E-mail etiquette - A Need

Karan Teli (Life Is just an Illusion...!!) (4573 Points)

20 September 2011

Greetings of the day to everyone..!!

This topic I have selected is all about E-mail Etiquette. These days 99.99% of business and professional’s communicate through internet via mails and chats. This can be formal and informal. Formal communication exists when two unknown people interact with each other even without knowing themselves. The character, the way of doing business is interpreted how a person on other end is…, Here are some of the points which a person has to keep in mind while he uses any type of formal communications using mail forms..,

Formality –

This was earlier followed in business world and as and when the pace of communication is increasing, the way to communicate is also being improvised. Generally, follow the same pattern as if you are speaking to the same person face to face. Introduce the other person by which he is mostly called as.., Using of MR. and MS. for men and women is very important.

Headers and Footers –

- People very frequently use the word DEAR SIR. This is a bit informal. The word sir is to be understood as word of respect and usage of word dear would spoil the meaning;

- Main Para shall begin with “Greetings of the day” since it is obvious that a mail sent may be checked at any time so why don’t you leave the option to fill the same to the receiver;

- Use of word “Hello” is always better way rather than “Hi and Hey”, which has an informal touch added to its meaning along with being casual;

- Closing of a mail may be of many types. The best way is to end up with Sincerely or Warm regards;

Tricks of Trades –

- To use a smiley or not is a big question. An emoticon will be received well when the receiver knows you, but it may be juvenile to unsympathetic eyes or to someone who doesn’t know you;

- Use of abbreviations also has the same impact like TTYL, LMK etc..,

To use these techniques it is better to know the person to whom it is being communicated since an inappropriate gesture may end up in mess.

Signing-off –

- Very helpful in case of a business when the same is being ended with all ways of contacts to you;

- Care should be taken to avoid the same for not turning the same into bulky message.

- A personal caption is best way to end too.

General Issues –

- Have a reading at the end of the written text so as to confirm that the same is being expressed as desired;

- Highlights need to be shorthanded and in smaller text like REGRET IF HURT and not like KINDLY REGRET ME SINCE I HAVE NO INTENTIONS TO HURT YOU. This would make the communication softer and easier along with easy convention of the thoughts required to be expressed;

- When a conversation becomes faster it is recommended to switch over to video conversation or a voice call to avoid discomfort. Through this, the sender may also get immediate feedback and also interpret the body language / voice tone;

- In case of any documents attached, mentioning the fact is important since the receiver may have an oversight to it. “Please find the following documents annexed with this mail” is a better way I feel;

- The last but not the least and most important is use of subject tab. Give a short title giving the main descripttttion of the mail.

Hope these points would help you out. A screen shot is also pasted here for better presentation.