For most organizations, e-mail has become the preferred means of communication, both formal and informal. Here are some tips to make your e-mail as effective and efficient as possible:
Avoid all caps – E-MAIL MESSAGES THAT ARE WRITTEN IN UPPERCASE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE ELECTRONIC EQUIVALENT OF SHOUTING? Use uppercase sparingly for EMPHASIS only.
Avoid acronyms and emoticons – TTYL (talk to you later) or a :-) (smiley) are not always appropriate in business communication and there is a chance that the recipient may not understand what you are trying to say. (Not everyone knows that |-( stands for “lost contact lenses”.)
Avoid long sentences. Try to keep your sentences to under 15 to 20 words. Sentences that are long and go on and on and on, especially those that do not have sufficient or correct punctuation, as well as those that discuss several topics or points, can be difficult to read, so be careful of what it is that your are writing in order to ensure that the intended recipient is able to fully understand your message.
Do not forward “Send this info to everyone” notices, chain letters, “virus alerts” or “make money fast” messages are almost always hoaxes. No one likes to get junk mail. If you have concerns about a virus alert, please do not hesitate to contact the Helpdesk. We can advise you whether the threat is real.
This can be compared to receiving flyers or junk mail via the snail mail system. One would assume that you would not collect this junk mail and photocopy it, then distribute it to all your friends.
Do not reply to spam - If you receive unsolicited e-mail, also known as SPAM, do not use the “remove me from the list” option or reply to the e-mail asking to be removed from their list. This only confirms that they have a valid e-mail address, which could result in you receiving even more SPAM. Instead, simply delete the e-mail.
Create an e-mail signature for all your outgoing mail. The signature automatically displays at the end of every message and typically contains contact information such as your full name, department, web page, and phone/fax numbers. It’s like attaching a business card to every e-mail you send.
Be careful with humour - Use humour and irony sparingly. Recipients do not have the benefit of facial expressions or voice tone to help them to interpret your message.
Use informative subject lines – Be specific, treat subject lines like headlines. For Example: “Follow up to our conference call” or “Needing Information on Computer Disposal Policy” Avoid blank subject lines or overly general subjects.They are more likely to be ignored or overlooked when the recipient’s in-box has 100 new messages.
Avoid unnecessary attachments – Large attachments may prevent an e-mail message from going through. When responding to an email that contains an attachment, use Reply without Attachment(s) option.
Check your spelling and grammar - Using the built in Spell Checker can help, however be sure to look for misspellings that create a totally different word (i.e. rain instead of ran). Reading your email out loud can also help to identify awkward sentences or incorrect grammar. Sometimes it can help to leave a message before clicking Send. Return after a few minutes to reread and edit the message. If you look at it again with a “fresh eye,” you will be more likely to spot errors.
Format your message - Since reading from a screen is more difficult than reading from paper, the structure and layout is very important for e-mail messages. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between each paragraph. When making points, use numbers or bullets to mark each point as separate.
Check the addresses in the To:, cc:, and bcc fields, especially if you are entering the addresses manually or using the type-ahead feature (letting the e-mail software complete the address as soon as there are enough letters for a match). Using the wrong address in an e-mail can delay or even prevent the delivery of a message to the intended recipients.
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I use free spell check online while writing e-mails. It’s not that it’s better that other spell checkers but their word database updates regulary.