Jamie Biesiada
"How r u?" "THANKS." "Sure!!!!" "Talk to you later :) :) :)"
Those are just four examples of things you shouldn't include in a business email: shortened versions of words ("r u" in place of "are you"); words, phrases or sentences in all-caps; excessive punctuation marks; and excessive emoticons.
In the nearly 10 years I've been a reporter, I've always used email as a primary method of communication professionally, and I've always been surprised at the number of individuals who email me using what I would consider to be unprofessional language, grammar or formatting.
This certainly is not limited to email conversations I've had with people in travel. It spans multiple industries and several jobs. I'm also certain that I'm not immune to the occasional unprofessional email, myself.
Jacqueline Whitmore
That considered, I decided to get in touch with an expert to talk about the ins and outs of business etiquette. Over the next few weeks, I'll use this spot to feature a number of topics I talked about with Jacqueline Whitmore, etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Palm Beach, starting today with email.
First, Whitmore advised "controlling the flow" of email. If you're in a group email and you need to respond to an inquiry, send your response only to the sender and those who need to see it.
"Keep your emails short and simple," she said, using bullet points to outline requests when possible.
Whitmore is an advocate for sorting emails and keeping your inbox as tidy as possible. Read and respond to the email, then delete it or file it to keep it out of the inbox.
Always use a subject line. It's the first impression an email gives, Whitmore said, and will also help the recipient decide how important the email is.
In the body of the email, let the recipient know if you have a deadline. Avoid excessive punctuation marks and putting words in all-caps and use standard fonts and colors. Keep the email succinct.
With the first email to a person, always include a salutation ("dear," "hello" and "hi" are all acceptable). Whitmore recommends referring to them by their last name with a courtesy title ("Mr. Smith") until they tell you to do otherwise.
Be mindful of your tone, because the recipient can't see or hear the sender.
"The email can be misinterpreted in the wrong way if you don't use the right tone," she said.
Additionally, always check for grammatical or spelling errors. Limit your use of emoticons, and only use them with contacts you know well. "Text speak," like using one letter to represent an entire word, should also be avoided, according to Whitmore.
Conclude the email with a signature that includes your contact information.
Whitmore advised against sending emails when you're heated or upset. Also, put the recipient's email into the "to" portion of the email last to avoid mistakenly sending an email early. Always respond to emails within 24 to 48 hours, preferably within a day.
Additionally, Whitmore said, be cognizant about including any information that is confidential. Emails can be forwarded and copied.
"Don't put anything in an email that you wouldn't want posted on the front page of your local newspaper," she said.
Finally, don't forget that email isn't the only method of communication.
"Don't rely on email to solve complex or lengthy issues," Whitmore said. In instances like that, use the phone.
You can read more from Whitmore on business emails here and here.
Next week, I'll feature some of her advice on cellphone and landline etiquette.