Our Top 9 Email Etiquette Rules.

1. You should absolutely know the proper way to address your email using the "TO:", "CC:", and "BCC:" fields. Understand that every person receiving the email will see all the recipients, including their email address, when they are listed in the 'To' and 'CC' fields. Use the 'BCC' field to copy yourself, and especially when emailing an announcement to a group of people. Most people really hate people who blast off an email to a list of people and include their email address in the recipient list. Their belief (quite possibly true) is that their address will fall into the hands of spammers when the list is forwarded all over the world with their name in the 'To' field.

2. Think before you send. Once you hit the send button it is too late to change anything. Make sure your information is correct, that you have included everything your need to, and that you have not said things you will later regret. Do not reply when you are angry or feeling like criticizing. Take the time to review and proofread every email.

3. Keep emails brief and to the point. Got it?

4. Do not forward junk mail - and avoid chain mail. You probably will not be struck by lightning if you do not forward that piece of email to 15 people withing the ten minutes given. Most people receive enough email that they do not like receiving these type of items. It is the junk mail of the electronic age.

5. Think before you use the "Reply to All" option. There are cases, like scheduling events or collaborating on a project where this is necessary, but often it is not.

6. DO NOT WRITE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS! In the email world this is the same as shouting or ranting. Use capital letters to emphasize something - but not all the time. As well as being in bad form, it is hard to read!

7. Learn how to use a signature file. This file provides your contact information, and will automatically be included at the end of every email.

8. Spell-check your email, espacially in business communications.

9. Use 'smileys' and acronyms sparingly, and never in business email. Cute little faces are okay occasionally, but I can assure you that using obscure acronyme frustrates people. The first time I saw ROTFLMAO I spent too much time trying to decipher it.