Cadi Ayyad University ENCG Teacher: Mr.

BENLAHCEN Hicham Class: S1

Etiquette Rules for Writing Business Emails

by Kyra Sheahan, Demand Media

Good email etiquette keeps you looking professional.

Email provides business professionals with an easy and fast way to exchange information electronically. As with all forms of written correspondence in the business world, emails must be composed and formatted professionally. Although this form of advanced communication promotes rapid messaging, not taking the time to adhere to etiquette standards can get you into hot water with your supervisor. Use Su !ect Lines According to Purdue University, always fill in the sub ect line with the topic of your email. !his lets recipients know what your email is about and how they should prioriti"e reading your email versus the do"ens #or hundreds$ of other emails they have to read. %ou must also consider that your recipient#s$ may have been waiting anxiously for an email from you on a particular topic, but, unless your email has a sub ect line, they may not know to open it. Set a "r#$essi#nal T#ne !he tone of your email should always be professional. As recommended in a &une '()( article on *nc.com, do not oke around or use sarcasm, avoid trendy slang or argon, and avoid being playful or cutesy. Adding smiley faces and other emoticons in a business email is inappropriate. Even if you know the person you are sending the email to, you do not know how many other people might see your email. "r#%er Salutati#ns As you would with a handwritten #or typed$ letter, use proper salutations in your email. Purdue University advises email writers to address recipients with a warm greeting, such as +,ood morning,- and conclude the email with +.incerely- or +!hank you.- !hese types of salutations keep your email professional and polite. Use "r#$essi#nal &#nts !he font you use in your email is a reflection of you. /artoon0looking fonts, such as fonts with squiggly or bubbly letters, make the sender come across as childish, which diminishes the professionalism of the communication. 1eep fonts professional. According to 2ellesley /ollege, the best fonts to use for business purposes are !imes 3ew 4oman, Arial and other book0print fonts. Additionally, refrain from changing the font so that it is in all capital letters, as this is construed in online communication as yelling. "r##$read '#ur Email *t is unprofessional to send emails with spelling errors, punctuation errors and other types of grammatical or technical mistakes. .uch errors make it appear as though you do not possess adequate writing skills. Use the spell check feature of your email program to correct misspelled words, and always proofread your composition before hitting the 5.end5 button.