Proper Email Etiquette

One of the most used communication forms in today’s time is electronic mail, also known as email. Email has replaced written letters and even most phone calls. Along with emails, technology advancements now affect how people communicate through messages like emails. One of the common errors many make is not having appropriate email etiquette or messages that relate to the sender. This blog post will explain and give advice tips to those seeking additional information on how to write an email to family, friends, colleagues, supervisors, and strangers.

Writing an email to family

The object of a written letter was to communicate to others close to you. For the most part, letters were commonly written to family members. This is still the same for emails. Emails to family members show affection, emotions, and an individual caring about another. Most families use email to catch up with one another. Parents write stories to grandparents about their children and all their new accomplishments. Emails could also be about vacations or an e-card to wish someone birthday wishes. For family emails, it is important not to be formal. This email is not to your boss; it is to a loved one. This does not mean that the email cannot be mannerly and respectful. It is appropriate to use pet names and use words of endearment.

Writing an email to friends

For most of us, communicating with friends can now be done through text messaging, instant messaging, and social media. However, email is still a popular and effective form of communication for friends. Like family relationships and communicating through emails, emails with friends are also less formal. These are friends that you are catching up with and have probably known for a few years. They could be old fraternity or sorority members, school kid friends that are now reconnecting, or your best friend that lives on the other side of the country. No matter who it is, there is a personal connection with the person. Emails that are directed towards friends are less formal than one you would send to a colleague.

Writing an email to Colleagues

Colleagues are people that you associate with at your place of work or even college. These are people that are on the same level as you are. They are co-workers at the same firm or students you share classes with. Although a relationship may be established during business hours and school hours, a relationship outside of work may not. In this case, all email communication should be semi-formal. For example, one may be friends with another colleague at work, but not outside of work. It is important to be respectful. The email should be well written. Emails written to colleagues should be work-related,  especially if they are written through company emails. There is no reason an email about the neighborhood barbeque should be found and corresponded through a work email account.  Work related emails could include information about business meetings, memos, and mail outs that are important towards the task and future tasks of the company.

Writing an email to Supervisors

This is possibly the most important email communication one may have. It does matter how the email is written, especially to a supervisor.  For most, supervisors are in charge of hiring and firing, pay raises, and recommendation letters. Their opinions can affect a future hiring process, raise or promotion. It would be upsetting to learn that you did not get a job or promotion because your boss found you to be unprofessional. Unprofessional emails can cause this unprofessionalism one may see that you have. Emails written to supervisors should be formal. They should pertain to work related subjects like business meetings, schedules, policy and procedures, and any topic related towards work subjects. A simple way to decide whether an email to a supervisor is appropriate or not is if someone else were to read it, would they get a different impression? Emails with supervisors do not need to reflect on any inappropriate relationships. Even through email, supervisors should be respected and language should reflect that. For example, emails to your supervisor should not be about upcoming events at the local bar. Emails to your supervisor should be professional about upcoming deadlines. 

Writing an email to Strangers

Who is on the other end of the computer reading the email you just sent about buying an item they have recently listed on a popular buy, sale, and trade site?  First impressions matter. When writing to strangers, it is important to state facts. These facts include who you are, how you came in contact with them, your interest, and how they can help you or you can help them. An email to a stranger should be formal. When writing the first email, one will probably be overly formal. However, this is not a negative or downside to writing an email to a stranger. When communicating with a stranger, one needs to have clear communication. There is a reason for the communication contact. Although the first initial email communication could have been about an antique chair, it could open doors for the future. It is important to note this when dealing with anyone over email.

Tips for all email users

It is very important to address the email recipient. This needs to be done within the first line. This address can be a different variety, depending on the recipient of the email and relationship between users. For example, family emails may be addressed as, “Hi Grandma”. This address is appropriate due to the email being less formal and affectionate. However an email going to a supervisor should be addressed along the lines of, “Dear Dr. Smith”. This address shows formality and respect towards the recipient. According to Keri Stephens, Marian Housser, and Renee Cowen (2009), studies show that some supervisors and college instructors found that students communicated inappropriately over email.For example, students would communicate with professors as if they were friends rather than a superior. This could very well have started from a student being too casual when addressing the mail recipient. Starting with a strong and appropriate address will set the email up for success.

No one wants to read an email they don’t understand. State the reason of your email in the first paragraph. Are you asking about an assignment, business plan, or family reunion? Whatever the reason for the email, the recipient needs to know it immediately. This will help both parties get what they desire.  According to Michael Hyatt, recipients do not tend to like to read long messages and most of the time the message goes forgotten (Hyatt, 2007). If the email was not important, it would not have been sent in the first place. Make the email worth reading by stating the reason first.

            Everyone wants to be seen as credible. This is very important when sending an email. The term credible does not mean your background and education, but more on the lines of the message one is receiving from you. According to Stephens, Houser, and Cowen (2009), the level of a source’s credibility plays a powerful role. Writing an email that has correct spelling and grammar can be the difference between a recipient seeing you as credible or not. According to Stephens et al (2009),  studies show that those that edited a message before sending are viewed more positively than those that have messages full of errors. No matter who the recipient is, use correct grammar and spelling.

            One of the most skipped over steps in writing an email could possibly be the most important. Rereading an email is very important before sending the email. For most of us, we tend to write an email, look at it once and press send. But how much are we missing? Since the email is fresh on our minds and we know how we want it to sound, we could be reading what we want to see, not what is actually there. According to Michael Hyatt our brains may get ahead of what our fingers can type (Hyatt, 2007). Rereading the article can help save common errors that would later discredit you and your ability to perform a task.

            Using email as a form of communication is very common in today’s fast paced world. As users, it is important to know and understand the factors involved with writing and sending an email to other users. What and how you write an email is very important, especially because of who is being addressed. Email etiquette is one of the most common topics of discussion that most people just glance at and move on. Use appropriate email communication to help fulfill your work and school related goals.

Works Cited

Stephens, K., Housser, M., & Cowan, R. (2009). R u able to meat me: The impact of students. Communication Education, 58(3), 303-326.Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03634520802582598

Hyatt, M. (2007). Email etiquette 101. Retrieved from http://michaelhyatt.com/e-mail-etiquette-101.html