Top 10 Scariest Email “Boo-Boos”!

October 31, 2008 by Marge
Filed under E-mail Etiquette, WordPress Tips

On this day of being scary, screaming and acting like someone or something else, what a perfect time to write about the…. Top 10 Scariest Email “Boo-Boos”:

10. Not capitalizing your name properly. Are you dressed up as a grade schooler today?

9. Not including and pleasant greeting and closing in every email. Only zombies type that way!

8. Not spell-checking. No excuse fore typos — use the spell checker.

7. Bolding selected type or changing the font to red provides emphasis — strong emphasis. Be sure the level of emphasis you desire is clear — the other side will assume the highest level when formatting of this kind is used. Unless you are dressed up as a politician for Halloween; ditch the emphasis and choose your words more carefully instead.

6. Not having your e-mail settings setup correctly so that your name reflects properly in the From: field. Don’t be surprised if your emails get misidentified as spam.

5. Not using the Subject: field properly. Short, sweet and relevant to your email’s content or you risk your email not being opened. Even on Halloween when you are trying to be something you are not — don’t do the same with your Subject:.

4. Sending unannounced large attachments. Always ask first when would be the best time to send (and what format the other side prefers).

3. Forwarding silly jokes, political commentary and “feel good” emails to those who didn’t ask for them. And to make things worse, you put all your contact;s email addresses in the To: field (instead of BCc:) thereby exposing their addresses to strangers. Yikes!

2. Using multiple instances of punctuation is perceived as being demanding and condescending. One exclamation point or question mark is enough. Eeeeek!

1. And, the #1 Scariest Email Boo-Boo is…
Assuming none of these issues matter and that you can do what you want. Perception is the only reality online — it’s your choice if you want to be perceived as educated and courteous. Don’t care? That will be clear too!