As business people who receive and send dozens of emails every day, we'd like to share some techniques on composing an effective business email:

Write a meaningful subject line

Not only will your well-written subject line get your message past spam filters, it also announces, in a few well-chosen words, what your email is about. Instead of the word "Meeting" as the subject, "Reminder: 2:30PM Scheduling Meeting Tues. April 30" provides the recipient with useful information. Not only will the recipient know which meeting, he would also be able to easily search for it, and the tone is that of a friendly reminder.

Make one point per email

Often it would be more beneficial for the recipient to receive separate emails when, for instance, one topic might require a short reply, and another topic may require more research. Separate emails will provide clearer answers and help both sender and recipient manage their inboxes.

If there are several points relating to the same project, make each stand out by putting them in separate, numbered paragraphs. This will also increase the likelihood that each point will be seen and addressed.

Proofread, proofread, proofread

Spell checking is not enough. Typos that form valid words (i.e. "their" and "there") and grammatical snafus are not corrected by spell checkers. Your business communication reflects your company image. Ensure your business credibility by proofreading your emails before hitting "Send".

• Keep your message readable
• To help readability, skip lines between paragraphs.
• Avoid fancy typefaces that your recipients may not have on their computer.
• Avoid background patterns and colors.
• Avoid bold or italic fonts to add nuance. Many people's email readers only display plain text. Use asterisks to show *emphasis*.
• Use standard capitalization. All caps implies shouting.
• Spell out the first use of an acronym.
• Replying to All

Most problems arise when a sender lists all the email addresses in the "To:" and "CC" (carbon copy) fields of an email. This does not give you permission to email anyone who didn't ask for your opinion. Even if you know most of the people on the list, most of the time, you should reply only to the sender unless someone is mentioned in the text of the email. As a sender, you should respect the privacy of your contacts by putting them in the "BCC" (blind carbon copy) field. Not everyone appreciates receiving unasked for opinions and, even worse, from people they don't know.

Web links

Some email clients (email reading software) will recognize web addresses (URLs) in the text of the email and make them clickable to the website. If a web address wraps to the next line, it's likely that clicking on it won't work. If you really want someone to click on the link, take the time to shorten it using a web-based utility like SnipURL or TinyURL.

Reply in context

When emails are flying back and forth it's best to quote the text you are answering so there are no misunderstandings.

Send and name attachments with care

If you must send an attachment, remember that it may be saved and searched for later. An attachment named "company-xyz-proposal.pdf" would be easier to retrieve than "proposal.pdf".

Recognize formal vs informal situations

When writing to a friend it's fine to use abbreviations, nonstandard punctuation, and spelling like that found in chat rooms. At the same time, recognize when your recipient expects a more formal approach.

Prepare a complete signature

End your emails with a signature that includes your name, title, organization, email address, website, and phone. A complete signature immediately verifies your business credibility.

Don't send an email at all

Knowing when not to send an email is as important as writing an effective one. If it doesn't feel right to send a computer message, then don't. Emotion and nuance are hard to convey in an email. Some situations call for a face-to-face or, at the very least, a phone call.

Learn more about technology and how it affects us daily. Come to the next Redwood Technology Consortium (RTC) quarterly meeting.

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Lynn Harvey and Joel Mielke are owners of Carson Park Design, a full-service advertising agency and graphic design studio in Eureka, CA. Locally, they are members of the Redwood Technology Consortium and are active in both the Eureka and Arcata Chambers of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center.

Copyright 2010 Eureka Times-Standard Newspaper. The print version of this article first appeared in the 4/15/10 edition of the Times-Standard.