You'll get these from time to time. I delete them. People who send out emails like this never get a chance to correspond with me again.

Be personal. When you send someone email, at least check his/her web site to see if there is a name listed.

4. Typing in all caps or all small letters. I know email is cheap, but WHO WANTS TO BE SHOUTED AT? I read a lot of email every day, some of it junk, some of it important. I'm very forgiving to those whose second language is English, but if your primary language is English, could you please write your email same way you would write a real letter?

i don't like getting emails tht look lik this. i wonder about your iq.

You can delete those too unless it's really important. Maybe these people will read my article and take a hint.

Take time to write your emails where they are legible and easy to read. This is your reputation here. Show that you are a professional.

I know that occasionally I make a mistake here and there in thing I type. I probably write several thousands words a week. It's not intentional. A lot of what I see is though.

5. You subscribe to my newsletter list and then expect me to pay for you to receive email because you claim it's spam.

Yep, I had one of these too, only guy subscribed to my ecourse. 30 lessons. I was supposed to pay at least 15 cents for him to receive each email because he wouldn't approve receiving an ecourse he subscribed to.

Those, you can put on global remove. Save other webmasters with your web hosting trouble of doing it themselves.

6. You're not on vacation, but you reply anyway. I get quite a few of these. I delete them. I don't mind a customer or reader who is legitimately on vacation, but if you want to send me your offer, take time to write me an email. I don't have time to read autoreplies, and I might mistake it for spam and put you on my spam list.

Unless you really are on vacation, save autoreply for when you do go on vacation.

7. You don't include contact information or removal instructions. The part about removal instructions I already covered.

I'm always nervous about doing business with someone who doesn't offer contact information. I've even replied to a few emails that I thought were legitimate and they bounced.

If you want to build a relationship with someone, provide your information. Build credibility. Show that you are a legitimate business.

By now you are either laughing or fuming. Either one is ok. This article is meant to make you think about your reputation, your presentation, and your professionalism. If you really want to build a business online, and you really want to make money, then make every effort to look your best.

Although doing business online can sometimes be different from doing business offline, some things never change. Good manners is one of them.

Liability

Part I of Maximizing E-mail Security ROI series discussed serious problem of spam flood rushing toward enterprise gateway. While primary costs of spam are largely volume-related, just one offensive or disparaging internal e-mail can be equally damaging to company coffers. As overall volume of e-mail sent across Internet rises exponentially, we have seen a corresponding spike in number of messages containing jokes, images, video clips and other non-workplace-appropriate content sent from one employee to another within an organization or to friends and family outside organization.

The frequently sexual or racial nature of this “friendly fire” spam means that organizations must be more vigilant than ever in ensuring that these messages never reach their intended targets. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that employers are potentially liable for sexual harassment by their employees, even if they are unaware of it. Employees who feel violated by an e-mail sent from a coworker can file a lawsuit alleging a hostile work environment and cause significant financial harm to an enterprise found legally liable for violation. According to ePolicy Institute, over a quarter (27%) of large companies have defended themselves against claims of sexual harassment resulting from inappropriate e-mail and/or Internet use. For example, Chevron paid $2.2 million to settle a sexual harassment suit stemming from tasteless e-mail sent to female employees from male employees.

Enterprises face additional risk of an employee sending false or slanderous e-mail about coworkers, employer or their competition. One of most egregious cases involves UK firm Norwich Union. In 1999, an employee sent an e-mail stating that one of their main competitors was in financial trouble and being investigated by Department of Trade and Industry. The competitor took legal action against Norwich Union and received £450,000 (over $840,000 USD) in an out-of-court settlement.

Reputation and Credibility

They say “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Don’t believe them. A sufficiently disgruntled employee, male or female, could giveth her a serious run for her money. While airing gripes around water cooler is relatively standard practice in many organizations, airing those same gripes via e-mail can prove devastating to a company’s image. Damage from negative remarks e-mailed outside company by employees is both immediate and residual—the message recipient might choose to forward it to a friend, or post it on an industry message board or Internet rumor mill. Once message leaves enterprise gateway, you don’t know where it may turn up…but you know that it will. Whether information being circulated is true or not is completely irrelevant—the damage is done instant “Send” button is clicked.

There is no doubt that contents of corporate e-mails reflect on business. UK law firm Norton Rose learned this hard way when two of their employees distributed sexually graphic “Claire Swire” e-mail, which has been read by over 10 million people around world (there’s a decent chance you’re one of them). As Norton Rose was clearly identified by name in e-mail, this scandal caused massive reputation damage and continues to circulate today, compounding harm already done. This is but one example; a UK study revealed that small- to medium-sized businesses are losing £1.5 billion ($2.8 billion USD) every year to e-mail and web abuse and misuse, representing a 15% dent in their potential profits. Can your company afford to operate on a fraction of its normal revenue every year? Neither can most.

Lay Down Law

E-Mail policy enforcement must be an ongoing effort across enterprise. To learn more about how to ensure that your company doesn’t suffer consequences of careless e-mail behavior, download CipherTrust’s FREE whitepaper, Controlling Spam: The IronMail Way.

Part IV of this series will consider issues involved in determining ROI for preventing e-mail system intrusion.