Professional Email Dos and Donts
To Whom It May Concern - The Do's and Don'ts of Professional Email ....
Sending email is so easy - click a few clicks, type a few words and hit SEND. Done. Because it's so easy, we send more 'letters' than ever before, and somewhere along the way we have forgotten how to write and deliver professional communications.
Presenting a professional front in our email is just as important as it was when we were sending 'snail-mail'. Here are some do's and don'ts for sending a professional email:
Do format the email like a letter.
Your name and the recipient's name will be in the email header, but include a "Dear so-and-so" and a "Sincerely, so-and-so". Be sure to enter an accurate summary of the text in the Subject field. Don't forget to organize the text into proper sentences and paragraphs. Be sure to include additional contact information (phone number or street address) especially if you are asking the reader to contact you.
Do follow forwarding and copying protocols.
There are certain rules for who receives copies of mail, whether it's hardcopy or e-copy. Even if it is easier to 'blind copy' or blanket copy an email than it was when we were using typewriters and Xerox machines, resist the temptation to "spam". Make sure everyone knows who is getting copies of what, and don't forward messages that shouldn't be passed along to others.
Do double-check your work.
In the olden days, it was responsibility of the secretary to ensure the spelling (and grammar) were correct, now it's your job. Make use of the spell checker and the grammar checker. Keep in mind that automatic spelling and grammar checkers can only do so much - you still need to proofread your email before it's sent. Even if you've only written a quick memo, read what you have written, don't just assume you got it right the first time.
If you aren't confident checking your own writing, here are a few tips: 1) Let the material 'rest', and look at it with new eyes after at least 30 minutes, a day is better. 2) Read it aloud, which will slow you down and make you really LOOK at what you have written. 3) Print the message out and proofread the hardcopy. 4) If you've made a large number of changes, start all over again.
Do keep a copy (hardcopy if necessary).
Most email systems allow you to automatically send yourself a copy of every email you send - make sure this feature is turned on. If the material is critical and/or your email server or your PC is a bit flaky, print a copy and file it safely. Whether on the server or in a file cabinet, organize your correspondence sensibly, don't leave everything to build up in a pile - the point of saving something is being able to find it again!
Do keep sensitive material safe.
Even with the best security in the world, computers are not immune from illicit access. Personnel information, corporate strategies, budgets, and so on need to be kept secure. Review your company's security procedures and if you aren't convinced, rely on a locked drawer. And by all means, follow your company's policies and procedures for handling sensitive documents - email attachments aren't necessarily safe either.
On the other hand:
Don't treat email like a text message.
You have a full screen and a full keyboard - make use of them. Don't use cute abbreviations that only a 16 year old text-wizard can understand, don't use chat room or blog lingo, don't use slang, and don't use frowns ;^{ or smilies :^) or "emoticons (symbols), adorable as they may be.
Don't copy everyone in the company - unless you mean to.
It can happen to even the most experienced computer user - you accidentally select the company-wide mailing list rather than the list for your team, and announce to everyone that your project is seriously behind schedule. Or worse yet, you think you've selected your list of friends, and tell everyone you think your boss is a real pain in the server. Avoid embarrassment and double check where you are sending your messages.
And be sure to target your messages to the right audience - make sure all the relevant people get the information, but don't copy everyone assuming they will just ignore or delete your message if they don't need to see it. NOBODY likes spam, even if it's from the boss.
Don't send too many 'just for fun' emails.
Even if they are work related ("How many programmers does it take to change a light-bulb?") resist the urge to send too many fun emails, to too many people. It's unprofessional and it may very well be against company policy.
(Personally, I saved all those messages up and included them in the review copies of my documentation, just to see if people were REALLY reviewing things properly.)
Don't over-do the formating.
Any letter you send is about the message, not about your formatting prowess. Don't spend hours selecting fonts and typefaces only to send out a message with little or no content, or with numerous spelling and grammatical errors. Make sure there's sufficient whitespace and the text is well organized, but leave the fancy fonts to the copywriters.
Don't send a "Dear John" email.
Avoid using email to get out of a potentially messy phone call or face-to-face meeting. If something unpleasant needs to be delivered in writing, print it and deliver it in person. This works for employees as well as employers. Unless you just won the lottery, don't resign via an email from the Bahamas. If you need to reprimand an employee, have a face to face chat first.
The electronic era has made communication easier, but unfortunately, it's easier to be unprofessional as well. Don't confuse email with text messages, treat each business email like a letter from one professional to another, and don't hit the SEND button until you have done your proofreading and know who you are sending to.
