Introduction

Social media started as a means of enhancing people’s social lives, but it exceeded that purpose a long time ago. Virtually every business, health care service, and non-governmental organization has some sort of internet presence. These organizations use social media channels to communicate their brand or their values to the outside world. Even those few organizations that don’t run their own Twitter or Instagram accounts are sure to appear on other people’s review accounts or websites. Of course, our reliance on electronic communication doesn’t end there. Other channels of electronic communication–most notably email–are a day-to-day fact of school, work, and personal life. This doesn’t mean that we can afford to take electronic communication for granted. Even the smallest text deserves the same kind of communication consideration that we give more formal, traditional kinds of writing and speaking.

Email

Do you know what the “e” in “email” stands for?

Email–or electronic mail–is the most popular form of written communication in the history of human civilization. It is extremely flexible in what it can do. It can be used to send short routine messages or lengthy formal messages. It can be used to deliver other kinds of documents, such as letters, reports, and memos, and it can be used to facilitate the scheduling of face-to-face meetings and events. Email is also flexible in how it can be accessed: computers, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, and other digital devices all allow you to send and receive messages. It is without question the most versatile communication channel in the workplace.

Because email is such a flexible and accessible technology, we must be mindful of how we use it. Professional emails should not look or sound like the texts we send our friends and family. As with more traditional forms of correspondence, our emails will be held to high standards for their vocabulary, organization, and appearance.

When a professional email is properly written, it gives the author credibility. The audience receiving it will be more likely to trust the information in the message and the person who sent it. When an email is overly casual or is filled with grammar mistakes, however, it distracts from the content of the message. It decreases the recipient’s respect for the person who wrote it and jeopardizes the integrity of the organization that the author represents. A well-written email makes a strong impression. A poorly written one could cost you a job, a contract, or your reputation.

Email Parts

6.1.1: Email Address

When an email arrives in your inbox, the first thing you see is the address of the person who sent it. This information immediately makes a first impression. For this reason, it is crucial that you send messages from an appropriate email address. At SAIT, for instance, when a student emails an instructor, librarian, or staff member, they should always send it from their official SAIT email account. This sends the message that the student is prepared, respectful, and organized. If they use a non-institutional email address, they risk looking inattentive or careless even before their instructor has seen the message.

The same is true when you work for an organization or business. You should always use your organization’s email address when reaching out to clients, customers, or co-workers. Using a professional address earns you immediate respect, even before the recipient reads a word of the message you wrote.

Keep in mind that when you email from an organization’s address, you do not own the emails you wrote. You should not have an expectation of total privacy. If they exist on a company server, company administrators can read any of them if they are investigating a breach of company policy or criminal activity (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 2010). Even if they are not investigating criminal activity, many employers include a clause in employee contracts that allows them to access any emails stored on company servers. This means that you must be careful not to write anything in an email that could compromise your integrity.

It is vital that you do not use an email address that has a nickname, slang, or rude words in the username. A personal account named like this will cause irreparable harm to your chances of employment. Any potential employer or other professional who sees an email with this kind of username will interpret it as a sign of immaturity or as a threatening scam. They will delete it without opening it and may block the address, preventing any possibility of future communication. Depending on their anti-virus settings, their email software may even quarantine it so that they never even see it.

6.1.2: Timestamp & Punctuality

The time and date of emails are always recorded and displayed. This information is called a “timestamp.” It means that punctuality matters. It can affect how an email is interpreted. For example, if you take a very long time to reply to a message, it might give the impression that the email and maybe even its sender are not a priority for you. Similarly, if you insist on a very fast response from your audience, they might feel pressured and maybe even offended, as if your time and your work are more important than theirs.

A common professional standard is to reply within 24 hours. Because email is so available on so many different kinds of devices, some people might expect a reply within, even, a few hours. Research shows that half of email responses in business environments come within two hours (Vanderkam, 2016). These kinds of expectations are a matter of convention, so they may differ from one industry to another, from one organization to another, or even from one department to another.

What if you can’t reply within the expected number of hours? The courteous course of action is to reply as soon as possible with a brief message saying that you’ll give the matter your full attention as soon as you can. You don’t have to go into detail about what’s delaying you unless it’s relevant to the topic at hand, but it is courteous to offer a timeline for a fuller response. If you do provide one, make sure that you deliver on it.

6.1.3: Subject Line Title

The next most important piece of information you see when scanning your inbox is the email’s subject line. The busy professional who receives dozens of emails each day prioritizes their workload and response efforts based largely on the content of the subject lines appearing in their inbox. Because it acts as a title for the email, the subject line should clearly and accurately summarize the email’s topic in 3-7 words.

If your subject line is too short, it risks being vague. If it is too long, it will be cut off on the display. (see Table 6.1.3 below). Also, avoid using words in your subject line that might make your email look like spam. A subject line such as Hello or That thing we talked about might appear to be a hook to get you to open an email that contains a malware virus. This may prompt the recipient to delete it to be on the safe side, or their email provider may automatically send it to the junk mailbox, which people rarely check. It will be as good as gone, in any case.

