tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3872449587184708632024-03-13T04:12:14.267-07:00Tips for better e-mail etiquetteSumedhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533458660230230361noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387244958718470863.post-55792417788934275872009-10-07T05:15:00.000-07:002009-10-07T05:16:13.742-07:00Email etiquette part IIUse reply function correctly<br />• Keep original subject line intact<br />• Add reply above the original message<br />Emotion symbols<br />•No emotion symbols in business mails<br />•Commonly used emoticons like J ,L<br />Check spelling<br />•Use your auto spell-checking program<br />•Manual spell check<br /> Example:<br /> It can't distinguish between to, two, and too or its and it's<br />Attach documents to messages<br />•Brief about attachment<br />•Do not attach unnecessary files<br />•Do not copy attachment without permission<br />Create a signature file<br />• Identification<br />• Alternate ways of reaching<br />Hi - when did you want to go to lunch?<br />Neha Rajen, Software Engineer<br />ABC Software Pvt Ltd.( An SEI-CMMI Level 5 assessed & ISO 27001 Company)<br />Pune - 411 006, India<br />Telephone: +91-020-66044700 x 1512<br />Fax : +91-020-66044700 -1512<br />neharajen@gmail.com (personal)<br />www.abc.com<br />Prioritize message<br />•Assign high, normal, or low priority<br />•Helps readers decide how quickly to read and respond<br />Ø Attractive subject line<br />Ø Provide strong lead<br />Ø Select right tone<br />Ø Provide executive summary<br />Ø Inverted pyramid of ideas<br />Ø Sentences on a diet<br />Ø Avoid e-mail pitfalls<br />Ø Format the message<br /> Attractive subject line<br />• Capture the recipient's attention<br />• Clear and concise<br /> e.g. Prefer "Third quarter sales up by15%“<br /> over "Quarterly results“<br /> Provide strong lead<br />• Grab the reader's attention<br />• Include salutation and signature<br /><br /> Select the right tone<br /> Think about the five W's<br />• Who<br />• What<br />• Why<br />• When<br />• Where<br />Provide executive summary<br />• Brief summary in non-technical, conversational <br /> language<br />• Enables reader to understand message<br />• Maintains reader’s interest<br />Inverted pyramid of ideas<br />• Put descending order of importance<br />Sentences on diet<br />• Easy to comprehend<br />• No searching of buried ideas<br />Avoid e-mail pitfalls<br />• Don't vent<br />• No humor<br />• Careful with abbreviations and acronyms<br />• Avoid yelling<br /> Format the message<br />• Right Typeface<br />- Proper font and size<br />• Proper Emphasis<br />- Bulleted list or italicizing, underlining<br />• Screen Color<br />- Neutral or light background with dark letters in the foreground<br />• Appropriate Margins<br />Summary<br />Ø Write a meaningful subject line<br />Ø Keep the message focused and readable<br />Ø Be concise and to the point<br />Ø Distinguish between formal and informal situations<br />Ø Respond promptly<br />Ø Do not attach unnecessary files<br />Ø Use proper structure & layout<br />Ø Show respect and restraintSumedhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533458660230230361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387244958718470863.post-53379809305291641622009-10-07T05:12:00.000-07:002009-10-07T05:15:34.814-07:00Email Etiquettes‘Leadership and communication are inseparable.
<br /> You can’t have one without the other.’
<br />lEmail: What is it?
<br />lEmail is a conversation that does not require an immediate response
<br />–Not interactive
<br />lUnlike a telephone or Instant Message
<br />–Receiver can deal with it when they can
<br />lWhat is Email Etiquette?
<br /> Etiquette is defined as the rules governing socially acceptable behavior. Socially
<br /> acceptable behavior varies greatly depending on who you are with, your
<br /> relationship to that person, and the environment that you are in.
<br />Øwriting to coworkers
<br />Øwriting to coworkers supervisor or administrators
<br />lWhy do you need email etiquette?
<br />lProfessionalism
<br />lEfficiency
<br />lProtection from liability
<br />lGeneral email format
<br />lTo, Cc, Bcc
<br />lSubject line
<br />–Short descriptive
<br />–Replying to messages
<br />lBody
<br />–Salutations
<br />–Attachment
<br />–Signature
<br />lGeneral email format
<br />lSalutation:
<br />Ø Hi
<br /> Can be used to anyone… any superior or any group of people.
