Business Email Don'ts

Before you hit ‘send’ on that business email...

Email is probably the most common form of business communication these days – and some people are getting a little too casual. Here are a few things to leave OUT of your professional emails:

• NO YELLING! Even if it’s URGENT. It’s not professional.

• “Interesting” fonts. If you stick to Helvetica or Arial, the recipient is more likely to notice your sentiment instead of your annoying font.

• Emoticons. Skip the smiley faces – especially if it’s your first correspondence with someone.

• Don’t ramble – get to the point. Most of us have too much email to sift through as it is. The longer your email, the less likely it is to be read thoroughly.

Getting the spelling of the recipient’s name is crucial – especially if it’s right in their email address. Also, don’t forget to use that subject line. Your reader will appreciate it and they’ll be more likely to refer back to it.