Table 6.1.3: Subject Line Length

Whatever you do, don’t leave your subject line blank. It looks careless and can be very frustrating to your recipient. They may interpret it as spam or may choose to ignore the message altogether. The subject line is also essential for helping you help yourself. It is the quickest way to help you track down past messages. Without appropriate keywords in the subject line, waste time going through page after page of sent-folder messages looking for it. A few seconds spent writing a good subject line can potentially save hours of search time.

6.1.4: Opening Salutation

When a reader opens your email, the greeting confirms who the message is for and also sets its level of formality and respect. As you can see in Table 6.1.4 below, you should not write to someone for the first time the same way that you would write to a friendly co-worker.

Table 6.1.4: Opening Salutation Examples

Formality also dictates whether you use the recipient’s first name or full name in your salutation. If responding to an email where the sender signed off at the bottom with their first name, they’ve given you approval to address them by their first name in your response. If you’re addressing a group, a simple Hello, all: or Hello, team: will do.

If you have a primary recipient in mind but want others to see it, you can include them in the CC: line (carbon copy). If confidentiality requires that recipients should not see one another’s addresses, use the BCC: line (blind carbon copy) instead. Remember not to use the BCC: line inappropriately. The recipient probably does not expect that anyone is “listening in” on their messages, so, if possible, make it clear who the other recipients are in the message.

Be very careful about using “Reply All.” This means that everyone included in the “To” line and everyone in the “CC:” will see your reply. Ask yourself: does my response include information that everyone must see? Or am I really only replying to one person on the list? For example, if your manager sends information to all 80 people in your department, your Reply-All response may go to 79 people who would prefer to not have their inbox filled up and their time wasted with a message that does not apply to them. Another risk is that you might share confidential information with external partners or stakeholders who should not have access to whatever you are sharing. This can cause embarrassment and even complex legal situations.

Also, keep email security in mind. No matter who you select as the recipients of your email, always know that it could be forwarded on to other people, including those you might not want to see it. Just because you’ve selected the original recipients doesn’t mean that you are using a private channel. You have no control over whether the recipients forward it on to others, what the server administrators do with it (legally or not), or if your account or the server is hacked. If your email contains any legally sensitive content, it can even be retrieved from the server storing it with a warrant from law enforcement. A good rule of thumb is to never send an email that you would be embarrassed by if it were read by your boss, your family, or a jury. No technical barriers prevent it from falling into their hands.

6.1.5: Organizing Your Message

Table 6.1.5: Direct Approach vs. Indirect Approach

Whichever strategy you use, remember, that an email is not an essay. The “paragraphs” do not need to be 5 sentences long. Take only as long as you need to convey your message in a clear, structured way.

Direct Approach

Most emails will use the Direct Approach strategy. This strategy is best used for good news or neutral news messages.

The Direct Approach Structure:

1. share the message’s main point in the opening 1-2 sentences.
2. begin a new paragraph to offer further explanation, reasoning, or context.
3. close with action items detailing any next steps: invitations, information requests, requirements, or deadlines.

If there aren’t any formal action items, invite your audience to contact you if they have any questions or concerns.

Indirect Approach

Email recipients tend to expect key information as quickly as possible, so this approach is not used frequently. It is reserved for negative messages such as those that:

• tell someone that they were not hired for a job
• decline a request for information
• reject a customer service request for a refund
• document a disciplinary incident or unprofessional behaviour

The Indirect Approach Structure:

1. in the first 2-4 sentences, take the space to establish a buffer between the reader and the main point of the message. Write sentences that set the context for the message
2. provide background or context. Establish a few agreed-upon facts or a description of the process that led to the news that is to come.
3. clearly state the negative decision or outcome.
4. close with action items detailing any next steps: alternative suggestions, encouragement for future opportunities, legal requirements, or deadlines.

The reason for this strategy is to show respect for the audience. Creating a small buffer gives the recipient a better chance of feeling respected or understanding why they did not get what they wanted.

For more on the Direct Approach and Indirect Approach strategy, please see §4.1.

6.1.6: Closing Salutation

A courteous closing to an email involves a combination of a sign-off phrase and your name. As with the opening salutation, closing salutation choices depend on the nature of the message and how formal you want to be.

Table 6.1.6: Closing Salutation Examples

Your first email to someone in a professional context should end with a more formal closing salutation. Follow-up emails to the same person can use a semi-formal closing salutation for the occasion. If you’re on friendly terms with the person, an informal closing salutation gives a personal touch. Notice in Table 6.1.8 that you capitalize only the first word in the closing salutation and add a comma at the end.

Type your name under the closing salutation on a new line. The way that you sign off tells the recipient how you would like to be addressed in future communication. For example, if you sign off with your first name only, you are giving approval for the audience to address you by your first name when they reply. If a supervisor or authority figure is emailing you, they might use a formal version of their name, such as Prof. Shi. This should not be taken as rude, but as maintaining a professional boundary.

6.1.7: E-signature

Your e-signature is not an image of your handwritten signature in cursive. It is the block of identifying information that automatically appears at the very bottom of your email. Every professional should have one. Like a business card, the e-signature includes all relevant contact information. At the very least, the e-signature should include the details given in Table 6.1.9 below.

