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Email Etiquette: Rules for Crafting Professional Emails

People working in an office behind computers learning email etiquette
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Today, we’re going to dive into that work inbox of yours and talk a little about the world of professional email etiquette instead of marketing. What percentage of emails do you directly move to the trash without opening them? Or worse, how often have you re-opened an email only to decipher the message being passed across originally? For instance, you get an email with the subject line: “Quick Question.” You open it only to read three paragraphs that appear more like a research article than a question. Or maybe someone sends you an email with no greeting, punctuation, or random abbreviations: “pls chk n revert asap.” 

Frustrating, right?  

Such emails cause more problems than they solve—confusion, timing issues, and even accidental offense, to name a few. So, emails need to be well–written and to the point to avoid being deleted or misinterpreted.  

This is where email etiquette matters. It’s not about getting your grammar right but making your mode of communication as professional as it can get.  Let’s uncover the rules that can transform your emails from chaotic to crystal-clear.

Why Email Etiquette Matters?

Emails are essential, and around 74% of people consider them the preferred communication method. However, considering the volume of emails received on a daily basis, it is quite easy to overlook the importance of writing emails in the right manner. On the other hand, a well-crafted email can strengthen professional relationships and also boost productivity. Here’s why email etiquette is crucial in every professional setting:

  • First Impressions Matter: Emails should be written professionally because they convey a lot about how you communicate. Also, it speaks volumes about your professionalism and attention to detail you put in while drafting emails. 
  • Clarity and Efficiency: Next is clarity. Email etiquette for professionals ensures your messages are clear and to the point. This reduces back-and-forth and saves everyone’s time.
  • Tone Control: Do you know that 90% of employees state that workplace misunderstandings have a common starting point: email? This happens because it’s difficult to interpret the tone in written communication. But when you follow the right etiquette, it helps you convey the right tone, be it formal, friendly, or neutral. Furthermore, it also helps avoid any unintended offense. 
  • Respect for Time: A well-structured email respects the recipient’s time. You get your point across quickly and efficiently, which makes it easier for the recipient to respond. Scheduling is also an important aspect of sending emails, so you should keep in mind that you are sending emails at appropriate times. 
  • Professional Reputation: When you consistently follow the correct email etiquette rules, you can build a reputation for being reliable, considerate, and easy to work with. This can open up doors for career advancement and collaboration.

So, we can say that proper email etiquette doesn’t just help you get things done but helps you do them professionally and clearly.

How to Train Employees on Email Etiquette Rules

Email etiquette training can go a long way in making your employees well-versed in drafting emails. While it may seem like a small thing, email etiquette can enhance your brand reputation and workflow. The best way to train an employee is to use a learning management system that will help you create courses and manage and track your learner’s progress. 

Here’s how to train your team to excel at email communication:

1. Set Clear Expectations

To begin with, always define the standards for email communication within the company. Create a guideline that outlines the tone, structure, and style you expect in emails. Provide examples of well-written and poorly written emails, pointing out specific areas that need improvement. This helps employees understand what they should aim for and what to avoid.

2. Provide Guidelines on the Use of Emails

You can run webinars that focus on using the right structure in emails. Some can be on the subject line, greetings and closings, and summary phrases. Use real-world examples to show how the correct approach would reduce miscommunication, and improve understanding.

3. Provide Email Templates

Employees may find it challenging to start an email. Whether structuring it or filtering information, it may be confusing to understand what to add and what not. This is where email etiquette training can help. You can give templates for responding to emails, scheduling meetings, following up on assigned tasks, and even replying to clients. This helps set standards in communication within the organization.

4. Highlight the Importance of Tone

Demonstrate to employees the correct tone based on the context and recipient of the email. Again, emphasize that emails could be easily misconstrued if written too formally or casually. Encourage them to read their emails aloud before hitting send to ensure they sound friendly but professional.

Person writing a professional email following the email etiquette
Source: Freepik
5. Maintain the Intention & Avoid Inconsistencies

The backbone of all forms of communication is email, not only for business promotion but for making sure that any message gets across. This is why employees need to be taught the importance of time. Encourage them to get straight to the point, respect the reader’s time, and avoid jargon. Encourage bullet points, short paragraphs, and concise subject lines for better readability.

6. Teach Editing

Some mistakes can give an email recipient the illusion that the sender is not a professional, so proofreading has to be a standard practice. Provide them with grammar-checking tools and help them learn how to use AI to boost their email quality. While doing so, teach them to check their grammar, spelling mistakes, and punctuation also.

7. Encourage Feedback

Let your employees speak about and analyze their communication with mentors or managers after they send a couple of emails. Foster both positive and negative feedback as this can go a long way in ensuring that mistakes are made less frequently, thus sharpening email writing skills.

