It's happened to all of us before: you have to write an email to your college professor or boss and suddenly you develop writer's block. Nothing sounds right and you're staring at a blank screen for what seems like forever. It's not exactly something you can prepare for, so what do you do? You attack it with a plan.
Here are 10 tips for good email etiquette:
1. Get to the point. Make the job easy for your reader and delete the baggage. Writing short bullet points makes your message easier to read and catches their attention quickly, especially if they're checking their email by phone like I usually do. According to Dan Zarrella's book, The Science of Email Marketing, about 4 out of 5 people check their email by phone.
2. Respond fast. There's a reason regular mail is called snail-mail, email's suppose to happen fast! If you're busy and you can't answer right away, then respond within 24 hours. If you don't know how to answer the e-mail yet, tell them you received the message and you'll get back to them shortly. This is a great way to show off that you're quick and responsible.
3. Use spellcheck. It should go without saying, but get it together. Besides making you look uneducated, grammatical mistakes make you seem sloppy and careless. Proofread your emails twice. Sometimes asking someone to look over your message can be the difference between landing a job or being looked over.
4. Write clear subject lines. Your subject line should be the headline of your article. A quick scroll past your subject line should tell them what your email is about. This reduces the chances of your email being ignored!
5. Beware of attachments. Big files take longer to load and can freeze up your email, especially if you're checking it by phone. Avoid this by asking the person how they prefer to receive the file.
6. Use it appropriately. There are situations where you shouldn't use e-mail. Thank you notes, bad news, and time-sensitive information fall under this category. Handle these situations in person or by phone, but preferably in person.
7. Know when to BCC. If you're sending a message to a large group of people or to a superior, use BCC. Don't advertise private information like an e-mail address.
8. Don't waste time. You're not playing ping pong. Try to answer all their questions in one email instead of going back and forth. Help them get from A to Z.
9. Don't get fancy. Stay away from fancy fonts. Only the normal ones are on every computer or mobile device.
10. Check your junk. Before sending a follow-up email, make sure their reply didn't end up in the junk/spam folder. They might have already replied without you noticing.
With these 10 tips for good email etiquette, you will be easier to understand and communicate with. Others will notice how attentive you are and appreciate you for it.
Do you have any tips for good email etiquette?
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