Professionalism: Writing Emails

Last week, I hit reply to an email when I meant to forward it to someone else, accidentally sending my (unwelcomed) thoughts on the subject to the wrong person!   Though I quickly another message attempting to explain (and cover for) myself, I thanked my lucky stars that I didn't send anything worse!
 
So, to ensure that you don't do this or something worse, here are the top 10 ways to ensure that you are always writing and sending professional emails:


1. Check (and double check) the recipient list.  Like I just said, is there anything worse than realizing you’ve just forwarded your co-worker’s email — with commentary — back to your co-worker herself?! Always double-check the name(s) in the "To" field to make sure your email doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
2.  Make a little small talk.  Keep it short and sincere, but remember that a few niceties in an email can go a long way. It doesn’t take much time to throw in a comment about the weather or a "Have a great weekend," and it could make your email that much more well-received.

3.  Proofread yourself.  Nothing says "You’re not worth my time" to your recipients like a typo-ridden email. Do the courteous and professional thing and give your email a once-over (or two) before sending. 

4.  Get a second pair of eyes.  Asking your spouse or roommate to look over every work email you send is impractical. But when you’re composing an important or sensitive email, ask someone you trust to take a look and make sure nothing jumps out at them. 

5.  Keep it succinct.  Work email does not equal the great American novel. If the topic you’re emailing about is so complicated that it requires more than a few paragraphs, it’s probably better to discuss it in person or over the phone. 

6.  Give the email a clear subject.  Rather than asking your boss a time-sensitive question in an email titled "Re: no subject," give your email a subject line that fits the content. It’s less likely to get lost in the inbox shuffle, and it will be easier for the recipients to refer back to later.

7. Attach relevant information.  If your email refers to a specific document, be sure to include it as an attachment so you don't leave any recipients in the dark.

8.  Learn the subtle art of CC and BCC.  CCing your boss on an email about a co-worker’s screw-up sends a clear message to your co-worker, while BCCing can be a good way to loop other people in on a topic without upsetting the main recipient.

9.  Easy on the punctuation... Multiple exclamation points and question marks will make your email sound frantic and harried. One piece of punctuation per sentence tends to be enough to get your point across.

10. ...and emoticons.  Same goes for emoticons — a smiley face here and there can warm up an email, but using one to punctuate every sentence can come off as unprofessional and insincere.

  

Source: Savvy Sugar