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 flip-flops at home!

Tone: Example Two

To: All staff 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 suffered 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: Bob Anderson <anderson@rand-unix> Date: 21 Dec 84 11:40:12 PST (Fri) To: randvax!anderson, randvax!gillogly, randvax!norm Subject: meeting ...
we need to setup a meeting bet. jim you and i -- can you arange? i'm free next wed. thks.

Meeting agenda: Formal

Subject: MEETING ON FY86 PLANNING, 2PM 12/28/84, CONFERENCE ROOM 1 There will be a meeting of the FY86 planning task force in Conference Room 1 on December 28, 1984 at 2pm. The Agenda for the meeting is: --------------------------------------- Topic Presenter
Time

---------------------------------------

Strategic Business Plan

John

Fowles 30 min. Budget Forecast for FY86 Sue Martin 15 " New Product Announcements Peter Wilson 20 " Action Items for 1st Qtr FY86 Jane Adamson 25 "

-----------------------------------------------------------

Tip: Spelling still counts

This is an actual email.
Purposal I can beat almost anyones price and almost promise you success and if I dont reach it, we wont charge you after the time we say we can achieve it until we do.

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. I havent beaten anyone so bad in a long time. 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 offensive 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: My Entire Address Book From: H. Honcho Re: Nothing important Date: 1 July,2006

Anatomy of email: To
To: You mad mustachio purple-hued maltworm Bcc: Henry IV, part 1 From: I. Rate Re: So-called service at your crummy excuse for a store today

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