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EMail Guidelines

Electronic communication is rapidly replacing letters and memos in conveying business information. Although informality rules many e-mail exchanges, we advise that you consider the following guidelines when composing and sending business e-mail.

Consider your purpose.  Are you writing to:

  • Inform?
  • Persuade?
  • Request action?
  • Keep someone in the information loop?

Think about the needs of your reader.  Ask the following questions:

  • How much does the reader know about the subject?
  • What does the reader feel or believe about the subject?
  • Will the reader have objections to the proposal?
  • How does the reader like to receive information (detailed or brief)?

Provide your audience with adequate context

  • Use specific and meaningful subject lines
  • Reference the e-mail to which you are responding
  • Avoid pronouns unless the reference (antecedent) is clear
  • Assume that your reader may not know acronyms and industry jargon

Use a clear organizational pattern

  • Direct with a request followed by supporting information
  • Indirect with supporting information leading up to proposal

Think about page layout issues. Use the following:

  • Short paragraphs
  • Lines under 75 characters long
  • Messages under 25 lines long
  • Plain text

Be aware of what cues people will use to form an impression of you:

  • Grammar, punctuation, and spelling
  • Domain name
  • Level of formality and tone
  • Signature block of no more than 5 lines


Compiled from A Beginner’s Guide to Effective Email by Kaitlin Duck Sherwood, 2001.