Professional Email Etiquette
Why Learn Email Etiquette?
From:
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2014 11:29 AM
To: <yrodriguz@nuview.k12.ca.us>
Subject:
_______________________________________________________________
heyy my mother wants to know if anyone is going
to fix student connect because she would like to
check my brothers grades
peace out
This is the content of an actual email sent by
a student to the Superintendent’s office.
Use a Professional Email
Address
Will these send the right message?:
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crazeegirl@yahoo.com
beerlover@hotmail.com
littleflirt@yahoo.com
studmuffin@verion.net
When to Use Professional
Email Etiquette
Communications with:
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Teachers or professors
Colleges
Businesses or organizations
Employers
Anyone you wish to be taken seriously by
Traditional Business Letter
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Includes a greeting
and a closing (Dear
& Sincerely)
Correct business
letter formatting
Professional tone
Proper grammar
Spell checked
Business Email
James Jackson
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Outstanding Service
Dear Mr. Jackson:
I was in your club last week and was looking for a particular product. I
was hoping to purchase the new HP 435 all-in-one printer.
After searching for a few moments, I was approached by an associate
name James Walker who was very friendly and helped me find the printer
I was looking for. I was very impressed with his knowledge and
expertise.
I just wanted to thank you for employing people like James at your club. I
am hopeful that you will pass on my thanks to James.
Sincerely,
John Q. Customer
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Includes a greeting
and a closing (Dear
& Sincerely)
Correct formatting
Professional tone
Proper grammar
Spell checked
Challenges of Email
Communication
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Email contains merely words which makes
up only 7% of face-to-face communication
Email does not contain body language, tone,
or feeling (93% of face of face-to-face
communication)
Challenges of Email
Communication - Example
From:
Sent: Wednesday, October 5, 2014 12:19 AM
To:
Subject: Presentation
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_______________________________________________________________
Nice presentation!
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From:
Sent: Wednesday, October 5, 2014 12:19 AM
To:
Subject: Presentation
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks for coming in today. The audience was
completely engaged in your presentation.
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In sample #1, is this
person really
complimenting the
recipient’s
presentation or is it
a sarcastic insult?
Sample #2
illustrates: “When in
doubt, spell it out.”
Or, “when in doubt,
leave it out.”
Use Proper Grammar and
Punctuation
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Capitalize the first letter of the first word
in each sentence
Use periods at the end of sentences
Use complete sentences
Avoid the use of !!! and ??? which comes
across as condescending
To, Cc, and Bcc
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Send email “To” anyone you would like a
response from
“Cc” anyone you wish to inform, but you
don’t want a response
“Bcc” when you don’t want others to see
who else you sent your email to
Formatting
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DON’T TYPE IN ALL CAPS. That comes
across as yelling.
Do not bold items either.
Avoid fancy fonts. It’s distracting and
unprofessional.
12 point font is sufficient
Content of Emails
• Add the subject of your email to the
subject line which reflects the content
of your email. (Having no subject can
get your email flagged as spam.)
• Do not type everything in lowercase
letters (emails are not text messages)
• Do not use symbols, emojis, or text
lingo in professional emails
Examples: ☺ ;) lol jk
Email Signatures & Taglines
Signature Components
Name:
Tagline Components
Company Motto:
Title:
Street Address:
City, State, Zip Code:
E-mail Address:
Phone Number:
Inspirational Quote:
Common Courtesy
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Include a greeting (“Dear _______,”)
Include a closing (“Thank you,” “Sincerely,”
or “Best Regards,” and your name)
Spell the recipient’s name correctly
Use “please” and “thank you”
Respond to email in a timely manner (much
like a phone call)
Keep email short, sweet, and to the point (no
more than one screen of text)
Proofread
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Re-read your email aloud
Double check the spelling, grammar, and
punctuation, and tone
Don’t rely on spell-check
Example: Spell-check changed “Sorry of
the inconvenience.” to “Sorry for the
incontinence.”
Before Pressing
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Ask yourself, “Am I angry?” If so, wait to
send your email. Reread your message
later. Then decide.
Double check the spelling, grammar, and
punctuation, and tone
Ask yourself, “Would I mind if others saw
this email?” If you would mind, you might
want change the content or speak to the
person instead
Legal Considerations
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When you put something in writing, it is
forever (even if you delete it)
Agreements or commitments made via
email may be considered a contract and
you may be legally obligated to make
good on the content of your email
Do not forward email that is intended for
your eyes only
Email Golden Rule
“Type unto others as you
would have them type unto you.”
On Your Own
CCR Assignment
• Use your chromebook to send an email to me.
My contact information is below:
Organization: A Touch of Brilliance
Sponsor: Kayla Jennette
Email: kaylajennette@anderson5.net
***In your email, you will express an interest in
working with my organization in order to receive
service hours.