1. E- MAIL ETIQUETTE

2. E- MAIL ► By requiring to use appropriate, businesslike language in all electronic communications, employers can limit their liability risks and improve the overall effectiveness of the organization’s e- mail and internet copy in the process.

3. Need: ► Professionalism ► Efficiency ► Protection from liability

4. E- MAIL : advantages ► Has revolutionized the way work is done ► Helps to respond faster ► Is quick and easy; and the most popular way to contact people ► It almost guarantees your reaching the audience ► Can check it wherever you are ► Allows to communicate at one’s own convenience

5. limitations ► Nothing beats face to face communication ► The best way to build a relationship is in person ► Cannot convey the emotion or tone ► Ineffective e- mail can cause outright confusion and loss of productivity

6. Effective communicators: ► Know how to communicate quickly and courteously ► Know how to refrain from putting anything in writing that could come back to haunt them ► Know how important it is to proofread messages before sending them

7. Organization’s guidelines: ► Stick to appropriate content ► Avoid sending personal messages at work ► Follow the chain of command ► Compose offline

8. Respect your readers: ► Send only necessary messages ► Know who your audience is ► Know your audience’s culture ► Be clear about time ► Respect your audience’s schedule ► Don’t flame ► Use the priority feature with care

9. Create the right tone ► Don’t use offbeat acronyms ► Steer clear of smiley and other gimmicks ► Avoid using exclamation points ► Be friendly, smile as you write – your tone shows in your message ► Business e- mails are almost like business letters, so leave off the “cute stuff” and avoid sarcasm

10. Cultivate good communication skills: E– mails that contain disorganized ideas, intimidating layout, or grammatically incorrect sentences is a reflection on your organization: ► Keep subject lines truthful ► Limit the scope of e- mail messages ► Craft tight, meaningful messages ► Write short email messages ► Rely on short sentences ► Aim for clarity over hype

11. Maintain an intelligible appearance: ► Clarity is the goal of e- mail ► Use an appropriate typeface ► Don’t yell ► Don’t whisper either ► Use white space ► Avoid double spacing

12. Make responsible replies: ► Be sure you hit the right reply button ► When you choose to “reply to all”, do so wisely ► Modify subject lines ► Understand the use of the cc and bcc fields

13. Take time to respond: ► Slow down ► Reread your message ► Edit e- mail carefully ► Correct misspelled names ► Avoid knee – jerk reactions

14. Handle attachments effectively: ► Ask permission to send lengthy attachments ► Use compressed files ► Include summaries ► Mention the file name ► Don’t forget to attach your attachment ► Be aware of viruses

15. Manage files effectively: ► Make backups ► Think thin ► Keep secret your password or personal identification number (PIN)

16. Don’t let incoming mail ruin your life: ► Don’t over check your e- mail ► Avoid checking e- mail on vacation ► Use appropriate filters ► Apply order ► Technology is a tool that should work for you, not the reverse.