Email etiquette — how to do it
Five easy-to-remember rules to keep in mind, so the people receiving your messages will appreciate them, read them and reply to you.
Rule 1: Make the subject line 1) clear, 2) unique and 3) compelling
In the same way the goal of a headline is to draw you into the story, the subject line needs to make the recipient want to favor your message above all the others and open it.
If the message is brief, perhaps all can be said in the subject line.
Bonus: indicate in brackets what your reader can expect from your message: (INFO), (ACTION), (READING), (HR),
Use (URGENT) only if it is really appropriate. If something is truly urgent, you are better off calling the person or sending a text message. Don’t be the boy who cried wolf.
Do: “(INFO) Warehouse closed 08/02/20 for maintenance”
Don’t: “About the warehouse”
Rule 2: Keep it short — no more than 3 lines
If you can’t communicate your message in a few lines, it shouldn’t be an email. Instead it should be a request for a call or a meeting .
Use the first line to indicate any specific action request you have.
