Message Sizes and Attachments

• Attaching non-text files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, for example), graphics (JPG and GIF, among others), and multimedia elements (like video) to an e-mail message can quickly overwhelm a recipient’s inbox and/or the mail server. As these attachments result in significantly larger message sizes, avoid using them unless absolutely necessary.
• Be aware of the size limitations enforced by the company’s email administrators, and govern your activities accordingly to ensure all messages get through.
• Use alternative methods, like FTP and network-based file services, to transfer files that exceed these limits. Do not use the email system as a quasi-file management system.
• Also consider posting the message to a web site, then e-mailing the URL to your recipient. See the URLs section below for specific guidelines.

  File Formats

 

• If you do have to attach a non-text file to a message (for example, a Word document or an Adobe Acrobat PDF file), make sure that the recipients have access to software that will be able to read the file. Do not assume, for example, that everyone can read the file format you are using.
• In particular, if you are using a relatively new version of a package, ensure that the people to whom you are sending the file are also using that version. Older versions of the software may not be capable of reading files created with the upgraded program.

URLs

• Although most mail programs allow the reader to double-click on a URL to open the Web page in the default browser, do not assume that this is universally the case.
• Consequently, spell URLs out completely, each one on its own line and separate by sufficient white space above, below, and on either side.
• When using links, it's best to copy and paste them into the e-mail message. Avoid manually typing them in, as even one mistake can render the URL useless.
• Follow the same process for email addresses and other Internet-specific addresses.

 

This blog is part of the Email Best Practices Series.  Check out the other blog posts in the series: 

• Sending
• Maintenance
• Smartphones
• Security
• Forwarding & Redirecting
  

Email messages that have been forwarded or re-directed a number of times can get confusing for the recipients.  There will likely be numerous sections and multiple authors.  There are a few best practices you should follow when forwarding and redirecting an email chain.  

• Each section should identify the author.
  
• Be careful that the entire message you are forwarding is “appropriate” for all the new receivers.
• Forwarded messages can grow in size, particularly if several different people have forwarded it and added comments. Be aware of this if you edit the message.
• As a courtesy, before forwarding messages you might consider notifying the sender of the message.
• A message that has been forwarded or re-directed a number of times have topic changes.  As a topic changes or is focused consider starting a new email or changing the subject of the email.

This blog is part of the Email Best Practices Series.  Check out the other blog posts in the series:

• Sending
• Maintenance
• Smartphones
  

Security is paramount to keeping your email safe.  A good rule of thumb is to always assume anything you send or receive via email is not secure.  Ask yourself would this e-mail cause you or the company concerns if it were posted on the company bulletin board? 

Spam and unwanted emails are also a security concern.  See the tips below to make sure you are doing what you can to keep your email safe.  If the volume of spam becomes unmanageable, contact your email administrators to help reduce the amount of junk mail and spam that reaches your inbox.  Jelecos uses Google’s Postini Message Filtering service, your email admins likely use a similar application.  Frequently quick changes in the spam filtering can solve a spam overflow..  

Security

• Any message – even if it is strongly encrypted – may be read by others.
• Anything you receive may not have originated from where it says it does as mail headers are easily forged.
• Do not open a message that seems suspect.
• Never disclose anything confidential, such as your password or a credit card number, in an email message.
• If you suspect your email has been compromised in any way, contact your email administrator immediately.

 Junk Mail or Spam

• Spam is defined as unsolicited commercial email and it virtually never has anything to do with your business function.
• Never reply to junk mail.
• Never give out your email address to an un-trusted source. Be cautious when using your corporate address for signing up online. Spammers harvest these lists for valid addresses, and pretty soon your inbox will be full.

 This blog is part of the Email Best Practices Series.  Check out the other blog posts in the series: 

• Sending
• Maintenance

 

These days it feels like everyone has a smartphone!  It's hard to keep a conversation going when your pals are constantly checking their email on their iPhone or Blackberry.  Smartphones have opened the floodgates for people to receive, read and respond to email from virtually anywhere.  It's becoming more and more common to expect someone with a Smartphone is always available to read and respond to emails, and that they do so.  Email has taken the place of other more appropriate means of communication.  If you need an immediate response, consider calling over email or, if possible, a face-to-face conversation.

If you reply to emails from your Smartphone be cautious of misspelled words and your use of abbreviations.  Take a moment before sending and read through your email to be sure everything is spelled correctly and can be easily understood by the reader.  

One last tip:  if you have a Smartphone you should protect it with a password.  This helps secure not only your emails but all the contact information stored in the device.

This blog is part of the Email Best Practices Series.  Check out the other blog posts in the series:

• Sending
• Maintenance

 

Your organizational leaders are challenged with ensuring employees are properly trained in maintaining appropriately-sized email stores.  Anything you can do to keep your email account organized helps.  A well maintained email account also ensures you are taking action on received emails in a timely manner.  Below are a few tips for maintaining and organizing your email account:

• Read mail frequently, daily if possible but at least several times per week.
• Reply to mail promptly. Even if you don't have the time to compose a full response, a quick message to acknowledge receipt and set expectations for a more detailed response is always appreciated.
• After taking any action needed, file the message in an appropriate folder or delete it. Do not maintain a long list of in limbo messages in your inbox.

This blog is part of the Email Best Practices Series.  Check out the other blog posts in the series:

Sending Email