E-mail Etiquette is a Choice

From the moment you get up in the morning; you make choices. What to wear, what to eat — what you have to do and when.

You make choices when it comes to how you e-mail. Do you choose to be courteous? Do you choose to follow proper practices? Do you reflect consideration for the other side? Do you reflect an understanding of the very technology in which you are participating?

These are choices you make every time you send an e-mail. You may make them subconsciously while others consciously choose to ignore proper practices or make the effort to be courteous and perceived favorably. Either way the choice is made.

Today I received a nasty e-mail stating who did I think I was to tell people what to do. Who am I to dictate what anyone should do with their e-mails? Well, I don’t “make” anyone come to my site — most seek it out or are sent here by those who know them. And, I don’t dictate — I am simply stating facts and suggestions so that those who do care can have a more enjoyable experience online.

For the record, which I’ve posted about before, Netiquette (NETwork etIQUETTE) was around way before most were online. The original reference document on the topic of Netiquette can be found here: RFC1855 Dated 10/24/1995.

What I started doing at that same time was to begin coaching my clientèle on the importance of proper use and practices to ensure they were perceived positively and professionally by virtue of their e-mail communications.

Over the years, I’ve expounded on the original Netiquette guidelines and evolved them where necessary to meet the trends and issues I saw onliners struggling with most. If I received a bunch of e-mails on the same dilemma, I wrote an article and/or incorporated it into my E-mail Etiquette 101.

Contrary to popular belief, E-mail Etiquette is not a profit center for me. Even the books I’ve written have been by request from Netizens hungry for information and resources on the topic of E-mail Etiquette. This is a topic I am passionate about and one that I will keep typing away about regardless of how many nasty e-mails I receive that are filled with visceral digs and comments about me personally from people who don’t know me.

We all make choices. And you do have a choice as to how you e-mail. Just don’t think that in doing what you want and disregarding the E-mail Etiquette topics I cover on this site that there will not be negative ramifications. Make the choice to accept that fact as well.

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