This document provides tips for effective email habits and avoiding common problems. It discusses best practices for subject lines, message text, attachments, signatures, style, confidentiality, and email management. Specific recommendations include keeping subject lines brief but descriptive, writing concisely in email messages, using attachments sparingly, maintaining a professional signature, avoiding sensitive topics in email, and regularly organizing email folders. The goal is to write emails that are clear, secure, and minimize wasted time or confusion for recipients.

1. By Team Approachjob, Bangalore
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2. ““9 common9 common
e-mail habits that waste timee-mail habits that waste time
and cause problems”and cause problems”
1. Vague or nonexistent subject line.
2. Changing the topic without changing
the subject.
3. Including multiple subjects in one
note.
4. Sending before thinking.
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3. 9 habits contd.9 habits contd.
5. Inadvertent replying to all.
6. Omitting the context of a reply.
7. Misaddressed recipients.
8. Displaying addresses of recipients
who are strangers to each other.
9. Replying vs. forwarding.
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4. AgendaAgenda
1. Addressing
2. Subject Line
3. Message Text
4. Signature Line
5. Attachments
6. Style
7. Confidentiality and Security
8. Managing Email
9. References
10. Discussion
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5. AddressingAddressing
 Limit to who really needs to know.
 Make it clear in text who has action and
who is info addressee.
 Use BCC to protect Email addresses
unless everyone knows each other.
 Watch Reply All.
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6. Addressing (contd.)Addressing (contd.)
 Use address book with mail groups &
validate often.
Avoid typing addresses free hand; many
addresses are similar; watch auto fill.
Send same message to multiple recipients
by editing message as new or cutting and
pasting.
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7. Addressing (contd.)Addressing (contd.)
 Make sure forward does not embarrass
sender.
Get permission if in doubt.
Never “diss” sender in forward or reply.
 Fill in addresses last to avoid sending
an incomplete Email by mistake.
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8. Subject LineSubject Line
 Headline (think newspaper).
 Grab Attention.
 Summarize message.
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9. Rate These Subject LinesRate These Subject Lines
1. Subject: Important! Read
Immediately!!
2. Subject: Meeting
3. Subject: Follow-up About Meeting
4. Subject: Announcement
5. Subject: Do we need a larger room for
Social meeting on May 14?
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10. Message TextMessage Text
 Keep the message focused and readable.
 Keep it short.
 Use inverted pyramid (newspaper).
 Break into paragraphs; skip lines between.
 Use short sentences and active voice.
 Use plain text editor, not MS Word.
 Avoid HTML.
 Avoid fancy typefaces.
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11. Message Text (contd.)
 Write in standard professional English
with Capitalization and correct spelling.
Don’t try to impress.
Avoid chat speak, e.g., CUL8R & emoticons, .
 Don’t type in All Caps – like yelling.
 Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT.
 Use * * to highlight text if you must.
 Proofread & spell check.
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12. Message Text (contd.)Message Text (contd.)
 Quote back selectively when replying to
long messages.
“Yes, I agree.” is useless without context.
Top quote vs. bottom quote – no consensus.
Avoid “Fisking,” replying line by line in an
argumentative manner.
 For URL links use SNIPURL to shorten
long URLs or enclose in < >.
Free service http://snipurl.com/
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13. Message Text (contd.)Message Text (contd.)
 Identify yourself clearly to cold
contacts.
Hello, I am…The reason I am writing…
Hello, so-in-so suggested I contact you…
 Respond Promptly.
Apologize if you don’t.
Interim reply when too busy.
 Don’t shoot the messenger.
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14. Attachments
 Use sparingly.
 Cut and paste relevant parts of attachment
into text of Email.
 Use URL links instead.
Upload attachments to website and cite URL.
 Recipients who do not know you may be
reluctant to open attachments or click URLs.
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15. Attachments (contd.)Attachments (contd.)
 Post attachment first to avoid “Oops,
here’s the attachment.”
 Trend is posting large attachments into
blogs followed by Email announcement.
Gives people a chance to comment on
attachment without a series of “Reply All”
messages.
Those interested can check comments or
use RSS feed to be notified.
