National Email Week Update 2013

By Terry Orr

Building upon last years article (http://kisbyto.blogspot.com/2012/06/national-email-week.html) there are a couple additions to add: first some dos and don’t from renowned network manner’s from Julie Spira and second the importance of using email in your daily activities.

Julie Spira is a netiquette expert and author of “The Rules of Netiquette: How to Mind Your Manners on the Web” provides these excellent Dos and Don’t for email etiquette:

DO use spell check and proof-read your emails for accuracy.

DON’T correct someone’s spelling or grammar unless they’ve asked for a critique.

DO send yourself a draft of an important email before pushing the send button to see how it will be received.

DON’T push the send button in an email when you’re upset, angry or over-tired. Chances are you’ll feel different about it in the morning.

DO keep your email correspondence brief and to the point if you’d like a reply.

DON’T write a novel, as typically only the first third of the email will get read.

DO include a signature block in your emails.

DON’T assume someone will recognize your email address, especially if you’ve just met.

DO remember that SPAM is a four-letter word.

DON’T add someone to your email list for your newsletter without their permission.

DO remember that all emails can be forwarded.

DON’T include emoticons and acronyms in your sign-offs in business emails.

DO be specific in your subject line.

DON’T send an email with “no subject” listed.

At the end of the digital day, when in doubt, don’t send an email if you aren’t sure it will be received properly.

Importance of using email to communicate with others – a lesson learned the hard way. If you rely on verbal communications as your primary means of communicating with others – follow up with an email recapping those discussion to ensure all parties are in agreement.  This is also a good practice when several email, social media, verbal and other means of communication have taken place – it is simply a best business practice!  For us Baby Boomers – it is even more important!

So keep those emails moving right along – remember to save those that could be important!

(Images from Google)