Face it, somewhere in the last 15 years, e-mail replaced morse code and snail mail as the go-to form of communication, especially within companies and with clients.

As a result of this success, e-mail not only is a great way to make contact with people. But the downside is you can lose a lot of business if you use it the wrong way.

Here are some tips for proper e-mail etiquette at the office:

Addressing the e-mail
Seems easy right? Fill in the subject line, address it, carbon copy if necessary, and then you’re ready for the body copy.

Not so fast. This is the first thing the recipient will see and first impressions can go a long way -- at least that’s the rumor!

• The subject line should be descriptive. Lines like “Hello” or “Project” don’t cut it – unless you WANT to go to the SPAM folder. A descriptive subject line helps clarify what your message is about and may also help the recipient prioritize reading your e-mail.
• Use the reply button. It creates a thread between e-mails so they read more like a conversation. This helps people keep your information sorted out from the other e-mails they’ve received.
• Use “Reply,” but be careful when hitting “Reply All.” If someone sends 30 people an e-mail asking for help, you don’t need to tell all 30 that you are available. Only e-mail back the person who asked.
• Also, just because your recipient will see the address first, it doesn’t mean you have to fill it in first. Leave the “To” field blank until you have finished proofreading and are ready to send. This avoids the chance of accidentally sending an incomplete e- mail or one full of your personal writing notes.

Writing the e-mail
Cyberspace has become a breeding ground for slang, abbreviations, and informal writing, but it should be left out of business e-mails. Stick to the proper grammar rules. You can still write conversationally, but also be professional.

• Even though you are writing in an informal tone, still pay close attention to basic rules of grammar. This means proofreading. Once you hit send, you can’t take it back.
• Just like a hand-written letter, be sure to open with some sort of greeting, like “Dear Mr. Smith” or “Hi Jon.”
• Be concise. The usual “How are you?” is fine to start off an e-mail, but avoid going off on a tangent. Get to the point of the e-mail as quickly as possible, but also do not forget any important details.
• DO NOT TYPE IN ALL CAPS. This is the Internet equivalent of yelling and this could potentially offend some people.
• Sign your e-mail. You wouldn’t leave a handwritten letter unsigned, so don’t do it now. You shouldn’t assume that people will automatically remember who you are based on your e-mail address.

These tips should supply you some useful guidance, and if followed, decrease the amount of grief cause by insufficient e-mail etiquette.