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USING!EMAIL!ETIQUETTE!
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First!and!foremost!ask!yourself,!is!it!necessary!to!communicate!via!email?!!"#$%&!'(!)*+,*!-*!
.*((*+!(#!/#--$0'/1(*!'0!2*+)#03!!41,*!5!(6#$76(!1.#$(!(6*!,1+'#$)!1&,10(17*)!10&!
&')1&,10(17*)!#8!&'88*+*0(!(92*)!#8!/#--$0'/1('#0!:!*-1'%;!(*<('07;!=+'((*0!%*((*+;!'0!2*+)#0;!
>?92*!#+!@1/*A'-*;!*(/B3!
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Always!use!a!subject!line.!!C*!)$+*!(#!.+'*8%9!10&!1//$+1(*%9!=+'(*!(6*!2$+2#)*!#8!9#$+!*-1'%!'0!
(6*!)$.D*/(!%'0*B!!A6')!-19!6*%2!9#$!+*/*',*!1!E$'/?*+!+*)2#0)*B!
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Use!proper!titles.!!@#+-1%%9!1&&+*))!#(6*+)!.9!(6*'+!('(%*!$0%*))!7',*0!2*+-'))'#0!(#!&#!
#(6*+=')*;!)$/6!1)!F+B!G;!H+#8*))#+!G;!F*10!G!#+!I+BJI)BJI+)B;!*(/B!
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Identify!yourself!early!in!the!email!corresponde nc e.!!58!9#$!1+*!$)'07!9#$+!2*+)#01%!*-1'%!
1//#$0(;!'(!-19!0#(!61,*!9#$+!8$%%!01-*B!!>#;!'(K)!'-2#+(10(!(#!'&*0('89!9#$+)*%8!10&!7',*!
1%(*+01(*!=19)!(#!/#0(1/(!9#$!)$/6!1)!1!/*%%!26#0*!0$-.*+!#+!6#-*!0$-.*+B!
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Do!not!use!ALL!capital!letters!to!emphasize!or!highlight!your!message.!!A6')!')!/#0)'&*+*&!(#!
.*!+$&*;!10&!/10!.*!'0(*+2+*(*&!1)!)6#$('07!1(!)#-*#0*!'0!(*+-)!#8!*-1'%!*('E$*((*B!
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Use!diplomatic!language.!!"+'(*!(6*!*-1'%!=6*0!9#$!61,*!('-*!(#!(6'0?!10&!/1+*8$%%9!/6##)*!
9#$+!=#+&)B!!L)*!2#)'(',*!)(1(*-*0()B!!M**2!0*71(',*!#0*)!(#!1!-'0'-$-B!!N0%9!=+'(*!=#+&)!
(61(!9#$!=#$%&!61,*!1%)#!)61+*&!'0!2*+)#0B!
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Write!the!email!when!you!are!calm.!!58!9#$!1+*!*<2*+'*0/'07!109!)(+#07!0*71(',*!*-#('#0)!#+!
0*71(',*!(6#$76()!1.#$(!(6*!)'($1('#0!10&J#+!(6*!#(6*+!2*+)#0;!=1'(!$0('%!9#$!/##%!&#=0B!!5(!
-19!.*!$)*8$%!(#!)**?!#$(!)#-*#0*!=6#-!9#$!(+$)(!#+!1!/#08'&*0('1%!#88'/*!(61(!/10!%')(*0!(#!
9#$+!/#0/*+0)B!!O#$!&#0K(!=10(!(#!61,*!109!+*7+*()B!!58!0*/*))1+9;!=+'(*!(6*!*-1'%;!.$(!.*!)$+*!
(#!)1,*!'(!'0!draft.!!!"6*0!9#$!+*,')'(!'(!9#$K+*!-#+*!%'?*%9!(#!*&'(!#$(!(6*!*-#('#01%!/#0(*0(!10&!
)('/?!(#!(6*!81/()B!
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Confidential----------Impartial----------Informal----------Independent-
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Be!clear,!focused!and!succinct.!!!5(K)!'-2#+(10(!(#!7*(!(#!(6*!2#'0(!+'76(!1(!(6*!.*7'00'07!#8!9#$+!
*-1'%B!!H*#2%*!#8(*0!+*/*',*!/#$0(%*))!*-1'%)B!!A6*!#0*)!(61(!)**-!%#07!/#$%&!.*!)?'22*&!#,*+!
8#+!+*,'*=!%1(*+!#0!#+!+*1&!(##!E$'/?%9!/1$)'07!-')/#--$0'/1('#0!#+!/#08%'/(B!!O#$!&#0K(!=10(!
9#$+!*-1'%!(#!.*!#,*+%##?*&!#+!+*)2#0&*&!(#!1(!1!%1(*+!&1(*;!.*/1$)*!'(!=1)!)#!%*07(69B!!P1(6*+!
(610!=+'('07!1!%#07!*-1'%;!2$(!(6*!'08#+-1('#0!'0!1!"#+&!&#/$-*0(!10&!+*8*+!(#!'(!1)!10!
1((1/6-*0(!'0!9#$+!*-1'%!-*))17*B!!
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Write!anything!in!an!email!that!you!would!say!in!person.!!>#-*('-*)!2*#2%*!='%%!+')?!)19'07!
(6'07)!'0!10!*-1'%!(61(!(6*9!1+*!+*%$/(10(!(#!)61+*!'0!2*+)#0B!!A6*+*!)6#$%&!.*!0#!&'88*+*0/*!'8!
9#$K+*!6#0*)(%9!/#--$0'/1('07!=61(!9#$!8**%!')!'-2#+(10(B!
