1. E-mail Etiquette For the rich and famous

2. Conversational Because e-mail is a blend of oral and written communication, people tend to be more casual than usual. Don’t type in all caps Don’t type in all lower case Use color cautiously

3. Respond Promptly If you don’t have time to address the issue involved, at least let the person know you got their e-mail and when you will respond

4. Use Paragraphs Since people tend to e-mail like they speak, they don’t bother with paragraphs. Remember paragraphs are a courtesy and an aid for your reader, so they are important for comprehension.

5. Establish Context Repeat the key phrases so reader can easily determine your point. First explain why you are writing, then make your point. People tend to think of e-mails as dialogues and respond with one or two word phrases: “No thanks.”

6. Subject Line Probably most important part of e-mail. Be specific – “Response to your 7-25 budget request” Some people get 20+ e-mails a day – they sort quickly Never piggyback a new topic onto an old e-mail

7. Signal the End The end of e-mails are often missed Include a detailed signature block in all e-mails  Name  Title  Physical address  Mailing address  Telephone & extension  Fax  E-mail address

8. Avoid Mind Dumps One of most common causes of miscommunication. Only address one point in an e-mail. This is another problem caused by people feeling like e- mailing is a chat with a co-worker.

9. Be Courteous Get permission if you want to use part of an e-mail for some other purpose Don’t respond when angry Be cautious with emoticons Edit and proofread carefully

10. Keep Files Probably most important part of e-mail. May need to prove something later May need to refresh your memory

11. E-mail Etiquette Respond promptly Capitalize appropriately Use paragraphs Establish context Create a specific subject line Don’t respond when angry Create a detailed signature block Avoid mind dumps Edit and proofread carefully Be cautious with emoticons Don’t piggyback messages