E-mail Etiquettes and Golden Rules to write winning e-mails Conceived and Authored by Rajiv Azad, Sr.

Writer Strategic Communications for Exxova Family

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E-mail Etiquettes
The new age technology has done wonders; its a revolution, which has changed and changing lives across domains and geographies. The emergence of e-mail is one such gift attributed to IT revolution. Now, we no longer have to wait for days and weeks for response, the communication gap has squeezed up. Using this blessing, we can share message with family, friends, officials, many other known acquaintances and unknown people within the blink of an eye. The communication through e-mail is also exploited massively in corporate sector for a wide spectrum of objectives, including but not limited to business, internal communication, communication with clients and customers. Words mentioned in the mail, their flow and usage can serve the purpose if done in a logical and proper way, but they can be disastrous too, if message is vague. To overcome this and many other issues, lets read and follow certain golden rules for effective and proper communication using e-mail application.

Golden Rules:
Address the recipient/s with politeness, for instance Hi Ravi, Hi Martina, Hi All, Dear Priyanka, Dear All, Hi Chaps, Dear Folks, Hi Sir, Dear Friends, Hello Madhuri Dont use Respected Sir/Madam, if you are part of an MNC organization. As Exxova is an MNC, we adhere to this rule. If you feel shy in using name of the senior then address him/her like Hi Sir, Hi Madam, Dear Sir, Dear Madam Be polite in your language Keep the content/message concise and to the point Dont write too much content Use common fonts such as VERDANA (10), CALIBRI (11) and Times New Roman (11) for writing content The content should be maximum around 150 words or less in two-three small paragraphs To share lengthy content, better share it in the form of an attachment If you receive mail asking for your response, respond swiftly If you are asked to attend meeting, accept or reject the mail. Dont keep somebody in shade Dont assume anything, be crystal clear If you have been appreciated for some task, reply thanking the concerned person Never hesitate in taking help from seniors while responding for query, meeting, discussion etc, better safe than feel sorry. But dont make it a habit Use cc field sparingly Dont add too many names in the To field. Write mail with one receiver in To, max two. You can add others in cc field
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This document contains proprietary information which is confidential. Do not reveal its contents to anyone not directly responsible for evaluating and reading its content without first obtaining written permission.

Dont attach files unnecessarily Do not overuse the high priority option Do not write in CAPITAL LETTERS If message thread is important, dont leave it out, continue with it as long as objective is not solved Add disclaimers to your emails, if they are meant for clients and external communications Use reply all only if necessary, dont overuse this option Use abbreviations only when required Avoid using emoticons while communicating with seniors/clients Do not request delivery and read receipts Do not ask to recall a message Do not copy a message or attachment without permission Dont leave the subject option blank Use a meaningful subject related with the content intended for delivery Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT Avoid long sentences Keep content simple Avoid forwarding emails with defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks and content Don't forward virus hoaxes Keep your language gender neutral If you want to introduce colleague/seniors to colleagues/seniors, write brief introduction about the concerned person. Dont just say: Rajiv has joined Team BI as Content Writer If you are not good in English, use simple words, short sentences Dont experiment with English while writing mail, be a learner and gradually you will improve Format the entire content before sending Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation Close the mail with courteous words, such as With regards, Regards, Sincerely, Best Regards Use signature option, showing your name, designation, name of the company, URL, contact number. This is necessary as receiver may contact you if need arises Proof read the entire content before sending

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This document contains proprietary information which is confidential. Do not reveal its contents to anyone not directly responsible for evaluating and reading its content without first obtaining written permission.

These Golden Rules are conceived and developed after meticulous study of various documents, books related to Effective Communication. Adhere to these rules to communicate effectively and successfully.

PROPRIETARY and CONFIDENTIAL

This document contains proprietary information which is confidential. Do not reveal its contents to anyone not directly responsible for evaluating and reading its content without first obtaining written permission.