Mastering Professional Email Etiquette to Enhance Your Reputation

Mastering professional email etiquette is a crucial skill for enhancing your reputation. This article highlights why it’s essential to pay extra attention when corresponding via email for both business and social purposes.

The truth is, it significantly impacts your ability to make a good impression, boost your personal brand, and enhance your professional standing. Whether you realize it or not, everyone desires to be appreciated and favoured. A well-crafted email can give you that edge.

Impression management, defined as the deliberate process in which people attempt to influence others’ perceptions by managing information in social and business interactions, is key. Business communication, which involves sharing goal-oriented information within or outside a company, is also essential for individual and organizational success.

Consider the story of an applicant who emailed his resume to an employer with only a subject line, lacking a salutation, body text, and closing/signature, which are all key elements of a well-formatted email. Most employers wouldn’t bother opening the attachment or acknowledging receipt, resulting in a lost opportunity.

This lack of essential email management skills is common among public servants, entrepreneurs, doctors, journalists, job seekers, students, and others. They often send emails without a simple greeting.

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Elements of a professional email include:

• Header/Subject: This is a short phrase summarizing the core of your communication. It is crucial as email programs have it on the default setting and will remind you to add it when sending emails.

• Salutation/Greeting: This starts your email. People love hearing their names, so begin with “Dear John” (first name if you’re acquainted or contemporaries) or “Dear Mr. Smith” (last name if not acquainted or a superior). Never use Mr. with first names.

• Narration/Body: This is where you convey your full message. However, brevity should be your watchword. Make your point quickly and clearly before losing your audience. Remember, less is more. Use active voice and avoid acronyms, abbreviations, or writing in all capitals.

• Building Rapport: Add a personal touch to establish a connection based on shared experiences or views, including a shared sense of humor.

• Closing/Conclusion: This should wrap up the message, kept short and simple (KISS).

• Label Attachments Properly: Ensure that updated files are labeled differently each time to avoid mix-ups.

• Signature: This identifies you by name, title, and other relevant information. Most email programmes allow you to set a fixed signature automatically added to your emails.

Nowadays, many people send emails from mobile devices, which often come with a default signature like “Sent from my iPhone/Android.” This can be embarrassing. One can easily add a personal signature by setting it up in the email settings.

• Proofreading: This final stage involves going through your draft to correct grammar errors and inconsistencies. Free tools like Grammar Checker are available online.

• Follow Up: If the recipient hasn’t responded within two working days, consider sending a friendly follow-up email or calling.

• Prompt Response: Delaying your response can send an unintended message of indifference. The best practice is to respond within an hour, but a 24-hour window is still acceptable.

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Lastly, having a custom email address using your domain name (e.g., your_name@your_organization.com) makes you appear more professional and trustworthy. It also makes it easier for people to find more information about your company, assuring them of your legitimacy.

Cultivating a professional email is a valuable soft skill across all professions. The good news is that it is learnable. As American motivational speaker Les Brown said, “Practice makes improvement.” By using these tips, you can craft professional emails, make better impressions, and develop stronger relationships.