Email Etiquette:

Keeping Your Foot Out

of Your Virtual Mouth

How is it spelled?

email
Email
eMail
EMail
e-mail
E-mail
e-Mail
E-Mail

How is it spelled?
Gregg, Microsoft, and AP: e-mail
Wired: email
Email Experience Council:
email is standard

Email etiquette is evolving too

E-mail has quickly become a

communication standard and the
Internets most popular application.
Both the number of e-mail users and
the usage rates are continuing to grow
exponentially.
Mischelle Davis, V.P. of marketing communications at NewWorldIQ

Where are we now?

Right now
online writing
is pretty much
in its Wild West
stage, a freefor-all with
everybody
shooting from
the hip and no
sheriff in sight.

OConner & Kellerman (2002)

If you were sheriff

What would be your rules?

Madlantern Arts

What makes email different?

Difference: No nonverbal cues

No nonverbal cues, which

account for ___________
percent of message

Nonverbal cues
No nonverbal cues, which
account for 65 - 93 percent
of message
Only words and :-)

Difference: Tone

No nonverbal cues

Tone becomes crucial

Difference: Tone

No nonverbal cues

Tone becomes crucial

In Germany and Britain, 23 percent

and 14 percent respectively [of
respondents to a Daily Mail survey]
admitted confrontations with
colleagues because of e-mail
misunderstandings.

Criticisms are harsher

Messages meant to express
mild displeasure can come across
as tirades.
Louise Dobson, Avoiding Email Catastrophes (2006)

Tone: Example One

To: Female employees
From: H. Honcho
Re: Dress code
Date: 1 July 2006
Clients will be visiting next week.
Halter tops and jeans will not make
the right impression. Its time you
started dressing for the office
instead of the beach. Leave your flipflops at home!

Tone: Example Two

To: All staf
From: H. Honcho
Re: Reminder about what to wear to work
Date: 1 July 2006
During the summer, our dress code is business
casual. We think business casual means clothes
that feel comfortable and look professional.
Men
Women
khaki pants casual pants and skirts
leather shoes leather or fabric shoes

Tips: Tone
Avoid terseness, which can
be misinterpreted
Use face-to-face
communication if issue is
sensitive
Read your emails aloud,
looking for ambiguity

For want of a smiley?

Rob Glaser asked to meet
with Bill Gates
Gates said no, in a cold and
flip email
Glazer denounced Microsoft
at anti-trust hearings

Difference: Humor

Humor is riskier

Humor: Riskier

Nearly a quarter of employees

have sufered problems with
colleagues or clients because
their use of humour in an email
has not been understood or
appreciated, according to a
survey.
Robert Jacques, Email Jokes Backfire
for UK Workers (2004)

Humor: Often misinterpreted

Participants [in recent studies] were

able to accurately communicate humor
and sarcasm in ________ percent of
the emails they sent.
Louise Dobson (2006)

Humor: Often misinterpreted

Participants [in recent studies]

were able to accurately
communicate humor and
sarcasm in barely half -56 percent -- of the emails
they sent.
Louise Dobson (2006)

Tips: Humor
If in doubt, dont send it.

Chevron was forced to pay $2.2 million

to settle a harassment case based in part
on emails with such subjects as Why beer
is better than women.

Reread for ambiguities.

Signal the joke.

One emoticon or <grin> per email is plenty.

Humor: Tips in action

If you [ignore these rules], the great

list guru will expel you into the gloomy
dimension without email and your days
will be long and lonely after you have
made a permanent impression in print
for many to keep and repeat forever
<grin> (see how the use of email
"emoticons" aids the assimilation of
that last paragraph!).

Bonnie Dalzell, Welcome Message

Difference: Levels of formality

Most people view email as

more formal than a phone call

less formal than a letter

Meeting request: Informal

From:BobAnderson<anderson@randunix>
Date:21Dec8411:40:12PST(Fri)
To:randvax!anderson,randvax!gillogly,
randvax!norm
Subject:meeting...
weneedtosetupameetingbet.jimyou
andicanyouarange?

i'mfreenextwed.thks.

Meeting agenda: Formal

Subject:MEETINGONFY86PLANNING,2PM
12/28/84,CONFERENCEROOM1
TherewillbeameetingoftheFY86planning
taskforceinConferenceRoom1onDecember28,
1984at2pm.TheAgendaforthemeetingis:
Topic
PresenterTime

StrategicBusinessPlanJohnFowles30min.
BudgetForecastforFY86SueMartin15"
NewProductAnnouncementsPeterWilson20"
ActionItemsfor1stQtrFY86JaneAdamson25"

Tip: Spelling still counts

This is an actual email.
Purposal

Icanbeatalmostanyonesprice
andalmostpromiseyousuccess
andifIdontreachit,
wewontchargeyouafterthe
timewesaywecanachieveit
untilwedo.

