Email Etiquette—12 Rules to Follow for Professional Emails

Email etiquette is important. This is why we put together this list of email dos and don'ts for professional and courteous emails.

BY CAILEEN KEHAYAS HOLDEN

FEBRUARY 07, 2024

In her insightful article for professionals, Caileen Kehayas Holden outlines twelve essential rules of email etiquette, crucial for maintaining professionalism and courteous communication in the digital age. Published on February 07, 2024, the piece emphasizes the significance of personalization, proper formatting, and respectful communication in professional emails.

1. **Spell the Name Correctly:** The fundamental rule of email communication is to ensure the recipient's name is spelled correctly, a basic sign of respect and attention to detail.

2. **Personalize When Possible:** Adding a personal touch, such as mentioning a recent project or achievement of the recipient, can significantly enhance the connection and impact of your message.

3. **Email Formatting Is Your Friend:** Utilizing formatting tools like bullet points and bold text can make your emails more readable and effective, especially when conveying detailed information.

4. **You Can Start a New Email Thread:** To avoid confusion and clutter, initiating a new email thread for different subjects or when conversations become too lengthy is advisable.

5. **Move Some People to BCC:** Judicious use of BCC can keep email threads relevant for participants and protect privacy.

6. **Don’t Guilt Trip:** Professional communication should be devoid of emotional manipulation or guilt-tripping, especially in follow-ups.

7. **The Follow-Up to the Follow-Up Doesn’t Need a Follow-Up:** Being mindful of the recipient's inbox, excessive follow-ups should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

8. **Know Your Audience:** Tailoring your email's opening and closing to match the recipient's communication style and the formality of the relationship is key.

9. **Sometimes, 4,000 Emails Can Be a Phone Call:** Recognizing when a conversation would be more efficiently or effectively conducted over the phone is a valuable skill.

10. **Be Nice:** Maintaining kindness and professionalism, even when correcting mistakes, fosters a positive digital communication environment.

11. **No Attachments in Your First Email:** To avoid being marked as spam, avoid attachments in initial emails and consider using file-sharing services for large files.

12. **Emojis and Exclamation Points Don't Absolve Bad Behavior:** The tone of an email cannot be corrected with emojis or exclamation points; sensitive messages might be better delivered through more personal means.

Holden's rules serve as a guide to prevent common pitfalls and ensure that professional emails are both effective and respectful. By adhering to these principles, professionals can navigate the digital landscape with confidence, ensuring their messages are received as intended and fostering positive interactions.

Original Article

“E-mail Etiquette – 12 Rules to Follow for Professional E-mails” by Caileen Kehayas Holden in Career Contessa, February 7, 2024

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com