summer 2004 vol. 10 no. 1                                                                                                                             Return to Contents
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E-Mail Etiquette

Ann Grigsby

Long gone are the days when the main purpose of E-mail was for sending a quick note to cousin Ed in Oregon. Previously, computer users sent E-mail primarily to stay in touch with family and friends who live in another state or country. Now, E-mails play a vital role in communicating among business associates, clients, and potential customers. In this age of ubiquitous technology, many corporations send employees quarterly result updates and vital employee benefit information via E-mail only. Some prudent companies even offer their employees classes in how to write effective E-mails.
E-mail is certainly an efficient mode of communication. With the luxury of E-mail though comes the possibility of misinterpreting the tone and intended content in messages. To avoid such damaging mishaps, remember the following E-mail etiquette rules:

• Include a relevant subject line
Often the only clue the recipient has about the content when filing and searching for messages is the information provided in the subject line. For example, sending a message to ABC Marketing Firm with the subject “Marketing” is practically as unhelpful as having no subject at all. If you are replying to a message but changing the topic of the discussion, change the subject line, too, or open a new E-mail message all together.

• Write concise messages
No novel writing—keep messages short and to the point. Break your message into logical paragraphs and restrict your sentences to sensible lengths. Keep the message to the subject at hand. If you branch off to another subject, you may want to include that portion of text in a new, separate E-mail message.

• DO NOT USE CAPITALS
Capital letters make it seem as though you are SHOUTING at your reader. You definitely do not want to come across as belligerent to your recipient. Remember, the less chance for misinterpretation, the better.

• Use correct grammar and spelling
Keep in mind that composing a corporate E-mail is just as important as writing a professional letter. This is no area for letting what you learned from your high school English teacher fly out the window (as if such an area actually exists!). E-mail is all about communication, and poorly worded paragraphs and misspellings in messages are not only potentially confusing, but also project a negative image of you and your firm as inattentive to detail.

• Reply courteously
E-mail is not as immediate as a telephone conversation, and the recipient may not recall the contents of the original message, especially since he or she probably receives many messages each day. Including the relevant section from the original message helps the recipient to place your reply in context. By doing so, you reduce the E-mail train and the content is less convoluted for the recipient. When sending your reply, be cautious of the “reply to all” icon. Only use “reply to all” if you really need your message to be seen by each person who received the original message.

• Read the message before you send it
Do not be too quick to click the send icon. Spend a minute or so to review the message and prevent an embarrassing typo mistake (such as misspelling the last name of your corporation’s CEO – ouch!). If you persist in sending messages without review, try adding the recipient last to remind yourself to review the message first. This helps, too, if you inadvertently push “send” before completing your messages.

As electronic mail emerges as the optimal workplace communication mode, these etiquette rules are more important than ever. Keeping these pointers in mind will help you send polished and professional messages.

Ann Grigsby is the Lead Editor and President of Editorial Resources, a professional writing and editing firm based in Houston, Texas. Editorial Resources assists clients in creating clear and persuasive documentation for large projects and in everyday writing. Reach Ann directly at anng@editorial-resources.com, visit www.editorial-resources.com, or call 281-487-9113.

Texas Paralegal Journal © Copyright 2003 by the Legal Assistants Division, State Bar of Texas.

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