The Do’s and Don’ts of Email Etiquette
Email has been around for a million years…no wait. Sorry, it is closer to 50 than a million. I have been using email for a little over 10 years. Today there are over 3.5 billion email users in the world. Yes, that is billion with a B. Because of this it is safe to say that email marketing continues to be one of the most effective forms of marketing. It does, however, come with its own set of rules.
It is not so much the etiquettes of emailing, it is the etiquettes of effective emailing.
The Do’s
Don’t Add Unnecessary Graphics Or Attachments
When you are sending an email, you should only include the information that is necessary. This means that you should not add any unnecessary graphics or attachments. These can clutter up the email and make it more difficult to read. If you must include a graphic, make sure that it is relevant to the email and that it is small.
Keep It Brief And Straight To The Point
An email should be brief and straight to the point. This means that you should not include any unnecessary information. You should also not ramble on. Get to the point quickly and be concise.
Make Sure It Is Easy To Read
When you are sending an email, you should make sure that it is easy to read. This means that you should use short sentences and simple words. You should also break up the text into small paragraphs. This will make it easier for the reader to understand what you are trying to say.
Make It Relevant And Personalized
When you are sending an email, you should make sure that it is relevant to the person that you are sending it to. This means that you should not send them an email about something that they are not interested in. You should also make sure that you personalize the email. This means that you should include their name in the email and make sure that you are addressing them by the correct title. If you are unsure about how to address someone, you can always look up their title in a directory or on their website.
Spellcheck
Before you send an email, you should always spellcheck it. This means that you should use a spell checker to make sure that there are no mistakes in your email. You can also ask someone else to read your email before you send it. This can be a great way to make sure that you have not made any mistakes.
The Don’ts
Don’t Blast Everyone On The List
One of the most important things to remember when it comes to email etiquette is that you should not blast everyone on the list. This means that you should not send out mass emails to everyone in your address book. When you do this, you are likely to annoy people and they will not appreciate it. If you have something important to say, you should send out a separate email to each person. This will ensure that people actually read what you have to say.
Don’t Over Do The Email
Another important thing to remember is that you should not over do the email. This means that you should not send out too many emails in a day. If you are sending out more than one email, you should space them out so that people have time to read them. You should also avoid sending out emails late at night or early in the morning. This is because people are likely to be asleep and they will not appreciate being woken up by an email.
Don’t Go Overboard With Graphics
When you are sending out an email, you should also avoid going overboard with graphics. This means that you should not include too many images or videos in your email. If you do, people are likely to find it annoying and they will not appreciate it.
Don’t Use Attachments
Attachments can be a pain to open, especially if they are large files. If you must use an attachment, make sure that it is something that the recipient will actually need or want. For example, if you are sending a picture, make sure that it is a high-quality image. If you are sending a document, make sure that it is in a format that can be easily opened.
Don’t Send E-mails In The Early Morning
Most people check their e-mail first thing in the morning. However, this is not the best time to send an e-mail. The reason for this is because most people are trying to get through their e-mail as quickly as possible. They do not want to spend time reading a long e-mail. If you must send an e-mail in the morning, make sure that it is short and to the point.
Don’t Send E-mails Which Look Like Spam
Spam e-mails are those that are sent to a large number of people without their permission. These e-mails are usually advertising something or trying to sell something. If you send an e-mail that looks like spam, you will probably end up in the recipient’s spam folder. This means that they will never see your e-mail. To avoid this, make sure that your e-mail looks like a normal e-mail.
Don’t Add A Link To Every Single Email
Links can be useful but they can also be annoying. If you add a link to every single e-mail, the recipient will probably get annoyed. Only add a link if it is relevant to the e-mail. For example, if you are sending an e-mail about a new product, you can add a link to the product’s website.
Don’t Use Your Email Like Your Personal Diary
Your email should not be a place where you vent all of your personal frustrations. It should be a professional tool that you use to communicate with others. If you find yourself using your email to vent, you should take a step back and reevaluate your priorities. You should also try to find a more appropriate outlet for your personal thoughts and feelings.
Don’t Use All Capital Letters
When you use all capital letters in an email, it comes across as yelling. This is not the type of tone that you want to set with your colleagues or clients. If you need to emphasize something, you can use bold or italics. All caps should be reserved for formal documents and not for everyday correspondence.
Final Words
Following these do’s and don’ts will help you on your way to creating effective emails. If your emails are not effective, it is not going to do your marketing campaigns any good.
Following these do’s and don’ts will also help you create emails that your customers will want to receive. People will only subscribe to an email list if they find it useful and if it is relevant to their lives. You need to have conversations with your customers and if you stick to these do’s and don’ts you will be on your way.
