Email Etiquette 101

Common courtesy, social graces and socially acceptable behavior. All are used in a civilized society where humans interact with one another. Cyberspace is not any different. That’s where Email Etiquette comes in.

How you will be perceived, the type of human being that you are or for that matter are not, your credibility and your levels of professionalism and ethics will be judged by how you choose to communicate with others online. Yes, to be aware of and practice Email Etiquette is a choice…

WHAT EXACTLY IS "NETIQUETTE"?
Netiquette = Network Etiquette
Email Etiquette and Proper Technology Use

"Using technology effectively to communicate with others
with knowledge, understanding and courtesy." ^TM

• Do you skip including a courteous greeting and closing in your emails because you believe they are not necessary?
• Do you type in caps or all small case?
• Do you send unannounced large attachments that shut down the other side’s email?
• Do you forward emails with everyone’s email address in the To: field?
• Do you forward emails without including a friendly personal comment?
• Do you email sites asking for information they do in fact have online for your convenience simply because you don’t want to take the time to read?

These are just a few of the things that can have you being perceived as an online knucklehead.

To minimize the importance of online for commercial gain, lack of proper Email Etiquette may very well deter those who otherwise may have considered doing business with you.

Now, stop and read the above paragraph again. This is not a topic to trivialize, this is not one person’s opinion. This site is not in existence to call you names or make you feel bad. Quite the contrary! These are the issues you need to know about and skills you need to hone to be considered someone people want to communicate with. Because after all, this is about Just 10 Little Common Courtesies . . .

Simply follow the link at the bottom of each “Courtesy”
to complete the entire Email Etiquette 101!
Shall we begin?

Courtesy #1: Get to know the basics!

Email Etiquette: Courtesy #1 ~ Get to Know the Basics!

“There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it.”
~ Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) American Educator

Below are the online basics you need to minimally become familiar with in order to be taken seriously in your online communications.

• Do not type in all caps. Typing in all caps is considered yelling, screaming or at the very least adding emphasis to the word you type. Various studies on the topic reflect that it is more difficult and takes longer to read text that is typed in all caps. And for those who question “What studies?” here is one example for your reading pleasure:
  

  http://www.psych.utoronto.ca/~muter/pmuter1.htm

  Searching for words is faster with uppercase characters, but reading of continuous text is slower (Vartabedian, 1971), perhaps because interline masking is greater with uppercase (Nes, 1986). In addition, lowercase enhances reading efficiency because word shape is helpful in word recognition (Rudnicky & Kolers, 1984).

  One is free, at their convenience, to review the entire document above which goes into detail about how eyes react to what they have to read based on how the content is presented.

  NOTE: It should go without saying, however, since I was chastised for not saying so, this rule certainly doesn’t apply to the vision impaired or to those who are disabled or handicapped and cannot use the shift key. However, since typing in all caps is considered yelling online, it would behoove those who do so because of these reasons to take the time to include a brief note why they are typing in caps so that their emails and intent are not misinterpreted.

• Do not leave the Subject: field blank. Always fill in the Subject: field with a brief and concise description of the content of your email. This is very important in helping those you communicate with organize and manage their email. Important: avoid using all caps or all small case, terms such as Hi, Help or Please Respond, or the recipient’s name in the Subject: field as you may be misidentified as a spammer and your email deleted.
• Refrain from formatting your email with colored text and background colors or images in your day to day communications. Your color and formatting choices can make your emails impossible to read. In addition, formatting could make your emails difficult to reply to without having to go through a procedure to convert your email to plain text first.
  
  Many times when folks hit Reply they have to deal with your formatting carrying over to their reply - which makes communicating with you unnecessarily difficult. Why would you expect folks to have to go through having to convert your email just to read and respond to you?
  
  The answer: They probably will not! Using large background graphics that take forever to download, especially if you have a phone connection (which is more common than most think once you get outside of metro areas) is plain old naive. Just send your email in plain text!
• On those rare occasions where it is necessary to send a group of people the very same email, as a courtesy to those you are sending to, please list all of the recipients email addresses in the BCC field. (Blind Carbon Copy - from the old days when typewriters used carbon paper to create identical copies of a document when it was being typed.)
  
