If you receive an email message in all capital letters, what does this signify? Emails in all capital letters will generally be interpreted as the sender yelling at the receiver of the email. It could also be used to emphasize the urgency of a particular issue, but more often than not, you’re going to think it’s an angry email. It can be perceived as the equivalent of yelling in a face to face conversation. How would that make you feel? Nobody likes to be yelled at and emails written in all capital letters must be avoided at all costs. Knowing about email etiquette will help you avoid making some major blunders while writing emails and make communication more effective, whether it’s business or personal communication.
What is email etiquette?
Email etiquette refers to the many principles of behavior that a person must use when formulating or responding to email messages. It is the code of conduct that should govern email communication. While the content of emails may vary based on whether we’re writing to our superiors, subordinates, customers, relatives, or friends, email etiquette is important in all email communication.
Why should you be aware of email etiquette?
Emails are used a lot in daily communication, especially for business communication. The sad reality is that many people still don’t know how to follow proper email etiquette. You don’t have to be one of them. By getting an understanding of email etiquette, you’ll be able to benefit in many ways. Here is why you should be aware of email etiquette.
It will help you show professionalism
An email sent out from your company needs to maintain the professional quality that your company is known for and enhance its professional reputation. Emails with spelling mistakes, or vague emails that don’t address all the points needed to convey the full picture will only end up giving you a bad reputation. Rude remarks in emails are uncalled for and can take a serious toll on your company’s image. If you send out an email without proofreading it, it will be clearly evident to your receiver. How can you expect them to take your association seriously if you aren’t serious enough to send out a professional email?
In many instances, receivers of your email may have no face to face interaction with your company. Your email and company reputation are the only things they’re being exposed to when they get an email from you. You need to take the opportunity to make a good impression. Emails that answer all doubts that are asked by the other party will impress them and help them have a positive impression of your company. Building a professional reputation for your company is very important if you want to succeed in the long run.
It will help boost efficiency
Customers, suppliers, or colleagues will expect you to respond to them as quickly as possible. Responding within 24 hours is ideal and will show them that you operate efficiently. If you happen to receive an email that is complicated and requires more time for a response, you must at least acknowledge the email and let the person know that you will get back to them at the earliest. Speedy responses are crucial to boost the efficiency of business operations and win all parties in your favor. In a world where there’s so much competition in the market, you really need to step up your game and be prompt with responding to business emails. One late response could literally be the reason that you lose a customer to a more efficient competitor. Several late responses could significantly impact your business relationships and give your company a reputation of being inefficient.
It promotes message clarity and avoids misunderstanding
With an understanding of email etiquette, you’ll be able to draft your emails in a way that is concise yet clear. You need to get into the habit of saying what you want with clarity if you want to ensure smooth business operations.
One disadvantage with email communication is that there’s no opportunity to observe body language and gain insights from others’ behaviors. The lack of face to face interaction makes it difficult to perceive message tone. This can lead to several misunderstandings and blur message clarity. You may mean one thing, but it may be perceived very differently by the receiver of your message. Such misunderstandings can really set your business back several paces and lead to back and forth exchanges where you try to clarify what you meant in the first place. Practicing email etiquette will help you frame messages with greater clarity so that you can be more certain that the receiver will get the message you intended for them to get.
It can protect you from liability
Email communication has an advantage that face to face communication doesn’t. It provides a written record of what was said through the exchange and can be referred to even at a later date. Sending out an email that is poorly framed or just plain rude can result in lawsuits against your business. Being aware of email risks and framing your emails keeping these risks in mind will offer you greater protection from liabilities and lawsuits in the future. Knowing about email etiquette will allow you to frame messages responsibly so that you don’t put yourself in a compromised position where you need to be worried about a lawsuit.
Some email etiquette tips for you to keep in mind
Now that you know why email etiquette is important, here are some quick tips that you can follow while framing emails:
- Maintain a professional tone
- Use a direct, clear subject line
- Pay attention to proper punctuation and grammar
- Give timely responses
- Use professional email addresses and salutations
- Proofread your email before clicking the send button
- Acknowledge emails with a response
- Do not use all caps unless you’re using an acronym
- Keep it brief and to the point
- Avoid using “Reply all” as much as possible
- Make use of Cc and Bcc correctly
- Draw the recipient’s attention to any attachments in the email
- Make use of sentence case
- Avoid using emojis in professional emails
‘If you receive an email message in all capital letters, what does this signify?’ will no longer be a question your recipients will have to struggle with when you have the right knowledge of email etiquette.
We hope, with this article, you’ve found an answer to the query ‘If you receive an email message in all capital letters, what does this signify?, as well as a few other useful email etiquette pointers.