<br />Ø Hello
<br /> Good to use when the recipient is at equal level to you
<br />Ø Dear
<br /> Generally it is used by any superior to give a comfort level to the junior recipient.
<br />Ø Mail can start directly with name, but not in case if the recipient is at a superior position.
<br />lGeneral email format
<br />lMail Body:
<br />ØThis is the actual thing, you want to convey through this mail…
<br />ØAnything that you write, reflects your personality.
<br />lGeneral email format
<br />lAttachments:
<br />ØKeep in mind your organization policies while sending any file via email.
<br />ØFollow a proper naming convention and proper versioning for attachments.
<br />ØFile names should be clear enough to understand its contents.
<br />lGeneral email format
<br />lSignature:
<br />ØUsually consists of
<br />•Name
<br />•Designation / Department
<br />•Organization
<br />•Contact details
<br />•Official URL, if any
<br />ØSignature format should be constant for every mail
<br />ØSimple and decent
<br />ØAvoid too much animations and graphics in the signature
<br />lWhat are the etiquette rules?
<br />lBe concise and to the point</a>
<br />lAnswer all questions</a>
<br />lUse proper spelling, grammar & punctuation</a>
<br />lUse templates for frequently used responses</a>
<br />lDo not attach unnecessary files</a>
<br />lDo not overuse the high priority option
<br />lDo not write in CAPITALS</a>
<br />l Don't leave out the message thread</a>
<br />lRead the email before you send it</a>
<br />lDo not overuse Reply to All</a>
<br />lTake care with abbreviations and emoticons</a>
<br />lBe careful with formatting</a>
<br />lDo not use email to discuss confidential information</a>
<br />lUse active instead of passive</a>
<br />lAvoid long sentences</a>
<br />lKeep your language gender neutral</a>
<br />lDon't reply to spam</a>
<br />lUse cc: field sparingly</a>
<br />lInteractions with American clients
<br />lDo not write "the same" in an email - it makes little sense to them.
<br />lDo not write or say, "I have some doubts on this issue"
<br />lThe term "regard" is not used much in American English
<br />lThere is no actual word called “prepone”
<br />lInteractions with American clients
<br />lTerms such as "September End", "Month End", "Day End"
<br />lAmericans have weird conventions for time Better to ask them the exact time
<br />lIndians commonly use the terms "Today Evening", "Today Night” , "Yesterday Night" and "Yesterday Evening".
<br />lInteractions with American clients
<br />lThere is no word called "Updation"
<br />lAvoid using the words
<br />–Back
<br />–But
<br />–Yesterday
<br />–Tomorrow
<br />
<br />Sumedhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533458660230230361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387244958718470863.post-87506263964692672292008-08-11T03:22:00.000-07:002008-12-22T20:24:00.642-08:00E-mail Tips<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///D:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cshesu04%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C06%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><title>© Moreniche</title><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:documentproperties> <o:author>Marcus Polo</o:Author> <o:version>11.9999</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:usefelayout/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:SimSun; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:ËÎÌå; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} @font-face {font-family:"Arial Black"; panose-1:2 11 10 4 2 1 2 2 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:"\@SimSun"; panose-1:2 1 6 0 3 1 1 1 1 1; mso-font-alt:"\@Arial Unicode MS"; mso-font-charset:134; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 135135232 16 0 262145 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} h4 {mso-style-next:Normal; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; page-break-after:avoid; mso-outline-level:4; font-size:16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:EN-US; font-weight:normal;} h5 {mso-style-next:Normal; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; page-break-after:avoid; mso-outline-level:5; font-size:18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Arial Black"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:EN-US; font-weight:normal;} p.MsoBodyText, li.MsoBodyText, div.MsoBodyText {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} p.MsoBodyTextIndent, li.MsoBodyTextIndent, div.MsoBodyTextIndent {margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.25in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-indent:.25in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:.9in 1.0in .9in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} @page Section2 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section2 {page:Section2;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <div class="Section1"> <h5 style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 24pt;">
