Email Etiquette: The 5F Formula

Each year, I ask my graduating students how I can improve my career coaching tools and techniques. This year, they suggested more guidance on professional email etiquette.  I started jotting down all my pet peeves as an email recipient... then I reflected on ways I may be peeving others when my fingers type faster than my brain can think.  

The 5F formula is my email etiquette manifesto.  5F stands for format, function, foolishness (avoiding it), flow and freedom.  Before you tap send, ask yourself the following questions to ensure your emails get positive results.

Is your format professional?

Keep it simple and clean.  Avoid fancy fonts, backgrounds, ALL CAPS, text colors and special effects. Use bold and italics sparingly, if at all. Use proper sentence structure, grammar and spelling. Avoid repetitive language and ideas. Say it well once and move on. Add blank lines between paragraphs to separate ideas. 

Is your message functional?

Get to the point. Treat every character as if it has a price (like a telegraph) and you have a limited budget.  Assume the person reading it also has limited time (and perhaps limited interest).  Answer or ask Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How.  Include calendar dates: Today and tomorrow can be too easily misunderstood. Use bullets to simplify complex information.  Understand the reader and what you want them to know or do. Re-read your email from their perspective. There is room for "fun" in functional: Depending on how well you know the reader, infuse some personality to make them smile or feel genuinely appreciated. 

Have you written anything foolish?

Expect unexpected people to read your email.  Emails are public, anything you put in writing will endure. Emails are filed, printed, forwarded, and sometimes posted on public boards. This is helpful when you need to confirm previous communications, check details, share information, and follow through. It can be devastating if your email is unprofessional, inaccurate, or hurtful.

Email is used to give and receive information - not to solve conflicts or air negative emotions. Use email to schedule a time to talk in person about emotionally charged topics. Avoid being drawn into email battles. Respond to the person instead of escalating the problem: "It sounds like we really need to talk. Can we meet in person to work through this?"

Know when to save a draft, think about the subject, and review it later. If you are unsure, do not tap send.  If you are distracted by hunger, sleep deprived, or inebriated, do not tap send. Never tap send if you are having trouble managing your emotions.  Proof thrice (the third time aloud). Use spelling/grammar checks and ask another person to evaluate the tone and clarity of your message.

Are you following a logical flow?

Subject line: Summarize the topic of the message. Change the subject line if you are replying to a message on another matter. Never use URGENT! IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED! Instead, be specific: "Project deadline changed to 2:00 p.m.", or "Update re: our meeting at 8:00 a.m."  Strive to communicate information instead of stirring up emotions and stress. Time cues help the recipient determine the level of urgency required. 

Salutation: Start with their name so they know the email is personally intended for them. Spell it correctly. Avoid casual salutations such as "Hi" or "Hey" in business communications.  Even the more formal "Dear" is unnecessary in email. "To Whom it May Concern" is a waste of characters in this venue.

Introductory paragraph: The first sentence should summarize the reason you are writing (e.g., “Thank you for offering to review my email”). Vague, rhetorical niceties (e.g., “I hope you are doing well”) are unnecessary -- unless it fits the context of your previous interaction and is related to the purpose of the message (e.g., “I hope your son is feeling better.  Are you still able to meet at 1:00 p.m. today (March 9)?”).   Comments about specific personal, yet unrelated, situations can be added as a post script below the signature line if it does not directly pertain to the topic at hand ("P.S. I hope your son is feeling better.").

Body paragraph(s): Use a topic sentence, supporting sentence(s) and a concluding sentence.  In an email, the topic, support, and conclusion can be summarized in one sentence if the situation warrants it.  Use bullets and short sentences to facilitate speed reading. Avoid verbosity and non-essential information. Messages should fit in one screen, without the need to scroll.  If you must communicate more meaty information, use a hyperlink or attach a document. 

Closing paragraph: Reiterate what you want them to do with the information you just provided, and/or what they can expect you to do next. Gratitude is always a nice way to close, just be sincere about it.

Signature block: Automate an embedded signature block so your contact information and your brand are consistent every time you email. Add hyperlinks to your LinkedIn profile and your company webpage. Include your first name above it to sign off personally. 

Do your email habits set you free?

Liberate yourself from your inbox by establishing some simple habits. Find what works for you and be consistent. Respond to emails within 24 hours. If you will be out of the office or delayed, set up an automated response to manage other people's expectations.

Be patient while waiting for replies (72 hours). If it is truly urgent, pick up the phone and dial. If your contact does not reply, they are either busy or disinterested. If they are disinterested, build the relationship or let it go. If they are busy, think of ways to make their job easier. Can you research the topic yourself? Can you ask someone else? Be courteous and let them know if you find an answer before they have a chance to reply. Just in case your email is lost in cyberspace, send one polite ping to verify the status. Stay calm, cool and collected, like Captain Ramius: "Give me a ping, Vasili. One ping only, please." 

Calendar time to manage your inbox. Block off several times during the day to look at your inbox. Scroll through new messages to quickly prioritize actions. Delete unsolicited bulk email (SPAM). Forward emails that need someone else's attention. Reply quickly to simple requests. Drag more time-consuming issues to your calendar and notify the person when they can expect to hear back from you.

Set up files to organize emails you may need to archive for reference. Automate rules for recurring, less urgent emails to go directly to files and schedule a time to browse through them. Delete the stuff you do not need. Say no to non-essentials.

A few responsible actions can set you free from undesirable consequences in the world of email. Be free, my friends.

Did I miss anything?