Do’s and don’ts for e-mail usage

These rules for what is the default means of business communication will make it better for everyone

How often have you found yourself frustrated by how hard it is to track down a particular e-mail? Part of the problem is that most people are unaware of how useful the subject field is — when you search for an e-mail, the result is always the subject line.

Too many people send me e-mails titled “Stuff magazine”, which is fairly useless when you’re searching for something specific.

The careful labelling of e-mail subjects should be taught in schools.

I remember being taught in high school how to write a formal letter back when letter-writing was still a big deal — and was taught the difference between “yours sincerely” (if you knew the recipient’s name) and “yours faithfully” (if you didn’t).

E-mail etiquette is certainly not as formal but there are useful conventions to bear in mind. I’m sure readers of this magazine already know these things, but in case you know someone who doesn’t, these are the rules.

I am still amazed at how many people don’t know ALL CAPITALS signifies SHOUTING, for instance.

And many seem to have no compunction hitting “reply all” to group e-mails with needless messages like “thanks for letting me know” or even just “thanks”. Unless it’s strictly necessary to tell everyone on a list something important, never hit “reply all”.

If you are e-mailing a long list of people, use the blind copy (BCC) field. It might not have been the original idea but that’s what it’s now for, saving people from “reply all”.

If you use a picture e-mail signature, be aware that an image designed on a laptop will be too wide for a smartphone screen and the text will be too small to read.

It’s more sensible to include contact details (your phone number, e-mail address or website) in text format above or below the image. If someone wants to call you, they can click on a number.

E-mail signature images look pretty but aren’t actionable.

This is especially true because many of us read e-mail on our smartphones. That brings certain advantages and just as many challenges.

The biggest of these are e-mails’ most notorious ailment: attachments. Why do people use attachments, especially for text, when cutting-andpasting into the body of an e-mail is more functional? Why do people send image files of several megabytes, when these shred data bundles?

Always proofread your e-mails, and never send an e-mail in anger. Save it to drafts and reread it in the morning.

You would think it’s obvious, but if it’s a professional e-mail, don’t use personal style or colloquialisms.

And never use textspeak like “GR8” or “luv”. Full sentences and words are the way the English language works.

Finally, no-one ever understands sarcasm, innuendo or humour in written text, so be careful. And never, ever use exclamation marks. Or emoticons. Ever.

E-mail etiquette is not as formal as a letter, but there are conventions to bear in mind