<br /><o:p></o:p></span></h5> </div> <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<br /> </span> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <h4 style="margin-bottom: 4pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Choosing a Password<o:p></o:p></span></h4> <p class="MsoBodyText">When you create a password for your email account, you should choose something that you will remember easily but others will not guess.<span style=""> </span>Do not use plain words or numbers (such as birthdays or phone numbers) for passwords. In general, a good password will have a mix of lower- and upper-case characters, numbers, and punctuation marks, and should be at least 6 characters long.<span style=""> </span>Never give your password to anyone!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <h4 style="margin-bottom: 4pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Logout/Logoff/Signout<o:p></o:p></span></h4> <p class="MsoBodyText">When you are finished reading or sending messages, it is important to log out of your account (look for a button or link with words like Log Out, Sign Off, or something similar).<span style=""> </span>When you log out, access to your account is terminated, and the next person to use the computer will not be able to access it.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <h4 style="margin-bottom: 4pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Subject Lines</span></h4> <p class="MsoBodyText">When sending a message, be sure to give the message a brief but descriptive subject heading.<span style=""> </span>Each message in the recipient’s inbox will be listed by the subject heading, alerting the recipient to the contents and importance of the message.<span style=""> </span>For example, “Plans for the reunion” would be a more useful subject line than “Hey there”.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <h4 style="margin-bottom: 4pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Fancy text and characters</span></h4> <p class="MsoBodyText">Although your email software may allow you to create text that is bold, italicized, or in color, be aware that the recipient’s email software may not be capable of displaying that special formatting, and the message may appear in plain, black-and-white text.<span style=""> </span>Likewise, any special characters you add, </p> <p class="MsoBodyText"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoBodyText">such as accented vowels or characters from languages other than English (é, ö, ñ), may </p> <p class="MsoBodyText">be replaced by other characters that make the words seem like garbage (e.g.: “pâté de </p> <p class="MsoBodyText">foie gras” may be displayed as “p=E9t=E8 de foie gras”.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <h4 style="margin-bottom: 4pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Emphasis and Emoticons</span></h4> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Emails are often very informal and are written in a conversational tone.<span style=""> </span>Unfortunately, since the tone of voice is lost in the writing, it is easy to misinterpret the intent of what is written.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">One way of giving slight emphasis to a particular word is to enclose it in asterisks:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">E.g.: “*Please* try to be on time.”</p> <p class="MsoBodyText" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Using capitalized words is considered the equivalent of shouting:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 0in;">E.g.: “Please TRY TO BE ON TIME.”</p> <p class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin-left: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Another way to convey emotion is through the use of groups of characters (viewed sideways), called emoticons:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;">:-)</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style=""> </span><i style="">smiley face</i><span style=""> </span><b style="">:-(</b><span style=""> </span><i style="">frown</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><b style=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;">;-)</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style=""> </span><i style="">wink</i><span style=""> </span><b style="">:-p</b><span style=""> </span><i style="">sticking out<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>tongue</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <h4 style="margin-bottom: 4pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Attachments<o:p></o:p></span></h4> <p class="MsoBodyText">Attachments are separate computer files, such as digital photos, word-processed documents, or spreadsheets, that are included with email messages.<span style=""> </span>Unfortunately attachments can also be used to spread computer viruses, so never open an attachment unless you are absolutely sure whom the message came from and what the attachment contains.<span style=""> </span>If in doubt, do not open it!<span style=""> </span>Instead, write the sender a message to confirm that they sent the attachment.</p> Sumedhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533458660230230361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-387244958718470863.post-23869837534965240872008-08-10T23:45:00.001-07:002008-12-22T20:24:00.642-08:0012 tips for better e-mail etiquette HelpWork essentials for e-mail management > Understanding e-mail etiquette<br /> <br />By Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, The Productivity Pro®<br />I remember opening my first e-mail account and thinking how much fun it was to send a message to a friend. However, most people now no longer find e-mail simple or fun. E-mail messaging now exceeds telephone traffic and is the dominant form of business communication. Some workers tell me that handling e-mail consumes half of their day. A recent Wall Street Journal report indicates that soon employees will spend three to four hours a day on e-mail.