Email Etiquette:

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Email Etiquette

• Keeping Your Foot Out of Your Virtual Mouth

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How is it spelled?

• email
• Email
• eMail
• EMail
• e-mail
• E-mail
• e-Mail
• E-Mail

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How is it spelled?

• Gregg, Microsoft, and AP e-mail
• Wired email
• Email Experience Council email is standard

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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

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Where are we now?

• Right now online writing is pretty muchin its
  Wild West stage, a free- for-all with
  everybody shooting from the hip and nosheriff
  in sight.
• OConner Kellerman (2002)

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If you were sheriff

• What would be your rules?

Madlantern Arts
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What makes email different?
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Difference No nonverbal cues

• No nonverbal cues, which account for
  ___________ percent of message

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Nonverbal cues

• No nonverbal cues, which account for 65 - 93
  percent of message
• Only words and -)

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Difference Tone

• No nonverbal cues
• Tone becomes crucial

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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.

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Criticisms are harsher

• Messages meant to express mild displeasure
  can come across as tirades.
• Louise Dobson, Avoiding Email Catastrophes (2006)

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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!
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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
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Tips Tone

• Avoid terseness, which can be misinterpreted
• Use face-to-face communication if issue is
  sensitive
• Read your emails aloud, looking for ambiguity

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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

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Difference Humor

• Humor is riskier

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Humor Riskier

• Nearly a quarter of employees have suffered
  problems with colleagues or clients because their
  use of humor in an email has not been understood
  or appreciated, according to a survey.
• Robert Jacques, Email Jokes Backfire
  for UK Workers (2004)

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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)

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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)

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Tips Humor

• If in doubt, dont send it.Chevron was forced to
  pay 2.2 millionto 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 ltgringt per email
  is plenty.

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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 ltgringt (see how
  the use of email "emoticons" aids the
  assimilation of that last paragraph!).
• Bonnie Dalzell, Welcome Message

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Difference Levels of formality

• Most people view email as
• more formal than a phone call
• less formal than a letter

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Meeting request Informal

• From Bob Anderson ltanderson_at_rand-unixgt
• Date 21 Dec 84 114012 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.

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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 "
• ----------------------------------------------
  -------------

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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.

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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

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Tip Level of Formality

• When in doubt, err on the side of formality.

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Tip Level of Formality

• When in doubt, err on the side of formality.
• Usually the problem is that we treate-mail
  too much like a phone calland not enough like a
  letter.
• OConner and Kellerman (2002)

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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

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Tip Level of Formality

• Be conversational.
• An overly formal e-mail messagealienates the
  reader. Dont adopt acold, remote, or superior
  tone in an attempt to sound professional.
• Angell and Heslop (2002)

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Difference Level of Formality

• Questions to which answers are evolving
• Do I need a subject line?
• Should I email a thank-you noteafter a job
  interview?
• Should I communicate bad newsvia email?

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Difference Electronic

• Hit Send and its gone
• Hit Reply All and your career may be gone
• Deleted emails live on
• Messages can be forwardedwithout your knowledge
  or consent

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Tip Electronic ? Instant

• Many expect a phone call to alert themto an
  email labeled Urgent.
• Allow a reasonable time (two days week)for a
  response.
• Respond before senders have to follow upor
  business is delayed.

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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

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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

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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)

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Three manners mavens Shea

• Virginia Shea is Miss Mannersof the Net
• Pioneered netiquettein 1994
• Book available online athttp//www.albion.com/ca
  tNetiquette.html

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Three manners mavens Shea

• Typing in all capitals in electronic
  communications means
• Nothing special--typing in all caps is normal.
• You are shouting.
• Its OK to forward this message to others.
• This message is very important.

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Three manners mavens Shea

• Typing in all capitals in electronic
  communications means
• You are shouting.
• Typing in all capitals in online communications
  is the equivalent of SHOUTING! Only type in all
  capsif you really mean to shout.

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Three mavens Booher

• CommunicationsconsultantDianna Booher is Miss
  Mannersof memos
• Good tips for writers
• Blog available online athttp//www.amazon.com/

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Three mavens Kallos

• Judith Kallos is Miss eManners
• Best source for specific adviceon business
  emailetiquette
• SiteNetManners.com

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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.

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Anatomy of email To
To My Entire Address Book From H.
Honcho Re Nothing important Date 1
July,2006
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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
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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

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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.

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Anatomy of email From

• Would you open mail from
• Vampyra_at_Goths_R_Us.net
• Boogers2007_at_hotmail.com
• Dunno dunno_at_yahoo.com

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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

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Anatomy of email From
Be complete and be recognized. Kathy Towner, WIN
Communications
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Anatomy of an email Subject

• Your subject can answer any of readers four
  key questions
• Whats this about?
• Why should I read this?
• Whats in this for me?
• What am I being asked to do?

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Anatomy of email Subject
To Girrrl friends From Ima Ditz Re
Change of plans
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Anatomy of email Subject
To Sara Bellum From Gray Matter Re
Marketing meeting rescheduled for 12/15/06
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Anatomy of email Subject
To Sara Bellum From Gray Matter Re
Marketing meeting rescheduled for
12/15/06 (EOM)
EOM end of message
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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)

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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.

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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)

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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

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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

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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
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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

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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

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Tip Write business casual

• Strive for a style somewhere between
  stuffed-shirt and t-shirt.
• Diana Booher

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Question Do I need a greeting?

• Consensus Yes.Otherwise, you can seem brusque
  or unfriendly.

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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

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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)

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Question Email thank-you?

• 36 percent of employers on Monster prefer
  thank-you notes sent by email
• 29 percent prefer traditional letters

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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.

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Suggested resources

• Available at http//word-crafter.net/email.html
• Articles
• Best practices for email marketing
• Grammar help
• Test your netiquette