When you were in school, you probably learned the proper way to write a business letter. How we wish that were true for e-letters!  Sadly, the rules of etiquette for business email communications remain foggy at best.

Thank heavens consultant Kathryn Towner has developed excellent pointers to help you avoid an online faux pas. Among her tips to keep in mind:

 Choose Those Words Wisely

• Start with an informative subject line. "Write [it] as if it is the only piece of your email that will ever be read," says Towner. So, Conference committee meeting tomorrow at 10 beats the imprecise Important Message -- please read.
• Continue with a personalized greeting. Beginning with something like Good morning, Thomas, is polite, and lets him know he is the intended recipient.
• Finish with a concise body. Get right to the point. Request what you need, and say when you need to hear back: The rules are in your inbox. Please read them and respond today.

Watch That Tone and Style

• Adjust your levels of formality. You're not going to communicate with your boss in the same way as an employee, or a client in the same way as a colleague.
• Avoid angry messages. "All the body language in the world cannot alleviate the tone of an angry email message," she says. "Those situations need to be handled in person."

The Po!nt:  Read your emails out loud to catch any problems. "Following the rules of etiquette may mean taking just one more minute before you hit 'Send,'" Towner says. "Ultimately, this can be the minute that saves your relationship, retains your customer, or keeps your job."

Source: MarketingProfs. Click here to read the article.

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