<br /><br />Don't you wish that every person who received a new e-mail account had to agree to follow certain rules to use it? There are certain professional standards expected for e-mail use. Here are some things to keep in mind regarding professional e-mail conduct:<br /><br />*Be informal, not sloppy. Your colleagues may use commonly accepted abbreviations in e-mail, but when communicating with external customers, everyone should follow standard writing protocol. Your e-mail message reflects you and your company, so traditional spelling, grammar, and punctuation rules apply.<br /><br />*Keep messages brief and to the point. Just because your writing is grammatically correct does not mean that it has to be long. Nothing is more frustrating than wading through an e-mail message that is twice as long as necessary. Concentrate on one subject per message whenever possible.<br /><br />*Use sentence case. USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS LOOKS AS IF YOU'RE SHOUTING. Using all lowercase letters looks lazy. For emphasis, use asterisks or bold formatting to emphasize important words. Do not, however, use a lot of colors or graphics embedded in your message, because not everyone uses an e-mail program that can display them.<br /><br />*Use the blind copy and courtesy copy appropriately. Don't use BCC to keep others from seeing who you copied; it shows confidence when you directly CC anyone receiving a copy. Do use BCC, however, when sending to a large distribution list, so recipients won't have to see a huge list of names. Be cautious with your use of CC; overuse simply clutters inboxes. Copy only people who are directly involved.<br /><br />*Don't use e-mail as an excuse to avoid personal contact. Don't forget the value of face-to-face or even voice-to-voice communication. E-mail communication isn't appropriate when sending confusing or emotional messages. Think of the times you've heard someone in the office indignantly say, "Well, I sent you e-mail." If you have a problem with someone, speak with that person directly. Don't use e-mail to avoid an uncomfortable situation or to cover up a mistake.<br /><br />*Remember that e-mail isn't private. I've seen people fired for using e-mail inappropriately. E-mail is considered company property and can be retrieved, examined, and used in a court of law. Unless you are using an encryption device (hardware or software), you should assume that e-mail over the Internet is not secure. Never put in an e-mail message anything that you wouldn't put on a postcard. Remember that e-mail can be forwarded, so unintended audiences may see what you've written. You might also inadvertently send something to the wrong party, so always keep the content professional to avoid embarrassment.<br /><br />*Be sparing with group e-mail. Send group e-mail only when it's useful to every recipient. Use the "reply all" button only when compiling results requiring collective input and only if you have something to add. Recipients get quite annoyed to open an e-mail that says only "Me too!"<br /><br />*Use the subject field to indicate content and purpose. Don't just say, "Hi!" or "From Laura." Agree on acronyms to use that quickly identify actions. For example, your team could use <ar> to mean "Action Required" or <msr> for the Monthly Status Report. It's also a good practice to include the word "Long" in the subject field, if necessary, so that the recipient knows that the message will take time to read.<br /><br />*Don't send chain letters, virus warnings, or junk mail. Always check a reputable antivirus Web site or your IT department before sending out an alarm. If a constant stream of jokes from a friend annoys you, be honest and ask to be removed from the list. Direct personal e-mail to your home e-mail account.<br /><br />*Remember that your tone can't be heard in e-mail. Have you ever attempted sarcasm in an e-mail, and the recipient took it the wrong way? E-mail communication can't convey the nuances of verbal communication. In an attempt to infer tone of voice, some people use emoticons, but use them sparingly so that you don't appear unprofessional. Also, don't assume that using a smiley will diffuse a difficult message.<br /><br />*Use a signature that includes contact information. To ensure that people know who you are, include a signature that has your contact information, including your mailing address, Web site, and phone numbers.<br /><br />*Summarize long discussions. Scrolling through pages of replies to understand a discussion is annoying. Instead of continuing to forward a message string, take a minute to summarize it for your reader. You could even highlight or quote the relevant passage, then include your response. Some words of caution:<br />If you are forwarding or reposting a message you've received, do not change the wording.<br />If you want to repost to a group a message that you received individually, ask the author for permission first.<br />Give proper attribution.<br /><br />Use these suggestions as a starting point to create e-mail etiquette rules that will help your team stay efficient and professional.Sumedhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533458660230230361noreply@blogger.com0