  When an email address is designated in the Blind Carbon Copy field, the recipient will get a copy of the email while their email address remains invisible and protected from the view of the other recipients of the email - some of whom they may or may not know.
• Never expose your contact’s addresses to strangers! If you are not sure how to BCC in your email program, here are site resources that may help you learn the features of your software programs:
  • EUDORA NETSCAPE
  • OUTLOOK EXPRESS SAFARI FOR MACS

  Long lists of email addresses at the beginning of any email is an immediate sign that the sender is either a novice/Newbie - or doesn’t care to respect other’s privacy. None of which, as I am sure you’ll agree, are complimentary perceptions! Email addresses are like phone numbers.  Only the owner of the email address or phone number is the one to authorize who they want to have it and make it public to. By listing handfuls of email addresses in the email headers for all to see is inconsiderate of each recipient’s right to privacy.
  
  In addition, many of these emails are actually hoaxes or downright bogus. Before you forward an email that appears good intentioned with an incredible story that instructs you to “read and share” with everyone you know, first check Snopes.com to see if the story is even legit in the first place and not a hoax. Not doing so can have you eating crow when everyone you email is informed you just forwarded a hoax and didn’t know any better.
  
  And, don’t get mad at someone if they point out to you that you were uninformed by perpetuating a hoax! If you don’t know for a fact that the email you are forwarding is accurate and specifically apropos to the person you are forwarding to and you know they will want to receive it - all you have to do is ask first.

• Never give out phone numbers or personal information without confirming you are communicating with a reputable party. Never give out personal contact information of others without their specific permission to do so.
• Make a reasonable effort to search a Web site for the information you are looking for - “Frequently Asked Questions” or “About Us” sections may give you the answers you seek before you waste the site owner’s time by emailing for information that is readily available on their site. I get emailed daily for answers that are easily found in my 10 Courtesies or in the Internet 101 section if someone were to make minimal effort.
  
  These onliners simply didn’t want to take the time to read them so they expected me to take the time to repeat what is on my site. Talk about giving the perception of lazy and not respecting other’s time!If a Web site owner takes the time to provide information, read it. No one person’s time is more important and common courtesy includes respecting this fact.If you do not find what you are looking for, search for the appropriate contact area for your question. Do not just click on the first email link you come across and blurt out your question(s).
  
  If you do, don’t be surprised if your email goes unanswered when the information is easily found on the site.It is important to understand the focus of each Web site as well. Each site cannot be everything to everyone or be what you perceive it should be. Be sure to review the information provided to double check that what you seek would even be covered by the site you are visiting.
• Do not use Return Receipt Request (RR) for each and every email you send because you like “knowing” when someone opens your email. Not only is this annoying to the recipient, this feature is intrusive! How would you like it if every time you heard a voice mail, answering machine message, opened a postal letter from a friend it was immediately reported back to them that you had heard/opened their communications?
  
  The recipient should have the privacy to determine when/if they want to open, read and reply - period. RRs should be reserved for those instances where it is critical to each side knowing the email was opened. Such instances would include legal and important business issues. Keep in mind opened doesn’t mean read and that the recipient can decline an RR request so you will not be notified of their actions.
• Understand that you will be on a continual learning curve. All of us are. This gig is changing constantly. The only consistency is change! If you do not have the desire to learn and do not make the effort to understand the “culture” of the technology in which you are participating, you will not be taken seriously by your fellow Netizens.
  
  You also may get some terse emails from other onliners pointing such issues out to you - some may not be as nice as others. When this happens, do not fire back at them! Use situations like this as an opportunity to learn what you are doing wrong so you do not anger others and can have a more enjoyable time.
• If you receive a nasty email - do not respond immediately - if at all. People are very bold and overly critical on the other side of this screen. In my experience they tend to not hesitate to point out the things they think you need improvement on while not even noticing the good or positive points on the very same issue.
  
