Email Etiquette: How To Send Emails People Will Read
You may remember a time before there was email…a time when communications within most organisations were more formal and followed strict lines of protocol. Email has done wonders to break down some of the communication bureaucracy and hierarchy within organisations; today virtually anyone can speak to anyone (and everyone) within an organisation with the click of a mouse – which can have both exciting and devastating implications! Email has brought with it a new informality to business communications and a new short-hand vocabulary and style of communication – but it didn’t come with instructions. Overtime, a generally unspoken email code of communication has emerged. Master email etiquette, and you’ll not only be on safe ground but people will enjoy reading and responding to your emails.
Your signature. Use your email program to create an email signature block that will automatically attach to all of your outgoing messages; it’s a little like an email letterhead. It saves you the effort of including your contact information every time and brings a professional touch to your communications. You might simply include your name, business name, contact details and website or you might also include a sentence or two about your business, a special promotion you are running with a link to your website, or even a favourite funny or inspirational quote.