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Recently, I started using an old family friend as a travel agent. Before then, we’d never had occasion to email one another. From the start, I was shocked to find that she regularly wrote her emails exclusively in all uppercase letters. I politely mentioned that using all caps in an email is the equivalent of screaming in voice conversations and she said she appreciated the tip. Still, I couldn’t help wondering how a professional could get by today without mastering one of the most basic tenets of email manners.

And that’s not the only email etiquette breach that makes me scratch my head. Every time I have to scroll through 50 email addresses before reading a message from a colleague who used the cc rather than bcc function, I find myself wishing that some kind of licensing or training were required before people were allowed to get on email.

Since that’s never going to happen, here are a few ways to ensure that your email style makes you look as smart as possible and doesn’t annoy those on the receiving end of your messages.

Change the subject line every time you start a new conversation. The email subject line should tell the reader what the message is about. So if an email strand about “next Thursday’s meeting” suddenly morphs into a discussion about “Mary’s retirement party,” consider changing the subject line. Having descriptive subject lines helps people quickly scan their inbox to decide which messages to read first and also helps when searching for a message after a conversation has ended.

Don’t use email when another medium makes more sense. Use email only when it’s the best method. In many work cultures (like at Yahoo!), instant messaging is popular for quick conversations and sending links back and forth. If you know a colleague is on the road a lot and more likely to see a text message than an email, then use text messaging. If you know someone is at her desk and might not check an email about a meeting change in half an hour, the old-fashioned land line might be the best choice.

Answer questions inline. When someone sends an email asking several questions, train yourself to reply inline, inserting your answers directly beneath each question. (Hat tip to Gina Trapani).

Don’t get the last word in. There is usually no reason to cap off a long exchange with “thank you” (and certainly, “you’re welcome”).  An email conversation has to end at some point.

Use the cc function sparingly. Try to cc only those who need to know and avoid cc-ing long lists of people unless it is important that everyone know who else received a message. Certainly don’t use the cc function if you don’t want people on the list to know the names of the other people receiving the same message.

Keep it brief. When was the last time you read a work-related email and wished it was longer?

Ask whether people prefer attachments or inline pasting. Many people dislike receiving attachments, but it’s good to ask someone’s preference if you’re going to be sending documents back and forth. Consider tools that allow two people to share and work on a document together rather than attachments.  I’m a big fan of Google Docs for this purpose. Gina Trapani turned me onto two other tools — Zoho and Approver — that also allow collaborators to share documents.

Give up cutesy handles. Try to stay as close to your name or a shorthand for your name as possible. “Purtygrl” might be just fine for your online dating life, but give it up when you’re corresponding about work matters.

Use personal email for personal correspondence. That includes job searching.

Say no to chain letters and jokes. While the rare forwarded email evokes a smile or a warm feeling, they are mostly irritating. And while you expect those emails from your batty aunt, you don’t want to be getting them from professional contacts.

Avoid shared email addresses. Do not share an email with a spouse or partner (either the professional or the business kind.) Grown-ups should have their own email addresses.

[ by Marci Alboher, Working the New Economy]