Even with the inbox being a staple of modern life for decades, e-mail etiquette remains critical to professional communication. With e-mail as the primary communication tool for businesses to communicate internally with employees and maintain contact with external audiences, implementing proper etiquette is essential for high-quality, clear, and positive communication.

Why e-mail etiquette matters

Electronic mail etiquette sets guidelines to ensure your emails offer recipients transparent, concise, and friendly communication. Following these tips helps you retain credibility among your employees and stakeholders while making your message easy to understand.

As a result, good etiquette helps you build and maintain stronger employee and client relationships.

Tips for good email etiquette

Let’s take a look at what’s involved in good email etiquette.

Use a professional email address

Your email address is one of the first things your clients will see, so starting on the right foot is essential. Make sure it reflects your professionalism by using your name or a combination of your name and initials.

Don’t be tempted to incorporate nicknames, casual names, or anything else. While that’s fine for personal correspondence, “mouseygogo72@hotmail.com” does not portray a professional tone.

Clear subject lines

Subject lines are like a headline for your email. They should give the recipient some idea about the email subject, so ensure you provide context about what the main body contains. This increases the likelihood that the email will be read if it’s time-critical.

So, for example, rather than giving your email a subject line like “Query,” add more detail, such as “Query about the marketing KPIs,” to increase the chances of it being opened, read, and answered. Further, for email marketing campaigns, CAN-SPAM regulations require clear subject lines that reflect the true content of the message.

Get the beginning and sign off right

Starting your email with a friendly greeting like “Hi” or “Dear” is the ideal way to open. Unless you’ve already built a warm relationship with the recipients, don’t be tempted to be too familiar, as this could be off-putting.

Meanwhile, when wrapping up your email, use sign-offs like “Best regards” or “Sincerely” as opposed to “Cheers” before your name to maintain a friendly but professional tone.

Less is more

Receiving a long-winded email can be intimidating. Long banks of words can be time-consuming and confusing to read. Instead, keep your content short and focused on the point you’re trying to make.

Get to the point and state clearly what you require from the recipient. If you have multiple topics to cover, consider sending additional emails under separate subject lines or suggest arranging a meeting or conference call.

Best practices for email etiquette

Now, it’s time to put those tips into practice. Here are the best practices for good e-mail etiquette.

Proofread

Take a moment to proofread your emails before hitting send. Run a spell check and ensure your grammar is on point to avoid looking unprofessional. Typos and mistakes can be potentially embarrassing.

Think about who you’re copying in

Using cc and bcc helps copy in people who need to be aware of the contents of your email. Be mindful of whether those you’re copying need to know what you’re sending.

Limiting your distribution to those who need to know helps keep their inboxes organized and shows that you’re mindful of others’ time.

Respond quickly

Responding to emails received within 24 to 48 hours during business days is good etiquette. Remember that everyone’s busy, so they’re not expecting an instant reply. In addition, taking the time to form a thoughtful reply helps push the conversation along.

In these instances, sending a holding reply that you’ve received their email and will respond more fully soon is good communication in practice.

Formatting

Making your email easy to read matters. Think about your audience. Use standard fonts and sizes so everyone can read it easily.

Break up long paragraphs into smaller, snappier ones, and use bullet points, numbered lists, or sub-headings to break the content up and for clarity.

Final word

Good e-mail etiquette can make the difference between building strong business relationships and having them flounder. By staying professional, communicating your point succinctly and transparently, and maintaining respect, even during difficult conversations and communications, you can foster long-lasting and robust relationships that benefit your business and those around you.