No Email Etiquette; No Response

You want to receive responses to your emails? Use Email Etiquette!

Our email communications have become even more important than many would think. Email helps us stay connected and, in many cases, forge new relationships.

Whether personal communications with family and friends or business email communications with other professionals. Your ability to use technology appropriately and communicate clearly and courteously will go a long way to building and sustaining positive relationships.

Email Etiquette is simply a set of guidelines that help you to:

Use Technology Properly

You don’t want to look like a fish out of water. And you want to make sure that your communications are taken seriously. Email etiquette can be very powerful in that regard.

Try not to fall into the “email is informal” trap and don’t take the creation of your messages too lightly. By failing to make essential, simple efforts, you risk being perceived as uneducated, lazy, and inconsiderate.

Email is Not All About You

Well, you are the one sending the email with your message, which is about you. But on the other side is another human being who relies on you to make your message clear.

As the sender, you dictate how the conversation will go. You have the power to impress and direct the conversation. Making minimal efforts will not contribute to a productive discussion. It may actually prevent you from doing so.

By failing to integrate basic communication skills, you show no concern for the other person. It is in your best interest to consider how your email activities and efforts (or lack thereof) will affect those you communicate with.

Communicate with Clarity and Courtesy

You want to be viewed as a pleasure to communicate with, right? The last thing you want is for those you share with to cringe when they see your name in their inbox. And, believe me — they cringe more than folks think.

Do your emails appear as if you didn’t make it out of grade school?
Are your emails demanding and terse because you omit basic courtesies?
Have you experienced misunderstandings that could have been avoided with added email etiquette?

Believe it or not, there are those who, when you mention this topic to them, all you get is more of the same. Some feel email etiquette is old-fashioned or unnecessary—think that at your peril.

Why are some so resistant to acquiring new knowledge and skills? Especially with so much information at our fingertips. Is it a lack of desire to learn or stubbornness to just do what they want regardless? Or is it just being plain old lazy?

On a regular basis, I have folks email me for assistance who don’t type in full sentences or use spell check. No greetings, no “thank you in advance” for your help, and no concern about whether their email is coherent.

They blurt out their questions in all lowercase, expecting me to take the time to offer my rebuttal. Then, when I do, in a kind manner — crickets. Whenever someone takes the time to help you, why not send a thank-you email acknowledging their efforts on your behalf?

No More Responses?

I had a site visitor email me this week stating she would no longer respond to coworkers who emailed her without clarity or common courtesy. While I understand her frustration, on the job, you cannot ignore coworkers.

Instead, you have the opportunity to use their lack of skills as a teachable moment and lead by example. Show how an educated person communicates in writing.

Show them how to email properly by the way you respond in your replies, so they can see the obvious difference and learn by your example. Then discuss integrating email etiquette guidelines and policies with your supervisors so everyone is on the same page.

The fact that some folks feel courtesy isn’t important in their emails is a window into what kind of person they will be to communicate with. And the bottom line is that we should always take the opportunity to be courteous.

I have to admit, though, there is that 1% that I just shake my head and click delete.

Be Kind, Quick, and Clear

Whether you are emailing family or friends or just a website, be on your best behavior. If you send an email that looks like it was written by someone who doesn’t care, seems lazy, and is uneducated, you risk your contacts not taking the time to respond.

Whichever side of this coin you are on, let’s all step up our game to ensure our communications enhance, rather than impede, our ability to connect. Otherwise, some folks just won’t want to.