TIP OF THE MONTH: How to write an e-mail the right way

November 2008 | Posted by Carolyn Pikoulas
Getting your tone right in an e-mail is tricky. It's easy to unintentionally sound pushy, demanding or angry when you're trying to sound enthusiastic and informative. Sentences could be misinterpreted or have double meanings. Here are some rules that will help avoid an uncomfortable situation:

Rule #1- Don't write an e-mail when you're angry, upset, or under the influence. Once you hit "send," you can't take it back. It's practically set in stone. Have someone you trust read over the message first (or better yet, read it out loud to them), and listen to their opinions. Always keep your reader's point of view in mind.

Rule #2- Use proper "netiquette." Don't hit the Caps Lock key, use Boldface text, or use multiple exclamation points. It's the same as yelling. Use "please" and "thank you" where needed, and check your spelling. Also check your grammar--make sure to use "your" and "you're" the correct ways (one of my pet peeves). Also, don't overuse acronyms like "ASAP"--it really doesn't mean anything to people these days--or Instant Messaging acronyms like "LOL" or "BRB".

Rule #3- Don't send business e-mails over the weekend. For one thing, they can easily be lost in the recipient's inbox and may never be read. And you might not want your clients to think they can interrupt your pleasant weekends.

Rule #4- Keep it short & simple, and use the subject line. If your recipient gets a lot of e-mails, they may not read it all the way through and will miss the important information.

Rule #5- Use your signature, and make sure it has your contact info: address, phone, fax, company name and website.

Rule #6- Try to reply to every e-mail, even it's just a "thank you," so the sender knows you've received their message.

Rule #7- When using the CC function, make sure you only send to the people who need the message. Be aware that certain e-mail addresses block messages that are sent to multiple people, because it can be mistaken for spam. And keep in mind that if you write a bad e-mail, CC'ing can be a chance to embarrass yourself multiple times over.