We’ve all had that feeling. You click “send” on an email and instantly notice that you’ve included typos, replied to all, or forgotten to include an attachment. What’s worse, is how many mistakes we make without even noticing. There are many small mistakes that are easy to miss when composing emails.
Using email etiquette and proper grammar will go a long way in helping you to maintain your professional reputation. There are a few measures you can take to ensure that you’re sending an email that both your boss and your high school English teacher will be proud of. Here are the top mistakes we see in everyday emails:
- Replying to all
It’s an easy mistake to make, but this is an easy way to annoy your peers. It’s alright to click reply all when working on projects with a team and in situations where the information you’re sending is pertinent to everyone. Private emails sent out to the entire office are another story. - Poor punctuation
Don’t treat workplace emails like text messages to friends. Always use proper punctuation and avoid using trendy acronyms or language that is too casual. If you’re not a punctuation wiz, try installing the add-on Grammarly to your browser, a grammar resource tool. - Using non-standard fonts
This goes for colors, too. Leave your text in black and in a standard font and size, such as 11-point Arial or Times New Roman. - Non-urgent urgent emails
Urgent emails should be reserved for—you guessed it—urgent situations! Try to avoid marking your emails as urgent unless they require immediate attention. - Blank subject lines
Subject lines should be a few words that convey the topic of your email. Try to avoid blank or one-word subject lines. Descriptive subject lines will help you and the recipient search for emails in the future and identify more important emails. - Sending long forwards
When forwarding an email, only forward the information relevant to the recipient. There’s no need to send an entire email chain that requires the recipient to hunt for the information they need.
These are only a few of the mistakes we see in email every day. Always remember to read and reread your important emails before hitting send. For more email tips and tricks, follow us on Facebook!