Email Etiquette
By JOHN ROY
4/8/14
AGENDA
•
Introduction
•
Creating Email
•
Responding to Email
•
Email Tidbits
•
Resources
Poor Email Etiquette
• A long lists of email addresses at the
beginning of any email
• A blank or useless SUBJECT line like Hi,
Hello or Please Respond
• A cluttered message with multiple line
breaks
• A request for a return receipt
• An email with nested messages – you
Poor Email Etiquette Sample
Distribution Not Hidden Subject Useless & Not Cleaned Up
Multiple forwards of personal email Text Cluttered with ><
EMAIL PROGRAMS
•
Web Based Email)
• AOL, Yahoo, Hotmail, NetZero, Gmail
• Email Program Resides on Web
• Must have Web Access to Use
•
Standalone (Client)
• Outlook, Eudora, Thunderbird, Pegasus
• Email Program Resides on Computer
Typical Functions
•
Access and read incoming mail
•
Save incoming mail in a file
•Print incoming mail
•
Send new messages
•
Reply to a message
•
Include a file in a mail message
•Import/export into/from your mail
Addresses
(TO, CC, & BCC)
•
TO - For people you are directly
addressing.
•
CC – (Carbon Copy) for people you
are indirectly addressing (FYI, CYA)
•
BCC – (Blind Carbon Copy)
Subject Line
•
Always include a subject line
•
Do not leave the Subject field blank
•Avoid using all caps or all small case
•Avoid terms such as Hi, Help or
Please Respond
•
A poor subject line may be
misidentified as a spammer and your
e-mail deleted.
Email Text
•
Plain Text (ASCII) - safest, easiest
and most compatible choice
•
Rich Text – provides additional
standard formatting capability
Email Message
• Use good letter writing practices • Be concise and to the point
• Make your email readable • Type in complete sentences
• Create new paragraphs when the subject
matter shifts.
Formatting
• Avoid fancy fonts, colors, wallpaper, stationary • Fancy formatting may result in unreadable email • Replying to a fancy format makes
communicating unnecessarily difficult.
• Using large background graphics unnecessarily
increases the file size
• If you use HTML email stick with default fonts
and simple formatting. Leave out the colorful
Capitalization
•
Writing in all Caps is rude and
considered yelling or screaming
•
Use Caps for special emphasis when
necessary
•
Only use upper-case words when
Signatures
• Available in many email programs • Useful and quick
• Automatically inserted
• Don’t overdo any fancy stuff • Limit number of lines
• If a Signature File is not available always
Emotions and
Abbreviations
•
Text Emotions & Abbreviations
– Emotions: :-) :-( :'-( ;-)
– Abbreviations: <G>, LOL, IMHO, BTW
– Use sparingly
•
Graphic (animated) Emotions
– Avoid them unless it is being sent to people you know well
Attachments
• Be aware of the size of file attachment
– If users are still on dial-up keep size less than 1MB
– For users on broadband try to limit size to 5MB
– Only send large attachments if expected by other party
– If you must send a large file then compress or use a large file website as an intermediary
• Recipients Considerations
– ISP and connection speed
– Data costs when using cell towers
– Mailbox quotas
Before Hitting The SEND Button
• Don’t use return receipts or the urgent
flag
•
Confirm addresses
•
Check spelling and grammar
Reply & Forward
•
Reply - only responds to addresses
on the TO line
•
Reply to All – responds to all email
addresses in email (except BCC)
•
Forward – preserves only the email
Email Cleanup
• Received email comes in many forms and
shapes
• Take the time to clean up an email you
plan to resend
• Delete all personal email addresses,
signatures, etc.
• Delete all non relevant content
• Remove nested forwards – Send from the
Quotes & Threads
•
Link to a previous email on the same
topic/subject
•
Use a reply to keep the original
message as a reference point.
•
Trim irrelevant text but Include
enough material from the previous
email to make your response
Email Privacy
• Forget it – assume that your email is an open
message like a postcard
• Employers are reading more employee email
than ever before
• The email administrator can view all email
• Email gets misdirected to unintended recipients • Hackers can easily view email
• If privacy is important then hand deliver or use
Time Wasters
• Chain Letters, Hoaxes & Rumors • Jokes & other trivia
• Make certain the person you are sending
it to wants it
• Don’t pass along any special notices
unless you know they are true (use Snopes to confirm)
• Flaming – don’t do it!
• Respect other people’s time and
Email Organization
• What can or can not be done is dependent
upon your email program
• Route or move email into meaningful
folders
• Save a copy of the email you send for
reference
• Flags - If your email program provides this
Miscellaneous
•Use cleanup utilities
•
Use disposable email accounts
•
Use Group Email if supported
•
Create additional free Email
accounts
• Great for testing
• Disposable if it starts attracting too much Spam
Spam
• Count on it!
• Never respond or opt out, just DELETE! • Utilities exist to minimize the amount of
Spam received.
• Many ISPs have filters
• On line subscription services exist • Standalone programs available
Viruses
• Expect it!
• Use a good antivirus program & keep it
updated
• Don’t open attachments unless you are
sure of the source
• Even an email from someone you know
could be infected. If in doubt delete it. You can always send a separate email to your friend.
Phishing
• Expect it!
• Email masquerading as a trustworthy entity
• Friend, Bank
• Company you do business with, etc.
• Attempt to acquire sensitive information
• Usernames & Passwords
Resources
•
Snopes
(www.snopes.com)• Check validity of informational email
•
Email Etiquette
• www.tpcug-ct.org/email-etiquette.html
•
Compromised Email
(HiJacked)• http://www.roadtrekchapter.com/email-hacked
•
Spam Filters