Most of us use email, but have never received any guidance on how to use it. We’re like drivers – hitting the highway everyday, with not a hint of training and relying only on our experience (and past mistakes!) to get around safely. Here are some helpful resources on using email and some etiquette to guide our way:
- When you absolutely, positively should NOT use email: a civilised list by ChangeThis.
- Why email starts fights – a helpful video explaining the role of words, tone and visual cues and their respective roles in communication.
- Marketing expert, Seth Godin shares 14 tips for sending emails.
- Seth shares email checklist – for before you click ‘send’.
- How to improve your email etiquette by Marci Alboher
- Email Etiquette 101 by Netmanners.
- Email Etiquette Tips, Tricks and Secrets by About.com.
- Email Etiquette by iwillfollow.com.
- When not to use email by David Pollard.
Communication Decision Tree
Here’s a useful flow-chart I found on Lifehacker for thinking through communications decisions. You wouldn’t use it to guide all decisions, but it’s a helpful way of thinking about how best to communicate different things. You can click on the image to see the flowchart at full-size:
