Email Helpdesk

Structure the message with opening and closing greetings

Consider the reader(s): will they understand the terminology? 

Confirm a conversation with a summary via email

Check and correct any spellings

Keep important information at the top of the message, e.g. deadlines for responses

Do write a meaningful subject as this can be used to search on later

Ask someone else to read the message before sending

Acknowledge a reply with a short message such as Noted with thanks 

Consider the context of the message: business emails should be more formal than personal emails

Avoid using abbreviations (unless relevant), slang, derogatory comments and symbols like smiley faces in business emails

Ask yourself: would you like your manager to read this message?

Avoid getting into the habit of answering emails as soon as they come into your inbox.  Unless the matter is really urgent try to process emails in blocks at certain times of the day. 

Consider the value of keeping the previous message history.  If the history builds up the message can turn into an epistle so you may want to keep only the previous two or three replies and delete the remainder. 

What not to do:

Don’t write in capital letters, it looks like SHOUTING

Don’t copy people with the message unless they really need to know

Don’t Reply To All unless really necessary.  It is better to delete any unwanted recipients

Don’t send a message if a telephone call or face to face conversation would be better

Don’t send a message with a copy to senior management except as a last resort

Don’t send a reply in anger.  Write the reply and save to draft for reviewing later

Don’t use email to tell someone off, give out bad news or pass on confidential details

Don’t get into email ping pong, speak to the person face to face or by telephone

Don’t open chain or suspect emails – delete them immediately

Don’t send a reply with an attachment unless really necessary

With thanks to Clare Anderson