--- title: "Essential Email Etiquette: 15 tips for Successful Email Communication" description: BRI Marketing Manager Natalie Miranda gives her top 15 tips for writing professional, effective emails that represent your company well. image: https://benderrosenthal.com/hubfs/email%20etiquette.png --- # Essential Email Etiquette: 15 tips for Successful Email Communication Published by [ Natalie Miranda ](https://benderrosenthal.com/blog/author/natalie-miranda) on Jun 17, 2024 10:00:00 AM ![email etiquette](https://benderrosenthal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/email%20etiquette.png?width=300&height=175&name=email%20etiquette.png)Email has become a primary method of business communication. Consequently, how you convey your message is equally important. *Email etiquette can project professionalism, improve your business reputation, promote efficiency, and protect your organization.* When sending an email, you represent yourself as well as your company. Below are 15 rules to keep in mind before you hit send. *** 1.  HAVE A CLEAR SUBJECT LINE  *** - Write a clear, concise subject line that reflects the body of the email - Do not leave the subject line blank - Avoid ambiguous subject lines like “Hi,” “Touching Base” or “FYI”   *** 2.  ****USE A PROPER SALUTATION  *** - Begin your email with phrases such as “Good Morning,” “Good Afternoon,” “Good Evening” - To be more formal, use “Dear” and then the recipient’s name  - Do not to shorten a person's name unless you have been given permission to do so *** 3.  ****WRITE AN INTRODUCTION  *** - Introduce yourself by first and last name with some background information in the first few lines - Create your message as a stand-alone note, even if it is in response to a chain of emails - Don't assume the recipient knows what you are talking about *** 4.  ****MAINTAIN PROFESSIONALISM  *** - Avoid Abbreviations, Short Form, One-liners and Jargon - Emojis are inappropriate and unprofessional in a business email - Use exclamation points sparingly - Keep it clean *** 5.  ****KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE  *** - Your e-mail greeting and sign-off should be consistent with the level of respect and formality of the person you're communicating with - Be aware of tone - Avoid both humor and sarcasm *** 6.  ****REPLY PROMPTLY TO ALL EMAILS  *** - Give a timely and polite reply to each legitimate email addressed to you - Replying within 24 hours is common courtesy - Inform the sender if their email was sent to the wrong recipient *** 7.  ****REFERENCE, LABEL AND TRIPLE CHECK ATTACHMENTS  *** - Give the attached file(s) a logical name so the recipient knows the subject - Reference the attachments in the body of the email - Double check you are attaching the correct files   - Provide a warning when sending large attachments *** 8.  ****MAINTAIN PRIVACY  *** - Ask permission before sending sensitive material - Before you click “send” consider what may happen if a business colleague, your competitor, an employer, or any unintended recipient reads your email - Avoid giving out e-mail addresses to a third party *** 9.  ****BEWARE OF USING “REPLY ALL”  *** - Do not hit "reply all" unless every member on the e-mail chain needs to know *** 10.  ****KEEP IT CONCISE  *** - Keep it short and get to the point - State the purpose of the e-mail within the first two sentences - End the email with an "action item" *** 11.  ****ANSWER WHAT IS BEING ASKED (MY PERSONAL FAVORITE!)  *** - Read carefully and understand what is being asked of you before you reply - Ask yourself, “Why am I receiving this and what should I do next?” *** 12.  ****DON’T EMAIL ANGRY  *** - Never send an angry email, or give a quick, flip response - Give your message some thoughtful consideration before sending it *** 13.  ****ALWAYS INCLUDE A SIGNATURE  *** - End your email with a closing such as “Best,” “Best Regards,” “Sincerely,” “Thank you” or another appropriate phrase - Include a signature with contact information; you never want someone to have to look up how to get in touch with you *** 14.  ****PROOFREAD EVERYTHING  *** - Check Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation - Excessive errors are unprofessional and will undermine your message's credibility - Email software comes with many professional tools such as spell check — use them *** 15.  ****WHEN IN DOUBT, PICK UP THE PHONE  *** - When a topic is very complex and may generate too many questions and confusion, don't handle it via e-mail - Don't speculate on intent [Back to Blog](https://benderrosenthal.com/blog) ## Related Articles ## [Under promise, over deliver: Managing client Expectations](https://benderrosenthal.com/blog/managing-client-expectations) Working with a variety of different types of clients can be a challenge and understanding the... 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