Table 6.1.7: E-signature Part

Some professionals include a company logo as part of their e-signature. Other may professionals add links to the company’s social media pages. Only include links to social media if they are official, public communication channels for your organization. Do not include links to any personal accounts. The content there could jeopardize your organization’s reputation, your reputation, and perhaps even your job.

6.1.8: Attachments

Email’s ability to help you send and receive documents makes it an indispensable tool for any business. Bear in mind a few best practices when attaching documents:

• Always announce an attachment in an email message with a very brief description of its contents. For instance, Please find attached the minutes from today’s departmental meeting might be all you write between the opening and closing salutations.
• Never leave a message blank when attaching a document in an email to someone else. Your message should at least be like the one given above. Of course, including a message is up to you if you’re sending yourself an attachment as an alternative to using a dedicated cloud storage service like Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive. Even if it’s just for yourself, however, at least including a subject line identifying the nature of the attachment will make locating the file easier months or even years later.
• Ensure that your attachment size, if it’s many megabytes (MB), is still less than your email provider’s maximum allowable for sending and receiving. Gmail and Yahoo, for instance, allow attachments up to 25MB, whereas Outlook/Hotmail allows only 10MB attachments. However, files that are gigabytes (GB) large can be shared by using email to permit access to them where they’re hosted in cloud storage services such as Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, and many others that have varying limits from 5GB for no-cost to 10TB for paid storage (Zapisotskyi, 2019).
• Always check to ensure that you’ve attached a document as part of your editing process. It shows that you lack attention to detail if your recipient responds to remind you to attach the document. Some of the more sophisticated email providers will remind you to do this as soon as you hit the Send button if you’ve mentioned an attachment in your message but haven’t yet actually attached it. If you get into the habit of relying on this feature in one of your email providers (e.g., your personal Gmail account) but are on your own in others (e.g., your work or school email provider), the false sense of security can hurt you at some point when using the latter.

6.1.9: Before Sending Your Email

Before hitting the Send button, follow through on the entire writing process described throughout this textbook’s Unit I, especially the Editing stage with its evaluation, revision, and proofreading sub-stages explored (see Ch. 5). Put yourself in your reader’s position and assess whether you’ve achieved the purpose you set out to achieve in the first place. Evaluate also if you’ve struck the appropriate tone and formality. If you’re aware that your tone is too angry, for instance, cool down by focusing on other business for a while. When you come back to your email draft the next day, you will usually find that you don’t feel as strongly about what you wrote the day before. Review the advice about netiquette in §6.2, then replace the angry words with more carefully chosen expressions to craft a more mature response before hitting the Send button. You’ll feel much better about this in the end than receiving the threat-heavy response your angry email would have prompted had you gone through with sending it.

After revising generally, always proofread an email. In any professional situation, but especially in important ones related to gaining and keeping employment, any typo or error related to spelling, grammar, or punctuation can cost you dearly. A poorly written email is insulting because it effectively says to the recipient: “You weren’t important enough for me to take the time to ensure that this email was properly written.” Worse, poor writing can cause miscommunication if it places the burden of interpretation on the reader to figure out what the writer meant to say if that’s not clear. If the recipient acts on misinterpretations, and others base their actions on that action, you can soon find that even small errors can have damaging ripple effects that infuriate everyone involved.

Table 6.1.9: Editing a Poorly Written Information Request Email

The poorly written draft has the look of a hastily and angrily written text to a “frenemy.” An email to a superior, however, calls for a much more formal, tactful, courteous, and apologetic approach. The undifferentiated wall of text that omits or botches standard email parts such as opening and closing salutations is the first sign of trouble. The lack of capitalization, poor spelling (e.g., councilor instead of counsellor), run-on sentences and lack of other punctuation such as apostrophes for contractions, as well as the inappropriate personal detail all suggest that the writer doesn’t take their studies seriously enough to deserve any favours. Besides taking on a question at the end, one that could be easily answered by reading the syllabus, the writer is ultimately unclear about what they want; if it’s an explanation for why they failed, then they must be upfront about that. The rudeness of the closing is more likely to enrage the recipient than to get them to deliver the requested information.

The improved version stands a much better chance of a sympathetic response. It corrects the problems of the first draft starting with properly framing the message with expected formal email parts. It benefits from a more courteous tone in a message that frontloads a clear and polite request for information in the opening. The supporting detail in the message body and apologetic closing suggests that the student, despite their faults, is well aware of how to communicate like a professional to achieve a particular goal.

After running such a quality assurance check on your email, your final step before sending it should involve protecting yourself against losing it to a technical glitch. Get in the habit of copying your email message text (ctrl. + A, ctrl. + C) just before hitting the Send button, then checking your Sent folder immediately to confirm that the email was sent properly. If your message vanished due to some random malfunction, as can happen occasionally, immediately open a blank MS Word or Notepad document and paste the text there (ctrl. + V) to save it. That way, you don’t have to waste five minutes rewriting the entire message after you solve the connectivity issues or whatever else caused the glitch.

For similar views on email best practices, see Guffey, Loewy, and Almonte (2016, pp. 90-97), which furnished some of the information given above.