Electronic mail is a quick, easy, and convenient way to

instantly link up with people around the globe. To ensure

our messages don't confuse or alienate others, it's important

to practice basic e-mail etiquette. Here are twelve simple e-

mail rules to keep you connected and make sure every

communiqué is clear, polished, and professional.

Rule #1 - Be concise. Follow the KISS rule (keep it short

and sweet). Get to the point in a clear manner. Keep

paragraphs short - three or four sentences at most. If you

find you need to send an e-mail that is longer than a few

short paragraphs, revise the message or consider picking up

the phone or paying a personal visit instead.

Rule #2 - Watch your words. Before sending any e-mail,

check your message. Ask yourself, "What is my purpose for

sending this e-mail?" Anger, enthusiasm, and anxiousness

are all emotions that can trigger an itch only an immediate

heated reply can scratch. Always consciously choose your

words and be sure every communiqué accurately and clearly

conveys your message. Be careful about what you say and

how you say it because your words can come back to haunt

you. Words, especially the written word, can live and be

remembered forever. Don't say something in the heat of the

moment that you can't take back.

Rule #3 - Follow a format. Every correspondence you send

is a reflection of you and your organization. Therefore, at a

minimum, each e-mail needs to have these elements - a

greeting, a skipped line before and after each paragraph, a

closing or call for action, and a signature (which identifies

you and provides alternate ways to contact you).

Rule #4 - Spell check. While spell check can accurately

check for misspellings, it won't recognize all errors. Before

you hit the send button, check every e-mail for spelling,

punctuation, and grammar. An e-mail filled with multiple

errors is not only difficult to read and understand; it tests the

patience of the recipient, who may decide your message has

no value and simply is not worth reading.

Rule #5 - Send messages to your outbox first. Disable the

"auto send" feature in your e-mail software and, instead,

have messages sent to the "outbox" first. This gives you a

second chance to review your e-mail for content and intent.

If your e-mail is a reply, you will now be able to reread the

original message to be sure you didn't misunderstand the

message. When in doubt, seek clarification before

responding.

As a rule, always wait at least 24 hours before responding to

a heated e-mail. This is often enough time to cool off and

think clearly. Reread the message and ask yourself if you

misinterpreted the e-mail. If so, at least now you can hit

"delete" instead of "send." Remember to always

communicate with integrity and respect.

Rule #6 - Avoid writing in all caps. Text written in all caps is

hard on the eyes and is difficult to read. More importantly,

all caps in an e-mail SCREAMS at the reader. Better to write

in upper and lower case. If you need to draw attention to a

word, consider using bold or italics for the emphasis.

Rule #7 - Reply to all sparingly. When you respond to a

mass e-mail (a message sent to multiple recipients), determine

whether everyone listed needs to receive your reply. If a

reply to the sender only is sufficient and appropriate, hit the

"reply" vs. the "reply to all" button to cut down on multiple

and unnecessary mail.

Rule #8 - Stay current. Just like voice mail, be sure to keep

your auto-reply message up-to-date. An outdated auto-

reply is as bad as dated voice mail - information that serves

no purpose.

Rule #9- Office e-mail is never personal. Unless you own

the company, any e-mail sent via your office computer is the

property of the employer and is subject to their purview.

There is no such thing as personal e-mail at work. Be aware

and watch what you say because every message represents

you and the organization.

Rule #10 - Stay organized. Attempting to save every e-mail

creates clutter. Get in the habit of saving only necessary e-

mails and discarding the rest. Be sure to delete messages

from your inbox, deleted, and sent message boxes. This will

cut down on the clutter and free up much needed computer

space. Review periodically so you don't feel overwhelmed at

the sight of months' or years' worth of messages. If your

box is full right now, commit to reviewing at least 15

messages from each box daily until you are all caught up.

Also, be sure to regularly back up all mail boxes, just in case.

Rule #11 - Answer e-mail. I can't tell you how many times

I've sent an e-mail requesting specific information only to

receive a reply with half, if any, of my questions answered.

This now requires sending a second message to get the

necessary answers. When responding to an e-mail with

multiple questions, type your response right next to the

questions in a different color font than the original message.

This clearly shows your reply and enables the reader to

easily match the response to a question and ensures you

have answered all of the sender's questions.

Rule #12 - Be patient. With the proliferation of text

messaging, PDAs, and Blackberrys, many people send an e-

mail and expect an on the spot response within moments of a

message being sent. It's unreasonable to expect others to

drop everything to instantly cater to your every whim.

When sending e-mail, be patient and allow a reasonable

amount of time to pass before you expect a reply.

Electronic mail can open up doors to you from around the

world. Apply these twelve simple e-mail rules and your

messages will be clear, concise, and always connected.

Joy Fisher-Sykes is a professional speaker, author, and success coach in the areas of communication, leadership, motivation, stress management, customer service, and team building. You can e-mail her at mailto:jfsykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call her at (757) 427-7032. Go to her web site, http://www.thesykesgrp.com, and signup for the newsletter, OnPoint, and receive the free ebook, "Secrets, Stories, and Tips for Marvelous Customer Service."