  Many times these folks are simply trying to get a rise out of you (this is called trolling) or are trying to make themselves feel self-important. Sometimes they are just plain jerks. If you do not have something nice or constructive to say, or at the very least sternly professional - just hit delete.
• Keep in mind that all private email is considered to be copyrighted by the original author. If you post private email to a public list or board, or forward it to an outside party in whole or in part, you must include the author’s permission to post the material publicly. Not doing so can get you into some deep doo-doo legally or with your friends and associates.
  
  Think of it this way… how would you feel if a personal private email that you had written for a specific purpose/person is then plastered across the Internet or forwarded to folks you do not know? Always ask for permission before forwarding or posting any private emails!
• Always minimize, compress or “zip” large files before sending. Many folks new to the online world do not realize how large documents, graphics or photo files are. Guess what? They are large enough to fill someone’s email box and cause their other mail to bounce! Get in the habit of compressing anything over 500,000 bytes (500K). (You can view file sizes in Windows Explorer. Simply right click on the file name and choose properties.)
  
  There are several types of file compression software available for these purposes. Do not send unannounced large attachments to others because you think that photo or file is cute or cool or neat. Always ask first!
  
  More importantly when sending business files by email, do so only during business hours, always compress and send at a prearranged time! If you do not know how to compress files, then you need to learn how to make them physically smaller with graphic software. Those are your two choices; compressing or minimizing.
  
  Minimizing a photo or graphic’s physical size to no larger than 600 pixels in width will make them emailable. Most photos right off your camera are 1,000 pixels plus in width which makes for a very, very large file size. Nothing need be larger than 600 pixels to view anyway. Or you could be really courteous and learn how to use the free Web space offered by your ISP to upload photos and simply send the link to friends and family to view.
  
  If you do not know how to do any of these things all you have to do is learn! [Great Resource: HTML Programming Cheat Sheets]
  
  To send large files that take a long time to download that may not respect the other person’s time, reflect their sense of humor or point of view and may even max out their email box is pretty inconsiderate and downright lazy.
• Do not forward virus warnings! Virus warnings received from others are generally always hoaxes. [Great Resource: Symantec's Virus Hoax Page] Especially if an email tells you to forward to everyone you know–don’t!! Delete those emails and do not forward them! Definitely ignore those forwarded emails instructing you to delete files on your computer - they could be critical files that your computer needs to operate.
  
  Only warn friends if you know that your computer has a virus that you inadvertently may have passed on to them. Rely only on your virus software and your software provider’s Web site for the real scoop. If you get one of these wacky emails from a friend or associate, go to your virus software provider’s site and search for the virus name in question to confirm if it is accurate information or if it is a hoax.
  
  When you find it to be a hoax, let the person who forwarded it to you know that they are perpetrating misinformation and unintentionally alarming others. Read what your Virus Software provider has to say before you unnecessarily alarm folks and in the process end up looking rather silly to say the least. There are many urban legends purely in existence to watch all the Newbies screw up their computer’s configuration files or forward the fake email to “everyone they know” while looking rather foolish in the process.
  
  You know what they say… There’s a Newbie born every minute!
  
  It is clear… The need for a 24/7 real-time virus protection software is no longer a choice - it is your responsibility to remain virus free. You will also need to update your virus files regularly. Check for updates every time you log on so that your computer is protected from the latest releases or use the automatic update feature of your virus software.

As a courtesy to your fellow Netizens, try to learn what this is all about. Ignorance is not bliss online.

| Courtesy #2 |

Email Etiquette: Courtesy #2 ~ Online Perception is the Only Reality

One of the primary reasons for creating this site is my dismay at how many folks do not seem to care about how they will be perceived. I have concluded it is that they must not care or they simply are unaware of these issues because there are tons of resources online to give you the basics if you look for them and take the time to read them. So many onliners take no care in the choice of words used, or how the content of their email will reflect on them. Nor do they seem to care how they will be perceived by the other side.

