Email etiquette
When communicating over the Internet, you are not doing so face to face; therefore what you are saying could be misinterpreted due to the lack of facial expressions, tone of voice and environment.
Dianne Volek of InterComm Consulting provides some important rules that should be followed when communicating via email:
Be clear - make sure that your subject line explains the content of your email or you could end up in the trash bin before your email is even read.
Use appropriate formats - using all capital letters is a sign of disrespect because it symbolises shouting and makes the message harder to follow. It also implies a poor education where the sender is SO unsure of the rules of capitalisation that he is trying to avoid decisions!Get to the point - if your email is short, the recipient will be more likely to read it. Sending an email that is longer than 100 lines is considered bad etiquette.
Watch the tone - Only informal emails use emoticons and abbreviations - emoticons can help explain your intentions and abbreviations such as BTW(by the way) can help shorten your emails, although both should only be used if your relationship with the recipient is an informal one.
Check spelling and grammar - spell-checkers are there for a reason. But make sure your spell-checker is set to UK or South African english or you will get the wrong spelling for words like colour and capitalise.
Double check your email before sending - if you think the receiver could misinterpret your email, rather rephrase it. Your words and content represent you, so it's important to create a good impression.
Double-check the recipients - make sure that you have only included the recipients that you intend to receive your email.
Never "reply to all" - if all the recipients do not need to receive your response; replying to all is seen as very bad netiquette. It wastes individuals' time and clogs in-boxes.
Use CC and BCC correctly - make sure that you only CC recipients who need to know about the content of your email. Sending to everyone is not only irritating, it implies that you are so junior you need to "cover your back" and report to numerous bosses!
Do not send or forward spam - spam is any form of unsolicited commercial email, sent in bulk, as well as any mail that will clog up the recipient's inbox. Chain letters, appeals for charity, petitions and jokes are classified as spam.
Do not send large attachments - when you attach files to emails make sure that you have made them as small as possible. Most mail servers will not allow anything over 10MB, but try to stick to a maximum of 5MB, out of courtesy.Be professional - If your email is intended to be professional, make sure that you: do not swear, do not use caps lock, do not use emoticons, do not abbreviate your words, use the correct tone - do not address the recipient like you would a friend - use "Dear Sir/ Madam or the person's name".
Some other points to remember about business communication:
Be selective with your personal information - it is important to understand that the Internet is a public domain and your information can be viewed by anyone, including criminals.
These days employers are known to check potential employees' Facebook or LinkedIn sites - and hiring can depend on what has been posted there. Always make sure that you have checked your security settings and that people can only view your site with your permission.
Be careful about what you post - do not post anything on a website that could affect you negatively, now or in the future. Most of the Internet forums and groups are archived, which means that they are accessible for a long period of time and it is generally impossible to retrieve messages once they have been sent.
By following these simple rules, each user is helping to create a peaceful online coexistence, which guarantees enjoyment for all - until etiquette for the next generation is revealed.
Dianne Volek is the owner of InterCommerce, a networking website and directory for South African SMEs, freelance creatives and project personnel. List your small or home-based business at www.intercommerce.co.za