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Use!one!topic!per!email.!!I1?*!9#$+!+*E$*)(!'0!(6*!'0(+#&$/('#0B!!Q*1,*!&*(1'%)!8#+!(6*!-'&&%*!
)*/('#0!#8!9#$+!*-1'%B!!50!/%#)'07;!.+'*8%9!)$--1+'R*!9#$+!+*E$*)(B!!F#!0#(!#,*+%#1&!(6*!*-1'%!
='(6!1((1/6-*0()B!
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Allow!time!for!a!response.!!C*!21('*0(!10&!7',*!1!+*1)#01.%*!1-#$0(!#8!('-*!8#+!1!+*2%9B!!58!9#$+!
'))$*!')!('-*!)*0)'(',*;!'0&'/1(*!)$/6!'0!(6*!)$.D*/(!%'0*!10&!.*!)$+*!(#!?'0&%9!+*E$*)(!1!+*2%9!.9!1!
/*+(1'0!&1(*B!!
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Organize!your!email!message.!!!C*!)$+*!(6*!8'+)(!)*0(*0/*!#+!21+17+126!/%*1+%9!#$(%'0*)!9#$+!
-*))17*!10&!&*)'+*&!#$(/#-*!#+!*<2*/(1('#0)B!!58!9#$!61,*!1!8*=!?*9!2#'0();!0$-.*+!(6*-!#+!
$)*!.$%%*()B!!5(!6*%2)!(6*!+*1&*+!E$'/?%9!)/10!10&!$0&*+)(10&!9#$+!-*))17*B!!S%=19)!%')(!(6*!-#)(!
'-2#+(10(!2#'0()!8'+)(B!
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Proofread.!!T6*/?!)2*%%'07!10&!7+1--1+B!!L)*!)2*%%/6*/?B!!P*-*-.*+!(61(!)#-*!=#+&)!-19!.*!
)2*%%*&!/#++*/(%9;!.$(!(6*'+!$)*!-19!.*!#$(!#8!/#0(*<(!(#!9#$+!)$.D*/(!-1((*+B!!>#;!)2*%%/6*/?!
')0K(!1%=19)!1!)$+*!(6'07B!!5(K)!'-2#+(10(!8#+!9#$!(#!2*+)#01%%9!+*U+*1&!9#$+!*-1'%!8#+!*++#+)!'0!
/#0(*<(!(##B!
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Respect!confidentiality.!!F#!0#(!2$(!/#08'&*0('1%!'08#+-1('#0!'0!10!*-1'%B!!58!2#))'.%*;!.*!7*0*+1%!
10&!)(1(*!(61(!9#$!=#$%&!%'?*!(#!&')/$))!(6*!-1((*+!*'(6*+!.9!(6*!26#0*!#+!'0!2*+)#0B!!!
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Communicate!in!a!professional!manner.!!Do!not!use!slang,!jargon,!emoticons!or!abbreviations!
)$/6!1)!QNQ!VQ1$76!#$(!Q#$&WB!!L)*!(6*-!8#+!'08#+-1%!/#--$0'/1('#0!='(6!2*#2%*!9#$!?0#=!
=*%%!)$/6!1)!8+'*0&);!/%1))-1(*);!/#=#+?*+)!#+!81-'%9B!L)*!1!2+#8*))'#01%!8#0(B!!5(K)!0#(!0*/*))1+9!
(#!$)*!%1+7*!8#0()!#+!(#!$)*!.#%&;!'(1%'/);!$0&*+%'0*!#+!-$%('2%*!(*<(!/#%#+);!*(/B!(#!*-261)'R*!
9#$+!2#'0(B!!X-#('/#0)!#+!X-#D'!1+*!#8(*0!,'*=*&!1)!$02+#8*))'#01%!10&!/6'%&')6!*,*0!(6#$76!
(6*9!&#!/#0,*9!(#0*B!!!
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To!BCC!(Blind!Carbon!Copy)!or!CC!(Carbon!Copy)?!!A6*+*K)!61+&%9!*,*+!1!7##&!('-*!(#!$)*!CTT!
*</*2(!=6*0!$2&1('07!2*#2%*!#0!)#-*(6'07!%'?*!1!/6107*!#8!1&&+*))!#+!=6*0!/#--$0'/1('07!
(#!%1+7*!7+#$2)!/#0(*0(!(61(!')!'08#+-1%B!!L)*!TT!=6*0!9#$!=')6!(#!?**2!2*#2%*!'0!(6*!%##2!='(6!
0#!0**&!8#+!(6*-!(#!+*2%9B!!
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Be!respectful!and!courteous.!!5-17'0*!(61(!9#$K+*!+*/*','07!(6')!*-1'%B!!S+*!(6*!(#0*!10&!
%107$17*!2+#8*))'#01%3!!L)*!1!2#)'(',*!(#0*B!!A#0*!-*10)!(6*!*-#('#0!10&!1(('($&*!9#$!=10(!(#!
/#0,*9B!!@'01%%9;!*0&'07!9#$+!*-1'%!='(6!(6*!=#+&)!)$/6!1)!sincerely,!thank!you,!or!looking!
forward!to!your!reply!')!1%=19)!122+*/'1(*&B!
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Review!your!email.!!S+*!9#$!)$+*!(61(!9#$!=10(!(#!)*0&!'(3!!5)!(6*!2*+)#0!1&&+*))*&!(6*!/#++*/(!
2*+)#0!(#!+*/*',*!(6*!*-1'%!10&J#+!)6#$%&!'(!.*!)*0(!(#!)#-*#0*!*%)*3!!N0/*!9#$!6'(!)*0&;!'(!')!
#88'/'1%B!
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©2015!Donna!L.!Buehler!
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