Email

Electronic mail (email or e-mail) is a method of exchanging messages ("mail") between people using electronic devices. We must follow email etiquette in our professional communication because it is a form of communication which is a reflection of senders and responders. Futhermore, mistakes we make in these kind of messages can have serious consequences.

Here are the most essential rules you need to know.

Include a clear subject line
Ideally, your subject line should let your recipient know what the email is about before opening it. Write a meaningful subject line that reflects the body of the letter.

Keep your tone professional, be friendly
Think about your word choice carefully. Avoid heavy emotions, sarcasm and humor as the recipient may be confused or offended. Don't use emojis and follow the formal email structure. This means including professional greeting and signature, using classic font and formatting. Mind your grammar, use exclamation points sparingly.

Set up a professional email or use your company email address.

Double-check your attachments
Avoid unnecessarily large file sizes. Compress or zip your file if it's too large. Be sure to have anti-virus software installed on your computer.

Proofread your text
Don't rely on spell-checkers. Reread your message after you finish writing to ensure there's no spelling or grammar mistakes. Taking the time to read it out loud will increase the likelihood of catching any mistakes that your eyes may have skimmed over had you read it silently.

Add the email address last
You don't want to send your email to a wrong person, so it is better to type the recepient's address right before sending the email. Also, avoid using “Reply All” unless you really think everyone on the list needs to receive the email.

Reply as fast as you can
Replying within 24 hours is common courtesy. If you’ve unintentionally kept someone waiting longer than that, explain the situation politely and apologise.