Column A

$1.$

Identify the goal of your email:

Identify the goal of your email

$2.$

Consider your audience:

Consider your audience

$3.$

Keep it concise:

Keep it concise

$4.$

Proofread your email before sending:

Proofread your email before sending

$5.$

Remember to follow up:

Remember to follow up

$6.$

Include a brief, concise subject line:

Include a brief, concise subject line

$7.$

Use a professional and appropriate greeting:

Use a professional and appropriate greeting

$8.$

Include a brief, concise introduction:

Include a brief, concise introduction

$9.$

Use sentence case in your email:

Use sentence case in your email

$10.$

Keep your tone professional:

Keep your tone professional

$11.$

Use positive language:

Use positive language

$12.$

Stay away from emojis:

Stay away from emojis

$13.$

Perfect your email signature:

Perfect your email signature

$14.$

Use standard fonts and formatting:

Use standard fonts and formatting

$15.$

Email from a professional address:

Email from a professional address

$16.$

Double$-$check any attachments:

Double$-$check any attachments

$17.$

Be cautious with "Reply All":

Be cautious with "Reply All"

$18.$

Think before forwarding:

Think before forwarding

$19.$

Use Bcc appropriately:

Use Bcc appropriately

$20.$

Start new email threads for new topics:

Start new email threads for new topics

Column B

Column B

a$.$When preparing to send an email, begin by identifying the purpose of your message. Is it to book a meeting or follow up on a previous discussion? Being clear with your intention ensures that the message stays direct and concise.

b$.$The best practice for forwarding is to summarize what's being discussed, so the recipient quickly knows what you're sharing with them. It's also important to keep in mind that some emails are not intended to be forwarded and may contain private or sensitive information. Use caution when forwarding.

c$.$Including a brief and concise subject line will increase the recipient's chance of opening the email and help them prioritize it accordingly. Be sure to always include a subject line. Emails without one will show up in an inbox as $"$No subject" and might go unread.

d$.$Having a clear and well$-$formatted email signature leaves a lasting impression. Your signature should include your full name, job title, company website, and phone number. A template will usually be provided by your company. Having clear contact information is essential, particularly if you are searching for a job or working for yourself. Check your email signature on different devices to see how it looks to your recipients and is easy to read.

e$.$If you want to address a new topic with a group or individual, begin a new message rather than adding the matter to an existing and unrelated thread. This method ensures you and other recipients keep communications as organized as possible.

f$.$It is considered a professional courtesy to address the email recipient using their title and surname, for example, $"$Mr$.$ Smith" or $"$Dr$.$ Jones." If you have a cordial relationship with the receiver, you may address them by their first name.

g$.$Be intentional about maintaining a positive tone throughout your emails. Because written communication doesn't allow for the subtleties of body language and voice inflection, using positive language is the best way to ensure your message reads as friendly and confident. For example, instead of using words such as "problem" or "trouble," consider using words like "opportunity" or "challenge.

h$.$After using a professional and appropriate greeting, it is good practice to include a brief introduction. This gives the reader a general idea of why you are sending the email.

i$.$A professional or work email is not the place to recount your weekend adventures. Stick to the goal of your email and use direct, positive language

j$.$Bcc stands for blind carbon copy. Any email recipients specified in the Bcc field do not appear in the header or to the recipients in the To or Cc fields. Using Bcc is good etiquette if you want to protect someone's email address from being exposed to others. For example, if you email a group of subcontractors about a change in policy or procedure, it is appropriate to Bcc everyone on the list.

k$.$Be sure to double$-$check any attachments you've included with an email. It is a good idea to let the recipient know in the body of your email that you have attached a file, and it is courteous to compress or zip the attachment to take up less storage space. If a document is too large, include a link to a secure cloud storage file where the recipient can access the information.

l$.$The benefit of using "Reply All" is that you can respond to everyone at once. However, this can also lead to inundating a group of people with unnecessary emails. When in doubt, reply directly back to the person who sent the original email.

m$.$Proper spelling, punctuation and grammar are essential when sending written correspondence. After you finish writing an email, read i