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16. Signature LineSignature Line
 Include (if you want people to contact you)
Your name
Title
Organization
Email address (especially on listservs)
Website
Phones
 Can be shortened for frequent
correspondents or placed in header of
Email stationery.
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17. Signature Line (contd.)
 If you must include a quote in signature
keep it short.
 “This message is intended for…”
Clutters up Email.
Often longer than message.
Omit unless your company requires it.
 Avoid vCards because some readers
treat them as attachments.
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18. StyleStyle
 Threads
Multiple replies can get out of hand, but
continue them to maintain the tread.
When they start to drift start a new thread
with explanation.
 Be true to venue.
Formal vs. informal
 Don’t Flame
More common in chats and blogs, but still
wrong.
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19. Style (contd.)Style (contd.)
 Forwarding stuff, e.g., chain letters
Avoid; annoys most people.
Check address list before forwarding a ”Did you
see this?” - They may have received it.
If you must forward, strip out addresses and
use BCC to hide your address list.
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20. Style (contd.)Style (contd.)
 Do not overuse high priority option.
 Avoid delivery and read receipts.
 Do not ask to recall a message.
Just apologize and correct.
 Do not copy a message or attachment
without permission.
 Do not scoop someone else’s message.
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21. Style (contd.)Style (contd.)
 Chill out!
Avoid sending a snarky reply to a pissy
Email.
Wait 24 hours.
Write, but don’t send.
Don’t reply at all and let them wonder.
Offer to speak by phone or in person; Email
is not a good tool for “clearing the air.”
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22. Style (contd.)Style (contd.)
 Chill out (contd.)
Leave no record of sensitive or emotional
responses.
Never say in Email what you wouldn’t say
in person or would not like to see in the
press or defend in court.
Once you hit “Send” you have lost control of
the Email.
○ You can never be certain that it was erased
from all locations. Think of all Email as
Permanent.
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23. Confidentiality and Security
Don’t assume privacy.
Unencrypted Email is not secure and may be
monitored.
Don’t include in an unencrypted Email
anything you would not want a third party to
read.
Details of encrypting and digitally signing
Email is beyond the scope of this
presentation.
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24. Confidentiality and SecurityConfidentiality and Security
(contd.)(contd.)
Protecting yourself
1. Have a separate free Email account for
newsletters, white paper registration, etc.
2. Delete browser history, cache, cookies,
userids and passwords after using a public
Internet connection.
3. Logout and close all Apps after using a public
Internet connection. (Restart if possible.)
4. Don’t conduct company business on non-
secure personal computer.
5. Back up your Email.
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25. Confidentiality and SecurityConfidentiality and Security
(contd.)(contd.)
Protecting yourself (contd.)
6. Beware of spam.
– If it sounds too good, it is.
– Report it.
6. Beware of Phishing attacks.
– Forward them to customer service.
6. Never include personal or financial info in an
Email.
7. Don’t unsubscribe from anything you did not
subscribe to.
8. Beware of friend’s Emails.
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26. Confidentiality and SecurityConfidentiality and Security
(contd.)(contd.)
Protecting yourself (contd.)
11. Install a good security suite on your personal
computer.
– Many ISPs, e.g., COMCAST, provide them free.
11. Never share account info, even with family.
12. Use strong passwords.
– Encrypt them on a password protected thumb drive.
11. Encrypt wireless connections.
12. Use encryption and digital signatures for
important Email.
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27. Managing EmailManaging Email
 Organize Email into folders.
Use company file plan for in-house Email.
 Keep a copy of all sent Email.
 Review and clean out folders periodically.
Good for rainy day or slow day at work.
Comply with company retention schedule.
 Don’t print Email unless you need to refer
to it remotely.
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28. Managing Email (contd.)Managing Email (contd.)
 Declare Email bankruptcy
Inbox clogged with overdue responses.
Send Email to all correspondents
apologizing for not replying and asking
them to resend important Email.
Delete all old messages in Inbox.
Then check your inboxes daily.
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29. Managing Email (contd.)Managing Email (contd.)
 Use separate Email channels for
separate communities:
Professional
Business
In-house
Family and friends
Hobbies and interests
Listservs
 Use “out of office” agent when away.
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30. DiscussionDiscussion
Questions and Comments?
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