Before You Hit ‘Send’. . .
One of the most important tools we have as business people is email. However, it is also one of the most abused tools. From over-cluttered inboxes to smoking gun litigation traps, email is in the center of our business lives. The following tips are 10 very important guidelines to remember as you use email as a tool to help you succeed.
Top Ten Things to Remember for Professional Email Usage:
- There is no such thing as a private email, so keep in mind when drafting your emails that they could at some point get forwarded to other parties or become public.
- When structuring your emails, use appropriate business protocol just as you would when drafting any other type of business communication.
- Use email as a quick communication tool rather than as a replacement for critical face-to-face contact.
- Use appropriate and engaging subject lines.
- Respond to emails in a timely fashion even if only to let the other person know that there will be a delay to their request.
- Respect the privacy and confidentiality of both individuals and businesses when considering sending or forwarding an email message.
- Carefully review and spell-check your emails before you send them.
- Include a professional signature with appropriate disclaimers for each outgoing email, not wild graphics or animations.
- Use careful consideration when deciding who should be copied and/or blind copied on your email communications. Be especially careful of ‘Reply to All.’
- Send only necessary emails, not emails with inappropriate content or highly sensitive information.