Gentle Reader,

E-mail correspondence, like all business communication, plays a balancing act between formality and efficiency.  But there are other features that are unique to e-mails.

One in particular made compiling this list especially difficult:

There are actually two sets of standards when it comes to business e-mails, one that applies whenever you use an e-mail to start a new conversation, and another when you are continuing an ongoing conversation.

I have done my best to identify the most practical etiquette for each form, while presenting the common features in a way that does not require repetition.

Chose an Accurate Subject

Regardless of whether you are starting or continuing an online conversation, you want to use an accurate subject line.  When continuing a conversation, just hitting the reply button will create a suitable subject line unless you wish to significantly change the focus of the exchange.

If you are starting a new e-mail exchange there are three points you should be sure to address in the subject line: what organization or publication you are writing for, the relevant date (if applicable), and the purpose of the e-mail.

For a business correspondence it is better to produce a dry but easy to understand subject line than a clever headline that tells the recipient nothing about what they will find inside.

Mention All Attachments

As with physical letters you should make it a point to mention all attached documents.  This is both courteous and pragmatic.  The recipient can learn from the e-mail what to expect, and also has a checklist to make sure that they received all the documents you intended to send along.

Formatting the First E-mail

Your first e-mail should be written like a formal business letter (unless your relationship with the recipient indicates that something else is more appropriate).

• Begin your e-mail with a salutation that includes the name, honorifics, and relevant titles of the recipient (for example, “Dear Prof. Erasmus Plum”).
• Explain the purpose of your e-mail early.
• Include a sign off line like “sincerely,” or “respectfully yours” at the end of the e-mail.
• Be sure to include thorough contact information after your signature.

Continuing an E-mail Conversation

Replies are continuations of a discussion past the initial act of “signing.”  As such they are much like postscripts and follow a similar format.

• Try to keep replies short and to the point.
• Salutations are unnecessary unless someone new has been added into the e-mail exchange.
• Signatures are likewise optional, and when included can be limited to first name or initials.

Replying Within the Previous E-Mail

One of the advantages of exchanging messages via e-mail is that you can view, and even modify the previous messages.  However, most people will assume that you will leave the old messages as-is.

If you do modify a previous message (say, for a line-by-line reply or to correct a copy error before it is sent to the printer) you should mention this fact within the main body of your message.  In addition, you should use formatting that clearly identifies where you are making changes.  The teacher in me tends towards red text, but italics or bold or anything else that makes the edits look different from their surroundings will work.

Reply or Restart?

There are two main ideas to keep in mind when deciding if you should reply to an existing e-mail: relevance and continuity.

If you are about to send an e-mail, you should reply to an existing e-mail if it is relevant to your conversation.  By doing so you will include the history of the correspondence in case you or the recipient wish to review what was previously discussed.

You should only reply to an e-mail if your response will be relevant to the subject(s) already covered, otherwise your recipient may be expecting a different e-mail.

When possible, don’t reply to the same exact message twice.  Doing so will split the conversation and make it more difficult to track the entire exchange.

Before You Hit Send

Take a moment to think about what you are writing.  Remember, as a business correspondence this e-mail will carry and impact your brand.

• Is your spelling accurate?
• Are you polite?
• Do you sound like a professional?

These are all important, but especially so if you are upset or distraught.  Never hit send in anger.  It is better to explain a delay than to send an e-mail you’ll regret and which will undermine your reputation.

Sincerely,

- Aaron Rubman

Like this article? You may want to read:

• How do you spell e-mail?
• Signatures, Not Billboards
• Hey! Stop It with the Exclamation Points!