5 Ways to Improve Your Email Etiquette & Efficiency

With email being the most prevalent form of communication for many business endeavors, it is important to make sure that basic etiquette guidelines are followed. We've put together a list of the top 5 ways to start improving your email ettiquette today. Share this list with your team to help improve productivity and professionalism when it comes to your company’s email correspondence.

1. Use a meaningful subject. When emails have generic subjects, or even worse--no subject at all, it can be very difficult for the recipient to guess what the message may be about. A meaningful subject will ensure your message receives due priority and can prevent it from being overlooked completely.
    
2. Don’t use ALL CAPS. In the world of online communication, using ALL CAPS is the equivalent of shouting. If you want to stress a specific part of the message, you should opt for a more subtle alternative like italicizing, bolding, or underlining.
    
3. Be concise. If you can say something in a sentence or in a paragraph and make it equally clear either way, choose to be brief. Do not make others waste time reading lengthy messages. Learn to communicate effectively and efficiently. Practice this and soon you will even see a boost in your productivity
    
4. Proofread your email. Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Answer all questions and pre-empt follow ups. Also, make sure that you correctly spell any names included in the message, and replace all the necessary fields if you are using a template.
    
5. Ensure readability. Use a suitable structure and layout. A wall of text is uninviting and may deter recipients from reading your message. Proper formatting enhances your message’s visual attractiveness, makes it easy to scan, and highlights important information.

Bonus: Do not ever reply to an angry or negative email immediately after you read it.
Take some time to put things into perspective. As a business professional and a respectable member of the community, the best approach is to remain calm and collected. If and when you respond, keep in mind that the recipient is free to save and/or share your email reply.

Though it may mean investing a few more minutes to ensure that the quality of every message is up to par, we believe that following these etiquette guidelines will make email communication a more efficient and pleasant experience for you and your recipients.