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EMAIL ETIQUETTE: How to Handle Business Email Reliably and Efficiently

If you’re a busy professional in any capacity (whether you’re a business owner, or  you’re in a 9-5 job), sending and receiving email is just as standard a part of your  daily life as phone calls are.  It’s highly possible that you’ve grown highly accustomed to utilizing email.

You keep your email tab open all day long,  you check it from your phone or any other electronic device, you ask customers to “send that in an email” when specific  information should be written down rather than communicated via the phone, or even in person. However, while you  may utilize email all day, every day, it’s also possible that you have come across both customers and colleagues who either  a) don’t use it effectively, or b) don’t use it efficiently. And maybe, without even realizing it, you are doing the same.  So, is it you? How can you determine if you do, in fact, require a lesson in email etiquette? Answer these questions for yourself: 

•      Do you ever receive emails that start out with the phrase, “Per my last email…?” 

•      Do you ever receive multiple emails from the same person (whether client or colleague) asking the same question  while you are away, and are not able to check your email as frequently or efficiently? 

•      Do you ever receive emails with the words “RUSH” or “URGENT” in the subject line, or worse, receive emails  with the little red exclamation point attached? 

•      Do you ever receive emails asking you to re-iterate a point made in a previous email? If yes, do you receive such  follow-up emails frequently? 

•      Do you ever receive a phone call from a client or colleague after sending or receiving an email to or from that  client or colleague?   

•      Do you ever receive emails that have the same exact  text copied and pasted from a previous email, only to  have the words “Please Confirm” typed at the top of  the body paragraphs? 

•      Do you ever answer a question asked on an  email through another medium, such as texting or  Facebook Messenger?   

If you answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, you  guessed it: it’s you. You need a lesson in email etiquette. If  you’re concerned, don’t be – email etiquette is not difficult,  it simply requires following a few basic rules, and sticking  to those rules in all business email situations. Of course, no  one is perfect, and if you occasionally slip up and answer  “Yes” to one of those questions on a highly occasional basis,  that’s understandable. If you stick to these rules, no one  will mind the one or two times that you do, in fact, slip up.  The rules are as follows: 

Answer all business email, regardless of the context  or content. 

Unless it’s a mailing list, an initial email requires a response.  Period. Even if the email isn’t asking a question of you, it  is important for the sender of the email to know that you  received the email. Without a confirmation of receipt from  you, the sender could assume a situation in which the email  got lost in cyberspace. Emails are not like phone calls, in  which you are immediately aware that the person on the  receiving end did not receive the call, or that the call dropped  as a result of faulty phone service. It is also possible that you  either aren’t immediately able to give an answer to a question  asked in an email, or are not able to provide goods or  information being asked of you right away – that’s okay. A  response is still required, even if the response simply reads,  “I’m sorry, but I do not have that information for you at this  time. I will follow-up with you as soon as I have it available.” 

Follow-up promptly. 

To add to the great importance of reliable correspondence,  be sure to follow-up once you have the needed information,  as your follow-up keeps the original sender from having to  anxiously follow-up with you. “If I don’t get back to you  within three days, email me again,” is also acceptable, but  it makes a better impression if you follow-up yourself  promptly, even if “I still don’t have this information for you”  is the sole extent of your follow-up. The client or colleague  will be pleased to know that you didn’t “forget” about the  situation described in the initial email. 

When necessary, answer all business email within  24-48 hours. 

Of course, you can’t be expected to answer any and all  email the second (or even within the hour following) any  drops into your inbox. But, you do have an obligation to be  somewhat prompt. Otherwise, expect to receive an email  from the sender asking, “Did you get my previous email?’       Again, you are more reliable than cyberspace is, and it’s  possible that the sender will wonder if his or her email was  lost, or found its way into either your Spam or Junk folder.  Try to respond to emails with email.  Sometimes it can’t be helped – you may receive an email  that requests a call from you. However, if someone sends  you an email, respond to it with an email, and not with a  text or a Facebook message. This rule of thumb helps  keep all messages organized, and your conversation on a  particular subject is all in one place. Messages are, in turn,  not disjointed, and neither you nor the person you’re  communicating with have to waste time going back and  forth between message receptacles piecing together  a conversation. 

Check your Spam or Junk folder daily. 

Yes, every day. While what you’ll find in there is mostly  going to be, in fact, junk, it’s possible that an important  email went into your Spam or Junk folder without your  knowledge, for a reason that is beyond your technological  expertise. You don’t have to read up on the reasons why a  particular email reaches your Spam or Junk folder – you  just have to diligently check it for damage control. 

Don’t forget to set an out-of-office reply,  when applicable. 

Can’t check your email for a few days? That’s okay, because  you can set an out-of-office reply! Recipients of your outof-  office reply will be far more sympathetic to receiving an  automated message as opposed to a non-response; at least,  they know that you are unable to look at your email. When  writing your automated message, indicate the date and time  on which you’ll be initially unable to read email, as well as  the date and time on which you’ll once again be reading  email – but, give yourself some lead time in both directions.  For example: if you’re leaving work at 5pm on a Friday  before a vacation, and returning at 8am on a Wednesday  from that same vacation, indicate that you will be leaving  at noon on Friday and will be returning on Thursday at 8am  rather than Wednesday. That way, you have some time to  finish up items on one end, and get caught up on the other,  without having to rush to answer email. And if you answer  someone’s email prior to the date and time you indicated  that you’ll be back, your client or colleague will only be  happy with you. 

While there are exceptions to all of these rules, they are  a solid framework from which to work when dealing  with a consistently pinging inbox of email. They will  help you make a better, more reliable impression to your  clients and your colleagues, and will help you keep your  correspondence organized.   

By Mary Grace Donaldson