When we
talk to others, we expect other them to observe certain rules of behavior.
The same is true online. Here are a few pointers to help you communicate
more effectively.
Clearly summarize the
contents of your message in the subject line.
Properly titled messages
help people organize and prioritize their e-mail.
Don't use the CC (Carbon
Copy) function to copy your message to everyone.
This is particularly true
at work. These days everyone receives too many e-mails. Unnecessary messages
are annoying. If only a few people really need to receive your message, only
direct it to them.
Similarly, when responding
to e-mail, do not respond to all recipients. By choosing Reply to All
or a similar button when responding to a message, you may end up
broadcasting your response to your entire company.
Use BCCs (Blind Carbon
Copies) when addressing a message that will go to a large group of people
who don't necessarily know each other.
Just as it is not polite to
give out a person's telephone number without his or her knowledge, it is not
polite to give out someone's e-mail address. For instance, when you send an
e-mail message to 30 people and use To or CC to address the
message, all 30 people see each other's e-mail address. By using BCC,
each recipient sees only two--theirs and yours.
Keep your messages short
and focused.
Few
people enjoy reading on their computer screens; fewer still on the tiny
screens in cell phones, PDAs and other mobile devices that are becoming
increasingly popular. Recipients tend to ignore these long messages.
Sending
Attachments
Users of most wireless
devices don't have the software required to open an attachment such as a
Word document or spreadsheet.
Avoid using all capital
letters.
NOT ONLY IS IT MORE
DIFFICULT TO READ, BUT USING ALL CAPS MAKES IT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING!
Don't write anything you
wouldn't say in public.
Anyone can easily forward
your message, even accidentally. This could leave you in an embarrassing
position if you divulge personal or confidential information. If you don't
want to potentially share something you write, consider using the telephone.
Use a smiley to make
sure that a statement is not misunderstood.
Smileys are typically used
in personal e-mail and are not considered appropriate for business. They
should rarely be used in the office. If your message needs a smiley for
better understanding, most likely you should not be delivering it via
e-mail. Even with a smiley, someone may misunderstand you. :-)
Smileys should be used to
support a statement. It's rude to write something mean or derogatory, then
place a happy smiley at the end of the sentence.
Avoid sending e-mails to
large numbers of people unless you have a serious reason to do it.
E-mail broadcast to many
recipients may be considered spam.
Nasty e-mails should
also be avoided.
These messages have their
own term: flame. Flame e-mail is an insulting message designed to
cause pain, as when someone "gets burned."
As a courtesy to your
recipient, include your name at the bottom of the message.
The
message contains your e-mail address (in the header), but the recipient may
not know that the return address belongs to you, especially if it is
different from your real name.
Check
Your Spelling
To make sure your message
isn't compromised by misspelled words, use your e-mail software's built-in
spell checker.
- O -
E-mail etiquette may take
time to learn. Don't let your fear of making mistakes inhibit you. All
Internet users were beginners at one time, so most people are quite
forgiving.
