Also, take the time to delete long header text when you're forwarding or replying to an e-mail. This shows the recipient that you know their time is valuable, too. And above all, proofread your message for spelling and grammar before you send it. In cyberspace, people only know you from what you type. If you're sloppy with the basics, how can anyone trust you when it's really important?
Always fill-in the subject line! When you start receiving dozens of e-mails a day, you'll come to appreciate people who use subject lines. The subject line is the only label you have to identify each of the messages in your mailbox. Use something appropriate, such as the topic sentence or the main idea. Be sure to keep it brief, though, since most e-mail clients only show the first 20-30 characters of the subject line anyway.
Be careful with formatting. Remember that not everyone uses the same software to read their e-mail. Just because you can center your text and make it green and boldface doesn't mean your recipient can too! Some e-mail clients make all messages left-justified plain text, no matter how they were sent. If it's important to use formatting, make sure the recipient can read it first.
Think about signature files. These files are text files that you can include with each message. They provide information about you, the sender. Keep them short, less than 10 lines. Long ones make threads hard to read because of the extra text separating each message. Signature files usually include the following information:
Name
E-mail Address
@Homepage Address
Character Quote
A character quote is that cute little phrase or saying you often see at the end of a signature file. It can be funny or serious. It can be a favorite saying of yours. Perhaps you have a line from a movie that you really like. It is meant to let your reader know a little something extra about you.
Use care when attaching files. Attachments are an easy way to share programs, graphics, sounds, or any other kind of file you find on your computer. If you intend to send someone a large file (say, greater than @20K) you should contact them and ask their permission first. There are three reasons for this. First, you don't even know if they have e-mail software that can handle attached files. Second, large files (we're talking megabytes here) can completely fill someone's e-mail box.
