E-mail Etiquettes for Business Communication

The art of engaging in effective communication can be mastered with adequate practice. There are ethical practices to communicate via E-mail which can be referred to as an electronic version of writing important messages that can be received instantly. There must be sound ideas that go into compiling a compelling e-mail that is not only read but replied to also. E-mail etiquette is a socially accepted practice to refrain from sounding impolite, rude, and incorrect. One who receives the revert for a job offer or acceptance of leave application from anyone heading the business world follows the standard practices. In this way, E-mail writing is also a part of the curriculum no matter what the industry is.

What are CC and BCC?

You must have written and read a lot of e-mails so far. But, do you know what is the exact purpose of CC and BCC in writing an e-mail? In every e-mail, there is a section for To, Bcc, Cc, Title, and main body. These segments need to be flawlessly utilised to ensure your message is received and read too.

· To refers to the receiver of the e-mail. For communicating with the right people at right time and at the right place you need to have their e-mail addresses. The style of writing an e-mail quite depends on who you are referring to.

· CC stands for Carbon Copy which is used for sending multiple people the same e-mail. Everyone who is on the CC list can see the e-mail address of one another. For example, an employer can enlist all the employees who will know others have also been e-mailed.

· BCC which stands for Blind Carbon Copy takes the email addresses of those individuals who also need to be kept in the loop. They just need to be informed while in most cases they do not need to respond. It is different from CC as the receivers can only know who the sender is. For example, after informing the candidates about the new rules, the head of the department can be tagged too under BCC to ensure follow-up. All the candidates will not be able to know that the senior authority was also sent the same e-mail.

Etiquettes for E-mail Writing

The main body is where the email is written in a professional style. In business communications, formal words are accepted. Also, the message should be clear, crisp, and concise. Ethical considerations should be followed to abide by accepted norms of e-mail communication in the corporate world. While making the request, you should use words such as kindly, and please to be clear that you are not being rude and impulsive.

Each word reflects politeness or disrespect. Addressing the person respectfully is a very important part of E-mail writing. The words such as Respected Sir, or respected Ma’am can convey a sense of respect towards them before you jump to your message. Also, the words such as Dear reveals familiarity with the person which is most suitable if the communication flows vertically from seniority to junior level. It may not be fit for every person to suggest informal aspects of communication. Adding just Hello Sir/Hello Ma’am/Hello Sir/Ma’am also works if you are not certain about who the other person you are writing an e-mail to is. If the communication is at a horizontal level, you may refer to the other person informally. However, adding Greetings of the Day! works fine in every situation before you hit the first word of the intended message.

The structure of an e-mail can be divided into three paragraphs or less or more as per the purpose of writing it. You should be clear about what you are writing as the right message needs to be delivered in a smaller number of words. Don’t try to use jargon as these are words others may find difficult to understand. Just stick to simplicity, authenticity, and correctness.

· If there is too much information such as facts, and statistics, you can use bullet points. The reader of the message should not be diverted while reading long paragraphs.

· Whatever the purpose is, you can follow the same format while altering the language each time according to who the receiver is.

· If there is more to tell through the same e-mail, attach any supporting material as a document. Do not forget to include a statement such as please find the attachment.

Job Search via E-mail

So, when you write the next e-mail, you should follow all the aforementioned steps to ensure getting the revert. It is not bad to write an e-mail for seeking work. The cold e-mails are written for fetching new opportunities as you tag the e-mail ID of the recruiter telling about your academic and professional details. If you are searching for a job, make it a routine until you don’t get one. If you don’t get the revert, just work around changing your methods rather than purpose.

Last but not the least, the subject of the email should not be confusing as it should state the purpose of writing the e-mail. It is a pair of words according to which most e-mails are read or neglected. Also, don’t forget to follow up to get a much-awaited revert as the receiver may just need a reminder in between a tight schedule.

Bottom Line

Written communication is a presentation of a set of ideas, facts, statistics, and beliefs that can be conveyed via E-mail communication too. You may need to write an e-mail to an employer. If you do it correctly, the first impression turns out to be the last impression. Each section of the e-mail is important and can help you transmit the same message you have written. Getting a fast response is only possible if each etiquette is taken into account as avoiding offensive language can be most suitable.

The format of writing a professional e-mail should be understood to convey the message concisely. An e-mail can be written for various purposes such as information sharing, asking for clarification, sharing project details, and persuading the target audience. However, the targeted purpose is served when the process of E-mail communication follows the standard.