Business Email Etiquette

by Rob Melendez, MD
Editor-In-Chief

Topics in this Article:

• Definition of Terms
• Quick Do’s and Don’ts of email writing
• Distribution Lists
• Subject Headings
• Audience
• Before you send your email
• Salutations/Signatures

Definition of Terms:

The word e-mail can also be written as email and both terms are neologisms. A neologism is a new word, term, or phrase that has been recently created. It is often applied to new concepts, to synthesize pre-existing concepts, or to make older terminology sound more contemporary.

Netiquette is a neologism formed from the words Internet and etiquette. It refers to the rules for communicating via email.

Quick Do’s and Don’ts of email writing:

Using company email:

• Avoid sending or forwarding jokes or humorous stories.
• Avoid flames (emails that contain abusive, obscene, or derogatory language) to attack someone.
• Avoid spam (mass-distributed email that often promotes personal projects and interests).
• Respond promptly to emails.
• Attachments-state that you are attaching a document (verify that the document can be opened by the receiver).
• Avoid emoticons (keyboard characters used to create sideways faces conveying emotions) in business emails.
• Use “plain text”
• Keep it professional
• Avoid ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
  - Difficult to read
  - Appears as if you are shouting
• Avoid all lower case letters
  - Sign of laziness
• Avoid exclamation points
• Avoid informal, conversational openings and closings
  - “Well, see ya.”
  
  Distribution List: Know your audience.
  
• Who needs to know and when?
  - Float ideas by immediate team members first, before you send an email to the decision-makers.
  
• Who needs to know this information now? I like to include this statement: “ I am carbon copying (“CC”) Marc Amsler since he is also working on project B.” I include this statement only when it is not apparent to the others on the distribution list as to why Marc Amsler’s name was added to the list.
  
• It is suggested that you fill in the “To” line after the email message is written.
  
  Subject Headings: Include a substantive subject heading
  
• This should correlate with the action that you are requesting or the main topic of your email.
• Good example: Your Analysis on White Paper Needed
• Poor example: “re: Your email ”
• Horrible example: blank subject line
• If you are part of a study group, little league team, etc., encourage the team members to use an acronym first followed by a hyphen and then the subject.
  
  Example: Team name: Professional MBA program, acronym PMBA
  Subject: PMBA-Copy of Eye Tracking Handout
  This will be easier to collate all of the emails for this team after several months by clicking on the subject name in your email program.
  
  
  Content:
  
• Keep it brief.
• Create short paragraphs with different subjects
• Suggestions if the email has to be long:
  State it in the subject line
  Send the individual separate emails based on the subject matter.
  Add an attachment
  Send a traditional letter.
  
  Attachments:
  
• State you are attaching a document or other file.
• Attachments can contain viruses, maintain anti-virus software
• If file is too large, compress it.
• Keep it brief
  
  Before you send the email:
  
• Check your send or “To” list
  -Verify that everyone is on the distribution list that should be on it.
  -Be aware how the email will be perceived with a long distribution list at the top of your message. Most individuals do not want to scroll down to a message.
• Check your subject line. Does it correlate with the true subject matter of the email?
• Re-read the email aloud
• Proof read the email.
• Avoid sending the first draft.
  
  If the email may create potential hostility, do not send the email immediately. This was advice I received from my professor, Dr. Scott Sanders, while studying for my MBA. He suggested simply saving it as a draft and sending it later once you have had time to reflect on it.
• Avoid sending an email when you are angry or hungry.
• An email is a permanent and legal document. Therefore, any sensitive or confidential information should be sent with caution.
• Avoid gossip
• Is your question clear?
  
  Salutations: If in doubt, stay formal until told otherwise.
  
  Formal email:
  Dear Dr. Amsler:
  Dear Dr. Zink: or Mr. Noonan:
  
  Memo email:
  No salutation needed
  
  Informal email:
  Dear Susan, or Dear Project Partners
  
  Personal email: Use an informal greeting or first name.
  
• Opening remarks
  - Hi Alan,
  - Harry,
  - Hello Susan,
  
• Closing remarks
  - Take care, Best regards, Cheers,
  
  
  Signatures:
  
  Name and Title: Douglas Argyll Robertson, MD
  Department or Division: Department of Ophthalmology
  Company Name: University of RPR/MHA-TP
  Mailing Address: 936 Treponema Pallidum Blvd.
  Phone Number: 505-888-1234
  Fax number: 505-881-1233
  Web address (URL): http://www.abc123.com/
  
  Technical Details:
  
• Be aware of long distribution lists and how they will appear on the receiver’s end.
• Avoid line length to less than 60 characters to avoid line wrap.
• Test your signature in ”plain text”
  
  Forwarding emails:
  
• When forwarding emails, include this phrase: “I am forwarding an email to you from…” Identify the audiences in the “To” line and add/remove where necessary.
• If you receive an email that is confidential, always obtain permission from the person that originally sent the email before forwarding it.
  
  Do you have other helpful tips on business email etiquette? Please send your comments to: robertmelendez[AT]mac.com and we will include you as a contributing writer if we use your material.
  
  References
  
  1. Alred, G.J. et. al., (2006). The Business Writer’s Handbook. Boston-New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s
  2. Professional MBA Lecture Notes from Scott Sanders Ph.D., Business Communications. University of New Mexico. Albuquerque, NM.
  3. Wikipedia. A Free Encylopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page