8. Encourage Role-Playing Exercises

Learning through practice sometimes helps the employee acquire new skills the best. Use role-playing scenarios where one employee writes an email, and the other provides feedback on its effectiveness. This goes a long way in solidifying key lessons.

Training your team on email etiquette improves communication, boosts productivity, enhances professionalism, and ensures everyone is on the same page. Through consistent practice and clear guidelines, employees will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of email communication.

Rules for Crafting Professional Emails 

Here are a few ways by which you can create the most professional emails. 

Use a Clear & Concise Subject Line

As we know from marketing, the subject line is the first thing your recipient notices. It’s not different in the professional realm, so you should always write strong subject lines. The subject should tell the recipient what to expect from the email. Avoid vague titles like “Update” or “Meeting” and opt for clarity, such as “Project Update: Deadline Extended to Feb 10.” 

When you write the subject clearly, the recipient knows the purpose of the email without even opening it.

Start With a Polite Greeting

Greet your recipient politely using correct titles like “Mr.” or “Dear.” This sets the tone for the email and shows your respect toward the recipient. Do not use informal or casual openings unless you have a close working relationship with the recipient. 

“Dear Team” or “To Whom It May Concern” works best for unknown recipients. This is an important step and skipping this could create a negative impression on the recipient’s mind. 

Be Direct and Structured

Professional emails shouldn’t have any fluff. They should straightaway get to the point while maintaining a polite tone. Start with a clear purpose. Then, go ahead and provide the important details. Keep the paragraphs short and use bullets to break up huge chunks of text. 

Do not use any unnecessary jargon or write lengthy introductions. The recipient should quickly understand the message and know what action, if any, is required. Overloading the email with irrelevant information can confuse the reader and delay their response.

Adapt Your Tone to the Audience

As we discussed, tone is very important and is also one of the top email etiquette. You need to ensure the tone is correct, keeping in mind the context of the email. Maintain a professional tone and avoid slang or terms that are too casual (e.g., ‘gonna,’ ‘wanna,’ ‘cool,’ ‘LOL’). 

For formal emails, maintain a professional tone. This includes terms and phrases like ‘I will,’ ‘I would like,’ ‘Thank you for your time,’ and ‘Best regards.’

Always balance friendliness with professionalism and ensure the tone reflects the seriousness of the subject.

End With a Clear Call to Action

Just like you started the email with a professional tone, make sure you end it with the same tone and professionalism. Close your email by specifying the next steps or what you expect from the recipient. 

Use polite and actionable phrases, such as “Please confirm your availability by Friday” or “Let me know if you have any questions.” This eliminates ambiguity and helps the recipient understand their role in the matter. 

Business people shaking hands, symbolizing a deal being done
Source: Freepik

Proofread Before Sending

Before sending the hit button, always proofread the content. Check for spelling and punctuation errors, as they might hamper your professionalism. The best way is to read the content aloud, as it can help ensure clarity. Moreover, proofreading also helps avoid sending any incorrect or incomplete information. 

Always verify the links, names, or attachments you mention along with your draft. This will ensure accuracy, as a single error can significantly impact how your email is perceived.

Use a Professional Signature

For professional emails, always use an email signature with full details. This is how it should look like: 

  • Full name 
  • Job title 
  • Contact details 
  • LinkedIn profile or website link (if possible/available)

This makes your email more formal and at the same time,  recipients can easily contact you. Keep your signature clean and avoid adding too many quotes, images, or irrelevant information. 

Avoid Overloading Recipients

Do not unnecessarily add people to your emails who do not need the information. Respect the recipient’s time by keeping your emails concise. In case you want to address many points, you can structure them clearly in one particular email rather than sending multiple separate messages. 

Recipients get frustrated when their inboxes are overloaded with messages. Sometimes, they may also overlook it. So, always ask yourself if the email is necessary before hitting send.  

Be Cautious With Attachments

Make sure the attachments are properly labeled and relevant. If you want to attach large files, you can use links to cloud storage. A clear mention of what each attachment contains adds clarity and ensures the recipient knows what to expect.

Avoid Sending Too Many Follow-Up Emails 

You need to understand that recipients may not always be available to reply. Wait at least 24-48 hours before sending a follow-up email. This can come across as impatient or pushy. If urgent, you can politely mention the same in the initial email or you may call the recipient if the need be.  

On the other hand, try to respond to emails you receive at the earliest from your end as delays can slow down workflow. 

Final Words 

Email etiquette has tangible benefits that help businesses communicate better and build professional workplace relationships. You enhance email reception and performance by creating direct subject lines, selecting proper greetings, clearly presenting information, and proofreading. 

Putting exemplary efforts into developing email helps you get more work done while building better work connections and maintaining a good business reputation. Your professional efficiency increases when you compose effective emails that show respect and expertise to everyone you work with.