Entrepreneurs are busy and social people. As such, they deal with countless people throughout the day – handling calls, heading to meetings, and responding to emails. As such, a successful entrepreneur should take the time to discover the best email practices for their style.
Email can be an effective and productive way to communicate – both with individuals and large groups. As such, it is a key tool for entrepreneurs to use, so mastering email etiquette and efficiency is essential.
Never Forget the Subject Line
The subject line of an email is more than just a courtesy. This is an integral part of the process that cannot be overlooked. A subject line can help gather the appropriate attention and indicate the email’s subject matter (as the name implies).
The importance of the subject line goes further than that. A suitably formatted subject line can help with email organization. An entrepreneur can potentially cut down on hours searching for the correct email as needed by following this simple rule.
For the record, this rule also applies when creating a marketing email. Potential customers are much less likely to open an email if there’s no subject line – it looks too spammy.
Professional Appearance
All emails should have a clean and professional appearance. This goes beyond the formatting of the email itself. It is considered more professional for business emails to use an email address connected to its website (instead of @gmail.com, for example). Additionally, when setting up the email address, remember that coworkers and customers will see it and thus should also be a professional one—ideally, first and last name.
Email Signature
A nicely designed email signature can be the final touch for an entrepreneur’s perfect email. In general, an email signature should include at least four elements: name, title, company, and links.
One can also add additional elements, such as a professional-looking photo, a blurb, or a quote, as long as the signature looks cohesive and provides the desired impression of the entrepreneur.
Etiquette Advice
When sending an email, regardless of whether it is personal or professional, certain etiquette should be followed. For example, it is common courtesy to spell the recipient’s name correctly, address them directly, and avoid spelling errors throughout the email.
Other etiquette advice would include responding to an email promptly and sending follow-up emails when an email sits around for a certain length of time. All of these tips can help an entrepreneur rise to the top and present the best possible image.