Email Etiquette Dos & Don'ts - The Emily Post Institute

When addressing a larger group, you can use a common salutation: Dear Team. In the case of an email reply, use a salutation in the first reply. Skiptocontent Skiptonavigation Search EtiquetteArticles TrendingTopics DiningEtiquette BusinessEtiquette WeddingEtiquette Children'sEtiquette TraditionalEtiquette Invitations&Correspondence Image&Attire EverydayEtiquette DigitalManners Hosts&Guests HardTimes Training&Services TrainingOptions AuthorLedSeminars LiveOnlineSeminars PrivateConsultations OnlineCourses TrainerTraining BusinessTraintheTrainer Children'sTraintheTrainer WeddingProfessionalsTraining LicensedBusinessEtiquetteTrainers LicensedChildrensEtiquetteTrainers TrainingTopics EtiquetteDefined/WhyEtiquette? Leadership ProblemSolving DiningEtiquette CommunicationEtiquette Image,AttireandPersonalBrand ServiceandHospitality CrossCulturalEtiquette Networking MeetingEtiquette ConversationSkills TheCompleteProfessional ContentPartnership SpeakersBureau BrandPartnerships Spokesperson Shop Books GreetingCards Podcast AwesomeEtiquettePodcast Episodes About TheEmilyPostInstitute OurStory TimelineHistory DefinitionofEtiquette-Consideration,RespectandHonesty ContactUs Internships EmilyPost Emily'sFirstNovel EmilyPost:DaughterofBrucePrice EmilyPost:InTheGarden EmilyPost:RoadTrip LauraClaridgeandEmilyPost Quotations CloseMenu EmailEtiquetteDos&Don’ts KeyConsiderations: Humancontactstillmatters: Evenifyou'reusingproperemailetiquette,don’tcommunicate electronicallyattheexpenseofpersonalinteraction. There’sareason peopleoftenneedtodiscussthingsface-to-face,andtherearetimes whennosubstitutewilldo–whetheryou’rebreakingupwithyour boyfriendoraskingyourbossforaraise. Watchwhatyousay,andhowyousayit: Whereasthe computerbringspeopletogether,itsimpersonalnaturecanleadto remarksthatpeoplewouldn’tthinkofsayinginperson. Dowhateverit takestostaycourteous,evenifthatmeanstapinganotetoyour computerremindingyoutobedecentandpolite. Becarefulwhenclicking“Send”: Whatever yousayincyberspacecannotbetakenback.Youhavenocontrolover whereyourmessagegoesonceyou’vehit“Send”;itcanbesavedand forwardedbyanyrecipientwhochoosestodoso.Consequently,words havecomebacktohurtpeople,destroyfriendships,andruincareers. HowtoAddressMultiplePeopleInanEmail Wheneveraddressingone,two,orthreepeople,stateeachperson’snameinthesalutation,e.g.: Dear,Tom,Mia,andJim. GoodafternoonJoseandCamila Whenaddressingalargergroup,youcanuseacommonsalutation:DearTeam.Inthecaseofanemailreply,useasalutationinthefirstreply.Afterthefirstreply,itisnolongernecessarytokeepusingasalutation.Thinkoftheemailchainasbeinginaconversation:Youdon’tneedtokeepsayingtheperson’snameeverytimeyoureply. EmailDosandDon’ts Addresswithcare:Whensendinganemailtoalonglistofrecipients,don’tputalltheaddressesinthe“To”and“Cc”lines.Mostpeopledon’twanttheiremailaddressesdisplayedforalltosee.It’sbettertosendmessagesindividuallyorusetheblind-copy(Bcc)feature,whichallowsyoutoshowonlyoneaddress.What’syoursubject?Fillinthesubjectline,eveninpersonalemail.Thesubjectlineshouldsuccinctlyidentifywhatyouarewritingabout.Noyelling,please:AvoidtypingyourmessageincapitallettersbecauseCAPSARETHEEQUIVALENTOFSHOUTING.Also,bewareofconveyingangerandfrustrationbyyourchoiceofwords;therecipientwill“hear”thatangerandfrustrationinyourwriting.Watchthosesymbols:Emailissingularlylackinginsubtlety,andlanguagethatthesendermayfindfunnyorclevercaneasilybemisunderstoodbytherecipient.Ifused,emoticonsarebettersuitedforcasualmessagesbetweenfriendsthanforbusinessemails.Likewise,becarefulwhenusingonlineabbreviationsortextspeak,sincethey’llleavesomerecipientsscratchingtheirheads.Closings:It’simportanttohaveastrongfinish,particularlyinbusinessemails.It’salsousefultoincludeinformationaboutyourselfincaseanyonemightwanttoknowotherwaystoreachyou.Ifyouremailprogramdoesnotautomaticallysignyourmessagewithyourname,address,emailaddress,andphonenumber,addityourself.Forachainofreplyemails,itisnotnecessarytoincludethisinformationwitheveryresponse.Checkitover:Besuremessagesareclearlyorganizedandgrammaticallycorrect.Besurethatyou'reusingproperemailetiquette. Writeincompletesentencesandalwayscheckspellingandpunctuation–especiallyinbusinessemails. Categories TrendingTopics DiningEtiquette BusinessEtiquette WeddingEtiquette101:EverythingYouNeedtoKnow Children'sEtiquette TraditionalEtiquette Invitations&Correspondence Image&Attire EverydayEtiquette DigitalManners Hosts&Guests HardTimes RecommendedArticles LizziePost'sHamandCheeseCrostiniRecipe LizziePost'sCreamyChickenwithBiscuitsRecipe TheEtiquetteofGifting:EverythingYouNeedtoKnow Viewallarticles EmilyPost'sEtiquette,19thEdition MannersinaDigitalWorld RelatedArticles LizziePost'sCreamyChickenwithBiscuitsRecipe BlackTieDressCode PostPandemicEtiquette MagicWordsinAmericanSignLanguage(ASL)