What would we do these days without email? Most American families now have a home computer and many find that staying in touch with their friends and family is easier with email than "snail" mail. Writing a letter on a computer is faster and easier to edit than writing by hand. It takes almost no time for an email to reach its destination. You could have many messages sent and replies received in the time it would take a letter to be delivered. Email has become almost indispensable in business. However, the style and format for a business email should be more formal than when writing to friends. Below, we present an article that provides guidance for sending business emails. The article is specifically geared to writers or other freelancers who are writing emails to prospective employers, agents or content buyers. Since we are a content buyer, I will say a few words about what we prefer to see when we read our incoming emails. First, it is important that the Subject field of the email is filled in and is concise but meaningful. If a writer is submitting an article for possible publication on this web site, we'd like to see a Subject such as "LFC submission - My Proposed Topic". Substitute the topic of your proposed article for "My Proposed Topic". If the Subject is blank or doesn't clearly indicate the purpose of the email, we may delete it without even reading it! We get many emails each and every day. If you want to stand out in the crowd, say something to get our attention, but say it succinctly. Of course you should provide the information we ask for in our Writer's Guidelines, but you will be more likely to be remembered if you use a little humor or point out something unique about yourself. The topic of your proposed article is a major factor in our decision about whether or not we are interested in buying your submission. Be sure that you understand our Writer's Guidelines and have read several of our published articles so that you know what we may be interested in buying. If your article is passionate and gives solutions for a general condition or problem, along with some description of your encounters with the topic, we'll be more likely to be interested in buying your piece. We endeavor to be businesslike yet friendly in all of our emails. We will be honest but not overly harsh in our evaluations of all submitted work. We state clearly what the next step in the process will be and we provide a timeframe that we strive to keep to. This, and the points mentioned above, is what we look for as well in the emails we receive. Related Links: NetManners.com is a site with extensive information on how to behave online. Their multi-part article on Net Etiquite 101 should be essential reading for all computer users! Email Replies is a site that explains how to send effective email replies. It discusses why email etiquette is necessary and lists email etiquette rules. It provides advice on implementing an email policy for businesses. Read what American Express' Small Business site has to say about Email Etiquette. Here is another good article on Email Etiquette. For more information on Email and Business Etiquette, we recommend the following books:
E-mail Basics (SparkCharts)	This two-page chart covers: Basic universal email features. The 10 cardinal rules of email. 5 questions to ask yourself before sending an email. Rules and etiquette for personal email. Rules and etiquette for professional email. Emoticons, abbreviations, and acronyms. Instant messaging and text messaging. Spam. Viruses and worms.
Because Netiquette Matters!: Your Comprehensive Reference Guide to EMail Etiquette and Proper Technology Use	Imagine... You can practice proper e-mail etiquette and avoid looking inexperienced in just 24 hours! In Judith Kallos' powerful new book, Because Netiquette Matters!, learn the nuances of e-mail etiquette and every day technology use from a personal and business perspective. In easy to understand terminology, the author has a conversation with you as though you were getting your personalized tutoring session on the important issue of online etiquette. Many of the topics covered by the book are often encountered by people online, and they will only take a little effort on your part to apply. With the combination of this book and its growing website, you now have access to this important information on or offline so you may thrive online! Remember, online ignorance is not bliss and perception is the only reality!
E-Writing: 21st-Century Tools for Effective Communication	Are you guilty of email "trigger finger"? Do you constantly "cc" people you never even see? What are today's rules for conducting business over the Internet? Now, The Elements of Style meets "the Miss Manners of memos" in the ultimate writing guide for the digital age. E-Writing is poised to become the new bible of business writing. Accessible and inviting, this Web-savvy "how-to" book promises to transform anxious e-mail hacks and mediocre memo writers into eloquent electronic scribes in no time at all.
Encyclopedia of Business Letters, Fax Memos, and E-Mail	Here you'll find the most complete and up-to-date collection of model business correspondence for every conceivable occasion -- sample letters, memos, and e-mails you can use as is or adapt for your own purposes. The result? You eliminate hours of wasted time and effort composing correspondence; we've already done the work for you. You can get your message across clearly, easily, and quickly...so you cut writing time and can focus on more important tasks. The Encyclopedia contains more than 300 model letters with instructions for adapting each to your particular situation. Letters are organized into chapters by category, and the detailed table of contents guides you quickly to the letter that best suits your needs.