Tip: Spelling still counts

Sloppiness is one of seven deadly e-mail sins

Bad grammar, misspelling and disconnected
arguments gave 81 percent of the survey
sample "negative feelings" towards the senders.
41 percent of senior managers said badly
worded e-mails implied laziness and even
disrespect.
CNN.com

Tip: Level of Formality

When in doubt, err on the side

of formality.

Tip: Level of Formality

When in doubt, err on the side

of formality.
Usually the problem is that we treat
[e-mail] too much like a phone call
and not enough like a letter.

OConner and Kellerman (2002)

Tip: Level of Formality

When in doubt, err on the side of

formality.
16% [of email users under 25] sign every
message with love and kisses, even when
addressing their boss

MSN survey

Tip: Level of Formality

Be conversational.
An overly formal e-mail message
alienates the reader. Dont adopt a
cold, remote, or superior tone in an
attempt to sound professional.
Angell and Heslop (2002)

Difference: Level of Formality

Questions to which answers are evolving:
Do I need a subject line?
Should I email a thank-you note
after a job interview?
Should I communicate bad news
via email?

Difference: Electronic

Hit Send and its gone

Hit Reply All and your career
may be gone
Deleted emails live on
Messages can be forwarded
without your knowledge or consent

Tip: What not to do

One of the officers convicted of beating Rodney

King sent this email:
Oops.Ihaventbeatenanyone
sobadinalongtime.
A transcript of the message was used
at his trial.

Tip: Electronic

Colonel David Russells rule:

Never say anything in an electronic message

that you wouldn't want appearing, and
attributed to you, in tomorrow mornings
front-page headline in the New York Times.

Tip: Email is never private

Pillsbury assured employees that emails

were private.
Michael Smyth was fired after sending an email
calling his bosses backstabbing bastards.
A court held that he had no reasonable
expectation of privacy.

Tip: Keep confidences

To cope with many questions about

vacation policy, an HR minion emailed
a copy to all employees.
Attached was salary information.
Within weeks, 20% of the workforce
was goneincluding the hapless minion.

Tip: Electronic Instant

Many expect a phone call to alert them

to an email labeled Urgent.
Allow a reasonable time (two days week)
for a response.
Respond before senders have to follow up
or business is delayed.

When would you use email?

To send confidential salary information

To address a personal hygiene issue
To get an immediate reply
To settle a conflict between two team members
To request a manual for the new phone system
To recap a conversation about a pending order
To set up a meeting next month
To keep people updated on a projects status

When would you use email?

To send confidential salary information

To address a personal hygiene issue
To get an immediate reply
To settle a conflict between two team members
To request a manual for the new phone system
To recap a conversation about a pending order
To set up a meeting next month
To keep people updated on a projects status

Difference: Wheres audience?

People who wouldn't dream of burping

at the end of dinner post ofensive
messages to international forums.
Middle managers inadvertently send
romantic email messages to the
company-wide email alias.
People at computer terminals forget that
there are real live people on the other end
of the wire.
Virginia Shea, Netiquette (1994)

Three manners mavens: Shea

Virginia Shea is
Miss Manners
of the Net
Pioneered netiquette
in 1994
Book available online at
http://www.albion.com/
catNetiquette.html

Three manners mavens: Shea

Typing in all capitals in electronic
communications means

(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)

Nothing special--typing in all caps is normal.

You are shouting.
Its OK to forward this message to others.
This message is very important.

Three manners mavens: Shea

Typing in all capitals in electronic
communications means

(B)

You are shouting.

Typing in all capitals in online communications is

the equivalent of SHOUTING! Only type in all caps
if you really mean to shout.

Three mavens: Booher

Communications
consultant
Dianna Booher is
Miss Manners
of memos
Good tips for
writers
Blog available online at
http://www.amazon.com/

Three mavens: Kallos

Judith Kallos is
Miss eManners
Best source
for specific advice
on business email
etiquette
Site:
NetManners.com

Style mavens: OConner

Emails very structure encourages curtness.
The blank subject line staring you in the face
is a signal to state your business and get on
with it.
The To and From fields seem to make
salutations and signatures redundant or
unnecessary.
What we have here is the ideal breeding ground
for rudeness.

