1. Think before you write and send e-mails.

Consider:

(1) Who is your reader? Client/department head/colleague?

(2) Is your letter/message clear?

(3) Is your letter/message useful?

2. Remember verbal communication is not official so follow up with an e-mail.

3. E-mails are legally binding, so you may be held accountable for what you write.

4. Messages can be forwarded so be aware that e-mails are not confidential. Don't send anything you wouldn't be comfortable seeing published in the company newsletter.

5. Keep messages concise, save longer messages for attachments. On the other hand don't keep your messages so short that the reader has no idea what you are talking about. Include a summary in the title if possible.

6. Try to summarize your e-mail at the beginning and focus on the main topics.

7. Don't attempt to "discipline" your reader. It's unprofessional to lose control in person, but to do so in writing usually makes the situation worse.

8. Don't "Spam" your reader; don't send them unnecessary or frivolous messages from you.

9. DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS! IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING AT YOUR READER! Remember if you emphasize everything, you will have emphasized nothing.

10. Don't type in all lower case if you don't punctuate and use English grammar incorrectly you make it difficult for the reader to read your e-mail.

11. Use the "Subject" line to get your readers attention replace complicated acronyms/abbreviations with the full meaning unless your reader also uses and understands the acronym/abbreviations e.g. PFMEA - Process Failure Mode & Effect Analysis.

12. Before you send your e-mail, use the spell-checker. Proofread your document. Mistakes in spelling, will concentrate the readers eye, with the effect that you will have lost the readers attention on the message you are trying to communicate.

P.S Post script ---informal, which forgot to write in the body...

FYI.

a.s.a.p

R.S.V.P -->Please respond / on the envelope

P.T.O --> Please turn over.