Most professionals spend their days sending email after email, making it easy to overlook mistakes or forget common courtesies. However, even these small details can make a big difference.
“A poorly written email can discredit your professional image,” says Diane Gottsman, etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas. “That’s just as important as your business suit, the way you carry yourself. It’s part of who you are in business.”
While it’s easy to send a quick reply from your phone, it’s important to take the time to double check every email you send.
Forgetting to use a greeting or closing
Always open with a greeting when beginning a conversation. Otherwise, your email will come off as terse and demanding, says Judith Kallos, an email etiquette expert. The same goes for including a closing line. “Every single word you speak or type is about forming an impression and building your brand,” Kallos says. Leaving out these simple pleasantries won’t give off a friendly vibe to potential clients or partners.
Hitting “reply all”
Unless what you’re saying applies to absolutely everyone, respond only to the sender, Gottsman says. It’s annoying to receive one-sentence responses from 40 different people, especially if the topic isn’t relevant to what you’re working on.
