Email Etiquette to Live By

Emails were meant to be an effective quick form of communication, but that doesn’t meant you want to treat it like a text message. Keep it short and sweet while maintaining your professionalism. Your emails are a direct reflection of your business, so take them seriously! Here are some do’s and don’ts to ensure that your emails are representing you well.

1. Use a Subject Line

Your subject line is the first impression of the email. It clearly lets the receiver know what the email entails. Personally, my inbox is constantly overflowing and I have to prioritize my immediate responses by the subject line. When I receive an email with a vague or absent subject, I am hesitant to open the email thinking it could be spam!

2. Keep it Personal

Always include the receiver’s name in the email. Whenever I receive an email that is clearly addressed to me, I know that the sender took the extra time to go find out my name. “To whom it may concern” or “Hi-” is too generic and is easy to overlook and skip. And always double check the spelling!

3. Proofread

It seems like a given, but you would be surprised by how many people just send their emails without giving it a quick read through. Abbreviations and shorthand are common with inner-office communication or texting, but with clients and other business relationships, it is not appropriate. Carry yourself via email in a way that lets the receiver know that you are intelligent, professional, and serious. And no, “sent my from iPhone” does not give you a free pass with typos.

4. Reply ASAP

Don’t leave people hanging! It is frustrating when an email is not replied to in a timely manner. A late reply can result in a lost opportunity and, even worse, a negative impression on your business. Always respond within 48 hours (if you can do 24, even better!) with a little note at least letting the recipient know the email was received. Note: auto-reply messages letting the sender know your email was received doesn’t count as a response. People want to hear from YOU, they do not want an automatic email.

Keep all of this in mind when you email and make yourself a better communicator! Emails are sent on your time, so reply as you can, but still take the time to read it over and make sure you have the right balance of being friendly and business professional. Emails that are well thought out can get you the responses you are looking for.

xo, Leila Lewis, weddingPR