7 Tips for Professional Email Etiquette

When speaking with clients it can be tempting to respond with "smileys" or jokes, but there are a few guidelines you should follow to remain professional and respected:

1)     Make it easy to read and understand your message

• Use complete sentences, not random unfinished thoughts.

•  Do not use slang, specific terms or acronyms.

•  Make your message brief and to the point. Concentrate on the subject matter.

2)     Use proper grammar, spelling and punctuation

•  Use a proper sentence structure in your email messages.

•  Spell the name of the recipient correctly.

• Do not type your message in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS - this is considered shouting according to email etiquette rules.

• Do not type your email in all small case either - this gives the perception of a lack of education.

• Avoid using informal words.

3)     Use a neutral tone of communication

• Refrain from becoming informal.

• Avoid using multiple instances of an exclamation mark (!!!) or a question mark (???).

• Do not use emoticons in business emails they look unprofessional.

• Don't use sarcasm or irony; they can be misinterpreted easily.

4)     Be thoughtful and polite

• Start every email with a greeting.

• Make sure to use an appropriate salutation. Dear or Hello is  acceptable. Hey/Hiya are considered too informal.

• Never forget to include a closing phrase at the end of the message, e.g. Regards, or Thank you.

• Don't hesitate to thank your recipient in case they were of help.

• Do not forward email messages without your personal comment or a short personal note; otherwise this may sound impolite.

5)     Take advantage of signatures and auto-replies

• Use an email signature with your contact details. This will give your recipient more options to continue communication.

• Use the auto-reply feature when on vacation.

6)     Check it twice before you send

• Check your email before sending to see if you wanted to send an attachment but forgot to include it.

•  Make sure the Subject field in not empty. The subject line should reflect the main idea of the message.

• Spell-check your message before sending: a message with typos can be treated as unserious or even be ignored.

• Before clicking Send, reread your email to make sure it is not emotionally charged or impolite.
• Respond to emails within 24 hours of a business day

7)     Manage your emails efficiently and respond within 24 hours of a business day