Electronic Mail Do's and Dont's

The Do List:

The Don't List

1. Be respectful with the people with whom you communicate via email.
2. Show patience and concern for others' unfamiliarity with email.
3. Review and spell-check each message before you send it.  If your email program does not have spell check, type the message on a word processor first, spell check it, and then copy (ctrl-C) the message into your email program.  Qualcomm's Eudora Light and many of the more recent mail packages have imbedded spell checkers; but the quality can be spotty.
4. Remember that your electronic message may be read by individuals other than the intended recipient.
5. Write your message as if it were an official letter.
6. Report inappropriate messages to the sender, their supervisor, or their internet service provider.  Save both hard and soft copies INCLUDING THE HEADER OF THE MESSAGE.
7. Write clearly and concisely.
8. Fill in the subject line of each message with appropriate information.
9. Let people know what you are responding to by, if possible, copying the pertinent portions from the original message.
10. Identify yourself as the author of each email you send.
11. Learn how your email system works.  Know who is in charge of the software.   Know if copies are retained on the server or if mail is scrutinized.  Know who is wearing the shoes of "Big Brother" at your place of employment.  That knowledge may come in handy.
12. Be courteous and polite in all your messages.  Just assume, Your boss, your Mama, and Santa is reading every one you send out.
13. MicroSoft Word has pretty much become the universal de facto software for word processing.  So make sure that you are using Word or a processor that can be easily read by Word if you are attaching text documents.
14. Take the time, at least once a month, to send a message (an email, card, letter, or small gift...don't just call out of the blue) of thanks to an old friend, mentor, preacher, teacher, coach, or someone who has made a lasting impact in your life.  That simple act will brighten two lives.

1. Don't put anything in an email that you would not want your spouse or boss to see.
2. Don't forward messages to others without good reason.
3. Don't spam.
4. Don't flame.  Wait at least an hour before responding to any email that angers you.
5. Don't spoof.
6. Don't alter a message that someone has sent to you and then forward it on.
7. Don't send personal email on your employer's equipment.
8. Don't put something in writing that you ought to say in person.  Or that you wouldn't want the whole world to know.
9. DON'T SHOUT!!!!
10. Be very stingy with attachments.  They clog up bandwidth and are often stripped away by rigorous firewalls and virus protection software.  It is usually best to post a document, presentation, video, or any high volume file, as a hidden web site or PDF file and then send the URL to the individual you wish to see it than to send it as an attachment.
11. Don't forward chain emails, virus warnings, end of the world prophecies, or the latest version of the dancing baby screen saver.  Be polite.  We all have enough crap to sort through in our "In" box as it is.
12. Don't let messages sit in your "In" box for weeks without responding to them.  At least acknowledge you received them with a brief email.
13. Please don't use those silly animated faces on professional email.  Nor should you add such flourishes as wall paper, personal stationery, fonts in KEWL colors, wild fonts, or any other addition that removes from the professional nature of your message.
14. Make sure your automatic signature is also professional.