- You should briefly state the history of the problem to provide
context for your reader.
- Explain the attempts you made previously to resolve the problem.
- Show why it is critical for the problem to be resolved by your
reader.
- Offer suggestions on ways you think it can be resolved or how you
are willing to help in the matter.

21. Elements of email etiquette
 E-mail Shorthand:
FYI For Your
Info.
FYA For Your Action
MSG Message
PLS Please
U You
REC’D Received
RGDS Regards
WRT With Regards To
YR/UR Your
PRES Presentation

22. Take care
 Please and Thank You. Use with care. They may sound like
despair or exasperation.
 Punctuation: If used incorrectly can change the meaning so
take care.
 Paragraphs: Shorten (max 5 lines).
 Don’t burry your key points in long paragraphs.
 Show white space between paragraphs.
 Capitals: Don’t use, it means you are SHOUTING.
 You may capitalize happy words:
“CONGRATUALTIONS”

23. Take care
 Smiles Informal: Use them, but make sure recipients accept
them.
 Exclamation Marks !!!!!: Used once, give warmth, so use
to show excitement not with negative emotion, it’s impolite.
 Don’t “Feed me back” .
 Use abbreviations that everyone understands. Stop using
ASAP and FYI.
 Be sincere: Too much politeness, big words, or anything
sounds like a person is trying too hard or lying.

24. Don’t email when you are:
 Right
 Wrong
 Angry
 Stalling
 Drunk
 At 4 A.M.
 Gossiping

25. Don’t email when you are:
 When the RE’s pile up, arrange for a
meeting or a phone call instead.
 Have nothing to add
 When the exchange is over
 Bored
 Should be concentrating on something or
someone else
 Should have this information yourself

26. Let’s Try
Write an email.

27. Questions

28. Thank you 