There are hundreds or huge corporate, medium and small businesses across the globe. They are known for their professionalism and great quality work. E-mail is one of the most important and vital mode of communication among businesses and it is very necessary to follow certain business email etiquette.

It is quite sad to see how many corporate firms mess up their email communications. Either it is too formal or too informal. People forget to cross check spellings too. What they don’t realize is that it actually tarnishes the company’s image. So to avoid any further problems like these follow a few simple steps below for proper business email etiquette.

To begin with, write a clear, concise, actionable email. The email should be no longer than required. I suggest using the ABC format we instill in our workshops. The action should always be upfront, if it is too long, people lose interest.

Try to answer all queries clearly, always provide important details. If the details of who, what, where, why and when are not provided, it works like a boomerang effect, another email will inevitably need to come back asking for clarification. It will not only waste your time but also your customer’s time and greatly affect your professional image. So it is in your best interest to preempt the questions and your customer will be grateful to you. One more additional tip would be adding the URL of your web page in the email. This will clearly shine a professional image and signs of a true email not a me-mail.

Another area where people make grave mistakes is grammar and spellings. Even punctuation goes out of sync sometimes. Therefore, always do a cross-check of what you have written. If there are no full-stops or commas, it becomes very difficult for people to understand what you have written. All emails are enabled with spell checks so it is best to activate the power of your software.

We have all witnessed where our email address in not protected and sent to the masses. Not only is it unprofessional, it opens you up for liability. Even if it is time consuming, ensure you send out personalized emails, using Outlook Mail. Merge is a great way if your contacts are already in your address book. Address it to the concerned person. If you have to send out many thank you notes via email, use templates, or power drafts. This saves you a lot of time and prevents unnecessary mistakes. You only have to address it to the people you are sending it out to.

When you receive a mail, it is best that you answer them in a swift manner. People like prompt responses and it shows them how dedicated you are. The sender should always define a deadline in the e-mail, if you are out of the office there is no need to email back if the deadline can be achieved when you return. This eliminates unnecessary email overload.

Not everyone has the time to download the number of files you send them via email. Send only those files which are of utmost importance. Do not send irrelevant matter or attachments through email. This may even be dubbed as spamming spoiling your reputation. Check with your customer first whether or not, their mailing system can handle very large files. Otherwise, they will bounce back. Ensure you conduct a virus check before sending out attachments.

Everything you send out should have a proper layout. It should be sent in a formal manner. The font color should be black or blue and not very colorful. If the email you are sending is of high priority, then flag it. Your customer will understand that you are sending something important. Hence they will give appropriate priority. Please make sure that you never type your mails with the caps lock on. Everything in capitals signifies something rude.

Finally add your signature to the mail. It should have all possible information in it like your name, designation and number. Do not forget to add a disclaimer. Most corporate companies do.

Karen Cynowa, is a professional organizer, productivity consultant, national trainer and author. I teach increased productivity workshops such as E-mail Efficiency and Etiquette, Filing and Finding it fast. This training has been successful in over 15% of fortune 500 companies. Let Time’s Up assist you in finding the time to take your business or self to the next level. http://www.thetimesup.com 866-906-7767

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