Being too informal
danielle carsonStart your emails with a salutation such as “Dear [insert name]” or “Good morning [insert name]”. Use titles, such as Dr. Jones or Mr. Smith, especially if you don’t know someone. If the person says it’s fine to use his or her first name or signs the return email with his or her first name, follow their lead, says Grosso. But avoid being presumptuous, which can backfire. When closing a business email, sign off with something such as “best” or “regards” or “sincerely.”
Lengthy emails
danielle carson“Emails should be efficient and to the point,” says Diane Gottsman, national etiquette expert with The Protocol School of Texas. Because, honestly, no one has the time (or patience) to weed through a longwinded email! Your question or information also tends to get lost in a rambling message.
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Lengthy emails
danielle carsonLong story short? You'll want to keep it short and sweet. “If you have a question, ask it right after the salutation,” says Gottsman. If you need to address more than a few items, a phone call may be a better choice.
Typos
danielle carsonWe’re all guilty of this from time to time, but reread what you’ve written word-for-word. It doesn’t matter if it’s a message to your boss or your grandma; lots of typos and misspellings make you appear careless.
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Typos
danielle carsonAlways, always, always use the spellchecker! Set it up so nothing sends without going through a spell check first. While you’re at it, double-check the spelling of the person’s name, says Gottsman. Nothing says “I don’t pay attention to details” more than messing up a name right at the beginning of your message.
Using emojis and abbreviations
danielle carsonIt’s fine to send your friend a few emojis in an email, of course. But a professional contact, especially if you don’t know them, not so much! Ditto for abbreviations such as IMO or TTYL that might not be understood, says Grosso.
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Long or confusing subject lines
danielle carsonSubject lines introduce your message (or you!) and help the recipient decide how urgent it is, says Gottsman.
Long or confusing subject lines
danielle carsonMake it concise, and avoid using too many details. “It’s not a sentence. It’s a sound bite,” says Gottsman. Good examples: Great interview candidate; Looking for business referral; Meeting follow up notes; Dinner next week?
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Humor
danielle carsonEveryone has a unique sense of humor, and, sadly, yours isn’t necessarily going to be appreciated by the other person, says Grosso. It’s easy to misinterpret an attempt at humor in an email, and you may not realize if your humor has offended someone.
Humor
danielle carsonAvoid jokes or comments that you think are funny but could be misunderstood. If you have any doubt, take it out! That goes for both work and personal emails. Remember, 70 percent of how we interpret a message is body language and facial expressions, which isn’t conveyed in an email, says Grosso. Humor also doesn’t translate well in international emails, so skip the jokes.
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Responding immediately when you’re upset
danielle carsonOh, we know it would be oh-so-satisfying to send off that scathing reply immediately. Until about ten seconds after you’ve hit the send button, that is! We promise: Your snarky response will be remembered.
Responding immediately when you’re upset
danielle carsonIf you’re angry or stressed, take a break. Then sit on your response, and wait before sending it— even sleep on it first, if that helps give you perspective. It’s far better to wait a day than to snap and send something ugly. But it’s never too late! “If you say something you regret, own it and apologize right away,” says Gottsman. “Say something like, ‘I reread what I wrote and I think it may have seemed harsh. I apologize.”
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One word emails
danielle carsonYou received a mass email from your boss, which didn’t specifically ask for a response. Now everyone’s responding with one or two-word answers: “Okay” or “Got it” or “Thanks.” With most people’s inboxes flooded every day, no one needs one more email that isn’t essential.
One word emails
danielle carsonThink about whether or not an email truly needs an answer. If your boss asked a question, obviously, he or she is expecting a reply! But if information simply was being passed, you don’t necessarily need to respond, says Grosso. If you’re unsure, simply ask your boss what he or she prefers for future reference.
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Typing in ALL CAPS
danielle carsonSending a message in ALL CAPS should not be done, even to emphasize specific words. It just seems like you’re shouting at your recipient, which is never okay, says Gottsman.
Typing in ALL CAPS
danielle carsonIf you do want to emphasize a word, it’s okay to underline or italicize. Better yet, do what your high school grammar teacher told you and find a more powerful word to express yourself!
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CC’ing everyone
danielle carsonNot everyone on your team needs every message. It often clogs up everyone’s inbox so you might miss the messages you do need to see.
CC’ing everyone
danielle carsonSending copies should be on a need-to-know basis. “It’s fine if you need to keep everyone in the loop, but think about why you’re sending something in the first place,” says Grosso.
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Photo in your signature
danielle carsonIt’s acceptable to include a photo of yourself in the signature line in some industries such as real estate or auto sales. But it’s not generally not done in other fields, and it may be looked at as odd or off-putting, says Gottsman.
Photo in your signature
danielle carsonJust don’t do it unless it’s widely accepted in your industry. Otherwise, portray your professionalism with concise copy and a clear tone, not a glamorous head shot.

Arricca Elin SanSone writes for CountryLiving.com, WomansDay.com, Family Circle, MarthaStewart.com, Cooking Light, Parents.com, and many others. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, Polish pottery, vintage cookbooks, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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