There are, again a few suggested rules that will make the communication easier and more acceptable.

If you want your e-mail read, use a specific subject line. There is no need to be cute or creative. Just send the message and be concise. If you change the topic in the sentence, change it also in the subject line, and be consistent with this. Know to whom you are sending your message and don’t send chatty and pointless mail unless this is a good friend who has time to read it.

Do not forward or send alert stories, sermons, or other messages, unless you are certain the receiver wants to receive them. Never forward a lot of newsletter items, chances are if the person is not a subscriber, they are not interested.

SHOUTING in uppercase letters or using excessive exclamation points are never acceptable and will usually get your e-mail trashed if you use them in the subject line. Don’t use them in the text either because they are considered rude.

Be as polite as you would be in a normal written letter or in a conversation. Don’t give a short, abrupt, or rude answer if it is not what you would usually do. Remember what we said about telegrams. E-mail is not a telegram, use correct form and grammar.

Do not send HTMI e-mail unless someone requests it. HTMI can be read by all e-mail programs or servers, and it takes longer to down load. Fancy colored fonts and the like can even crash an e-mail program. This cuteness gone awry does not leave a good and lasting impression.

Always use the automated quote but also edit it. Don’t quote every word of every e-mail when you reply. Keep the message to a minimum so the receiver can see at a glance what has gone on before in the conversation.

Remember that e-mail is not necessarily private. If you would not say something to a person’s face, it is best not to say it in an e-mail. Your boss, the server’s administrator, the person you are e-mailing, all have access to your e-mail.

If you use a signature, keep it short and relevant. ASCII pictures and ultra long signatures can make your e-mail feel intrusive. Be aware of this if you are posting to lists or forums.

Since the internet by definition is international, intercultural, and inter-almost everything, be careful not to offend others. Religious, racial, political, and cultural remarks, even made in innocence, can hurt feelings and anger someone, somewhere.

Sign your name. Just because it is your account does not mean that it is you writing the e-mail. Also, it is simply good manners.

Do not “spam”. That awful four-letter word makes more enemies that friends. Even when it is targeted, the returns are low. The majority of people resent unsolicited advertising, especially if they have to wait for it to download.

Use emoticons, those helpful ASCII characters that symbolize a smile or a frown or other expressions.

Written by: Directory Submission Services