Judging by the reaction of some visitors who have been sent to this site, (rather than admit they were participating in a medium they did not yet totally understand, they have hissy-fits and send flames and make threats) some onliners seem to not want to put the effort forth to improve themselves or to learn the necessary skills to be perceived favorably and use technology properly. To make boastful claims that one has the "right" to say and treat others any way they like further solidifies the reason why these personalities were probably pointed this way in the first place.

So, if you are one of those who do care, one of those who can put your ego on the shelf for a moment and realize we all make mistakes, have more to learn or who up until now have underestimated the importance of these issues - read on.

• Start your email with brief and concise Subject: which accurately portrays the content of your email. The Subject: field is not the place to ask questions or to contain your only comments while you send a blank email. You also want to refrain from using an old email message and hitting reply to type about a new subject because you didn’t add your contact’s email address to your address book. That is viewed not only as lazy but as inconsiderate for the person on the other side because the Subject: field does not reflect the new conversation.
• Always start your email with "Hello", "Hi", "Dear" or whatever you are comfortable with and works for you and the name of the person you are emailing. Use a greeting that reflects your personality.When you make a phone call you always say "Hello" to the person who picks up the phone. A little idle chit-chat asking how the other person is, what is new, etc. then ensues. I am not suggesting that you have paragraphs of senseless chit-chat before you get to your point, just that you show some interest and courtesy to the person on the other side included within a nice greeting.
  
  You may think doing so to be trivial or time-wasting when online, however, this is how a civilized society communicates with one another and how relationships are built. Little touches such as this will ensure the recipient looks forward to seeing your name in their inbox. To just blurt out your demands or questions without a greeting comes off as demanding or bossy.

You want to think of your email as a serious communication tool, not an excuse to forget about being courteous or friendly. To insinuate you are better than others or that your time is too valuable to spend on the simple formalities mentioned here, is to be perceived as not having consideration for the human being on the other end of the pipeline.

As a courtesy to your fellow Netizens, mind your manners and be nice.  

| Courtesy #3 |

 

Email Etiquette: Courtesy #3 ~ Proofread, Spellcheck, Proper Grammar

• Always spell check your email, proofread for errors, capitalize your sentences and use appropriate punctuation and grammar. 
  

  "If a emale is writon with speeling mestakes and gramitckal errors, you mite git the meening, however, the messige is not as affective, or smoothly redable. 

  Poor writing is equivalent to someone speaking with spinach stuck between their teeth. Listeners and readers concentrate on the spinach; not what is being said." 

• Family and friends are one thing. If you feel they do not deserve your best effort to make sure they have an easy to read email from you that is fine. Your family and friends know you best and are probably the most forgiving. However, with business acquaintances or other online contacts, proper formatting is crucial to building your relationship and credibility.
  
  Never tell those business associates whom you have become lazy with that "I don’t spell check or capitalize my sentences with you because we know each other so well". You have just insulted the other party by basically telling them they are not worth the time it would take for you to communicate properly with them. Not using proper structure (no punctuation, all caps or all small case) will also be a strong indication of your level of education and professionalism.
• Working on your writing skills is something that is ongoing. Site visitors do not hesitate to point out my errors; which helps make my site better. So even though I’ve been doing this for over a decade I know I still have a lot to learn. Being I am not a writer by profession or education, rather an engineer, I take every opportunity I can to improve my writing skills. I read, practice and learn from others every chance I get. Now, no one is expecting you write with perfection, just that you make the necessary effort and be open to improving your skills.
• Refrain from using multiple !!!!! or ?????. Multiple exclamation points and question marks risk giving the perception that you are sarcastic and condescending. Do you understand??????

You want your emails to be readable. Type in complete sentences. Create new paragraphs when the subject matter shifts. Always take the time to review your email before clicking send. To type random phrases or cryptic thoughts does not lend to clear communication or being perceived as one who made it out of the 6th grade. 

As a courtesy to your fellow Netizens, communicate clearly and properly without errors. Use the education you received in grade school. 

| Courtesy #4 |

 

Next Page »