Read Your E-Mail Before Sending

This is the most simple and basic rule one must follow before hitting that Send button. However, this is rule that is often ignored. Take time to proofread before your E-Mail and you avoid errors and misunderstanding. You can correct any mis-spelt words or wrong grammar. More importantly, you can also delete any inappropriate comment that might have got in inadvertently, saving you a lot of grief later on.

Avoid All-Capital Words and Abbreviations

Capital letters should be reserved for the beginning of sentences and proper nouns. Capital letters are akin to shouting on the web. It is not seen as a polite thing to do, and certainly not professional.

The same rule applies for abbreviations. They do not make for easy reading. Some abbreviations (like 'lol' for 'Laughing Out Loud') are considered juvenile and are not suitable at all for a professional environment. Likewise for smileys and emoticons, which are best avoided in a professional environment. You may, of course, use them when the recipient is someone you are very close to.

'High Priority' and 'Reply to All'

Do not abuse these functions in your E-Mail client or program. An email marked 'High Priority' could have a feeling of being more aggressive than it actually is. Moreover, excessive use might actually end up with the recipient not looking at your E-Mail.

Use "Reply to All" only if it is absolutely necessary for all the original  recipients to receive your reply.

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Respond to E-Mails Quickly

People send you an e-mail because they expect a quick response. The rule is to respond to an e-mail within 24 hours and preferably the same day. If you can not immediately respond to a question, send an e-mail saying that you have received their E-Mail and that you will respond as quickly as possible. Thus, the person knows that you will get back soon.

Structure Your E-Mail

Reading on a screen is harder than reading a printed document. So be sure to structure your E-Mail. Use a clear layout. Short sentences and paragraphs make an E-Mail easier to read. If you are using a list, make sure to have bullets to delineate each point in the list.

Using the BCC Field

Use the BCC field when you do not want recipients to know who else you have sent the e-mail to. The BCC field ensures privacy of your contacts since recipients can not view this field. If you use the BCC field, but be sure to leave the 'To' or 'Reply To' blank, or your e-mail may be considered spam.

E-Mail Has Limits

Do not use E-Mail to avoid having a conversation. Do not send angry potentially inflammatory E-Mail when a heart-to-heart conversation either in person or over the phone is needed. E-Mail is not good for debates, accusations or personal attacks. E-Mail is really designed for convenience, not for urgency.