Email alert!
by Tippi Fernandez
What we email makes positive and negative impressions upon
us. Sources say that communication between humans is approximately
90% body language, 8% tone of voice and 2% spoken word. With
email, count out the nonverbal and actual tone of voice and
you are left with words. With the wrong choice of words and
punctuation marks (!), for example, a well-meaning letter
may be misconstrued as offensive, aggressive or derogatory.
To ensure that you project a positive image and you conform
to international acceptable standards of behavior in sending
and receiving email, read some of these guidelines on email
etiquette from the world’s experts on manners:
Email address
Choose an appropriate email address. Having usernames like
sexylady, spicyhunk or lonelyheart in email addresses invite
smirks, raised eyebrows and doubt on the character of their
owners. The most acceptable email addresses are composed of
personal initials, names, birthdays or their combination,
such as mcamemo@yahoo.com, natmac1206@hotmail.com or john-doe@aol.com.
Using your name also promotes easy recall on the part of the
recipient.
To, cc, bcc
Some prefer to keep their email addresses confidential. In
case you need to send the same message to multiple recipients,
do not put all the addresses in the To: and/or CC: boxes unless
you are certain all the recipients permit you to share their
addresses.
Write your address in the To: box instead and use the Bcc:
box for the recipients so they will receive a copy of the
message, without their email address showing in the email
envelope. Bcc (blind carbon copy) recipients are invisible
to each other.
Subject line
Most people leave the subject line blank when, in fact, it
is one of the most important parts of an email. Accurately
define the content of the email as a courtesy to the reader
and for your convenience when you receive a reply. By providing
a subject, the recipient will also have easy reference in
case he/she wishes to reread your email after some time.
Body
• Begin your message with a salutation. For business
and formal email, Dear is the standard followed by the titles
such as Mr., Ms., Dr., etc. , the family name of the recipient
and the comma or semi-colon, depending on the degree of formality.
Examples are Dear Mr Tanaka: and Dear Dr. Ledesma,.
• Never use ALL CAPS, unless for emphasis or acronyms,
because IT WILL LOOK AS IF YOU ARE SHOUTING.
• Proofread your message. Check the grammar, spelling
and tone before sending.
• Avoid using abbreviations like cuz, u, and plz because
although these are acceptable for informal letters, this could
be habit forming.
• Write in a positive tone. Don’t send or respond
to an email when you are angry. Once you click "Send",
you can never take it back.
• Ensure your message comes across as respectful and
friendly by using simple yet powerful words like “Thank
You” and “Please.”
• It’s okay to use emoticons (faces made up
of parentheses and colons and semi-colons) and Smileys J in
informal letters but never in business and formal letters.
• Although email is designed for personal communication,
it is best to keep confidential matters as it is. Remember
that whatever you send can be forwarded to others.
• Avoid sending sexist or racially discriminating
comments; lewd, obscene or suggestive material; defamatory
or offensive remarks and chain letters. Send political or
religious emails and large attachments only upon request.
• Be careful with sarcasm and humor as you may inadvertently
relay the wrong message.
Email has made our lives easier. Let’s use it smartly.
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