emails, memos, and letters

• Email, text messages, memos and business letters are part of our communication landscape, and skilled business communicators consider them a valuable tool to connect. 
• Netiquette refers to etiquette, or protocols and norms for communication, on the Internet.
• Electronic mail, widely known as “email,” is by volume the most popular written communication channel in the history of human civilization. 
• Most are for business purposes because email is such a flexible channel ideal for anything from short, routine information shares, requests, and responses the length of a text, to important formal messages delivering the content that letters and memos used to handle.
• Use appropriate salutations: Proper salutations should demonstrate respect and avoid mix-ups in case a message is accidentally sent to the wrong recipient. For example, use a salutation like “Dear Ms. X,” (external) or “Hi, Barry,” or “Dear Barry,” (internal).
• Make subject lines clear: Subject lines should be clear, brief, and specific. This helps the recipient understand the essence of the message. For example, “Proposal attached” or “Your question of 10/25.”
• Be brief: Omit unnecessary words.
• Use a clear format: Include line breaks between sentences or divide your message into brief paragraphs for ease of reading.
• Have one clear purpose: If you find yourself covering more than one topic in your email, you should consider sending multiple emails so that your reader does not miss important information.
• Test links: If you include a link, test it to make sure it works.
• Announce attachments: If you include attachments, don’t forget to mention them in your message.
• Close with a signature: Identify yourself by creating a signature block that automatically contains your name and business contact information. It is becoming increasingly common for businesses to add First Nations Land Acknowledgements to their email signatures. It is important to find out from your organization if they use First Nations Land Acknowledgements and how to accurately include them in your signature.
• Reread, revise, and review: Catch and correct spelling and grammar mistakes before you press “send.” It will take more time and effort to undo the problems caused by a hasty, poorly written email than to get it right the first time.
• Reply promptly: Watch out for an emotional response—never reply in anger—but make a habit of replying to all emails within 24 hours, even if only to say that you will provide the requested information in 48 or 72 hours.
• Use “Reply All” sparingly: Do not send your reply to everyone who received the initial email unless your message absolutely needs to be read by the entire group
• Remember the human on the other side of the electronic communication.
• Adhere to the same standards of behaviour online that you follow in real life.
• Know where you are in cyberspace.
• Share expert knowledge.
• Respect other people’s privacy.
• Don’t abuse your power.
• Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes (Shea, 1994).
• Virginia Shea’s rules of netiquette
• messages, or texting and instant messaging, have become a common way to connect
• Improved communication which is especially important when employees are not in the same physical space.
• Streamlined workflow which helps teams to work more effectively
• Better employee engagement which increases productivity
• Enhanced project management which reduces the chance of confusion
• Stronger team relationships which helps create a positive work environment
• A memo (or memorandum, meaning “reminder”) is normally used for communicating policies, procedures, or related official business within an organization.
• Review sites, blogs, tweets, and online community forums are some of the continually developing means of social media being harnessed by business and industry to reach customers and other stakeholders. 
• First, recognize that every modern business or organization should have a social media presence in the sites they expect their customer base to frequent, especially popular sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 
• Next, follow expert advice on how to properly take advantage of social media in detail to promote your operation and reach people
• social media is a constantly evolving environment. Stay on trend by continually searching out and implementing the latest advice similar to the above.
• always consider how the sites you access and what you post represent you and your employer, even if you think others don’t know where you work or who you are. Internet service providers (ISPs) are required by law to archive information concerning the use and traffic of information that can become available under subpoena. 
• It is often written from a one-to-all perspective (like mass communication), broadcasting a message to an audience, rather than a one-on-one, interpersonal communication. It may also be used to update a team on activities for a given project or to inform a specific group within a company of an event, action, or observance.
• Memos can be tricky because they often communicate to multiple audiences who have different levels of knowledge about the context. 
• Professional memos are organized according to one of two strategies: Direct and indirect.
• The direct organization strategy presents the purpose of the document in the first paragraph (sometimes the first sentence) and provides supporting details in the body.
• The indirect organization strategy opens with relevant, attention-getting details that do not directly state the purpose of the document. The purpose is revealed in the body of the message, usually sandwiched between supporting details.