Anatomy of email: To
To:MyEntireAddressBook
From:H.Honcho
Re:Nothingimportant
Date:1July,2006

Anatomy of email: To
To:Youmadmustachiopurplehued
maltworm
Bcc: HenryIV,part1
From:I.Rate
Re:Socalledserviceatyourcrummy
excuseforastoretoday

Tip: Use BCC wisely

To keep addresses private, put
your own address in the To: line
and paste your mailing list in the
cc: line
BCCs within an organization
can create distrust

Tip: Leave address blank

If youre furious and must answer
an email right away, leave the
address line blank.
If you hit Send before youve had
a chance to cool down, the email
wont go through.

Anatomy of email: From

Would you open mail from
Vampyra@Goths_R_Us.net
Boogers2007@hotmail.com
Dunno dunno@yahoo.com

Anatomy of email: From

E-mail recipients put more weight
on who the e-mail is from than
any other item when choosing
which e-mails to open
which to delete
which to complain about
Chris Baggot, ExactTarget

Anatomy of email: From

Be complete and be recognized.
Kathy Towner, WIN Communications

Anatomy of an email: Subject

Your subject can answer any of readers

four key questions:
1. Whats this about?
2. Why should I read this?
3. Whats in this for me?
4. What am I being asked to do?

Anatomy of email: Subject

To: Girrrl friends
From: Ima Ditz
Re: Change of plans

Anatomy of email: Subject

To: Sara Bellum
From: Gray Matter
Re: Marketing meeting rescheduled
for 12/15/06

Anatomy of email: Subject

To: Sara Bellum
From: Gray Matter
Re: Marketing meeting rescheduled
for 12/15/06 (EOM)
EOM = end of message

Tips: Subject
Lead with the main idea

Browsers may not display more than first 25-35 characters

Create single-subject messages

Keep track of threads

Subject: New Years Party Plans

(was: New Year-End Bonus Structure)

More Tips: Subject

Double-check the address line before sending.
Insulted by a general email from the boss,
an employee sent an angry comment to a
colleague (she thought): Does she think
were stupid?
The reply (from her boss): Yes, I do.

Anatomy of an email: Body

Before you type anything into a new message,

have explicit answers for two questions:
1. Why am I writing this?
2. What exactly do I want the result
of this message to be?

43 Folders (2005)

Anatomy of an email: Body

Before you hit Send, review and delete

Negative comments about management

Criticisms of staff or performance issues
Bonuses or salary issues
Product or liability issues
Gossip
Humor or other ambiguities

Booher

Anatomy of email: Body

Write so emails are easy to read
Make paragraphs 7-8 lines
Insert a blank line between paragraphs
Use headlines, bullets, and numbers
AVOID ALL CAPS; THATS SHOUTING
If a message is longer than 3 screens,
send an attachment

Anatomy of email: Body

Subject: Noise level in the break rooms
How can we satisfy everyone?
Many of you have told me about the growing tension
you feel around using the break rooms. Some of you
use them to work and socialize; others need a quiet
place to work.
Your ideas are welcome
What do you think we can do about this? Should we
designate one room as a lounge and another as a quiet
area?
D. Dumaine, Write to the Top

Tip: Balance formal/informal

Like our work clothes,
the preferred writing style
has become business casual.
Avoid extremes

Not too pompous

Not too passive
Not too careless or flip
Diana Booher

Tip: Avoid brusqueness

Brief is good. Blunt is not.
Question: Should I pursue an
advanced degree?
Response 1: No.
Response 2: I dont think an
advanced degree would have
any effect on your potential for
promotion here.
Diana Booher

Tip: Write business casual

Strive for a style somewhere
between stuffed-shirt and t-shirt.
Diana Booher

Question: Do I need a greeting?

Consensus: Yes.
Otherwise, you can seem
brusque or unfriendly.

Question: Which greeting?

Opinion: Divided

Some say Hi, Steve, is too

informal.
Some say To whom it may
concern is stilted.
For external communication, use
same greeting as in letter
For internal communication, some
use Myra:

Question: Which closing?

Consensus

Match greeting in tone

Formal: Sincerely, Best regards,

Cordially
Informal: Thanks; All the best,
Talk to you later

Use a sig line that gives your

name, title, and contact information
Omit a P.S.
(if the email is longer than a screen,
a postscript could be missed)

Question: Email thank-you?

36 percent of employers on
Monster prefer thank-you notes
sent by email
29 percent prefer traditional
letters

Why netiquette?

The electronic equivalent of a set

of fussy rules that tell you which fork
to use with the salad course?
Netiquette does not consist of a set
of rigid rules.
It encourages you to adopt a certain attitude
of thoughtfulness.
Gregg Reference Manual, 10th ed.

Suggested resources

Available at http://word-crafter.net/email.html

Articles
Best practices for email marketing
Grammar help
Test your netiquette