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Email Etiquette

Good business protocol requires that we correspond to email in a timely fashion. Professional and proficient communications will aid in building long-lasting business relationships. Therefore, our focus should center on concise messaging to effectively meet the needs of our clients. Here are a few things to consider when writing company email:

• Compose clear messages in subject line and body of email.
• Be mindful not to use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
• Boldface, italics and underlined terms should be used sparingly.

Another thing to reflect on when communicating via email is the appropriate sentence structure and punctuation, as it is difficult to discern a person’s tone in written format. Before sending a message, we should take a moment to review it; ensuring that it clearly conveys proper intent. Lastly, we should refrain from the use of emoticons in business email.

• Present the communiqué in a polite, respectful tone.
  
• Compose brief email messages, with limited paragraph size.
• Proofread and revise; remembering the value of spell-check.

Business Writing Techniques

"Netiquette"

Here is a website that provides great ideas on various aspects of online publishing and how to enhance business strategies. It emphasizes proper email decorum to prevent unintentional offense. This resource also offers very useful advice for the writing professional, including the Top 10 email blunders to avoid.

“Read and amend--before pressing Send”

Proofreading email messages before pressing SEND is a worthwhile practice; possibly averting the embarrassment of having to retract or explain mistakes. This web portal provides great insight on preventable email errors, which could have the potential for irreparable damage to business relations and/or reputation.

Weekly Witticisms

When to use “affect” vs. “effect”

This is an age-old quandary for many writers, so perhaps we should explore the differences between the two. Affect is oftentimes used as a verb, meaning “to influence” or as a noun to express emotion. Effect is generally used as a noun, meaning “result or consequence” (Kline Business Communications, 2010, para. 1).

Here are examples of the proper usage for each term:

• Poor writing habits affect how businesses are perceived.

• Improved writing skills should have a positive effect on the way we do business.

Reference

Kline, S. B. (2003). Affect or Effect. How to choose the right one. Retrieved March 4, 2010, from http://www.sbkline.com/TIPS/affect_effect.htm

**Disclaimer: This blog is a college assignment. It is not a real blog.