Emails 101

You probably know about emails - they've been a thing since at least the early 70s. But still, to make sure we're on the same page...

Emails are messages sent between two users via the internet. Emails are sent from and to email addresses - they look like this: some-username@somedomain.com - and so in order to send or receive emails you need an email address.

One way to get an email address is to install an email server on a computer or server you have access to. An email server is a computer program that uses SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) to send and receive messages from other email servers. All email servers which are online can send and receive emails from each other, and so together they form a sort of decentralized network.

Email providers

But you most likely don't want to set up your own email server - they are pretty complicated, and there are plenty of email providers who will offer you an email address for free; emails are cheap to send and receive, and so they hope to get more business from you if they give you a free email.

Some of the more popular email providers are:

But there are several other options, some you pay for and some you dont, a list of European alternatives can be found here.

When you register an account with one of these providers, you can use a browser to visit their website, log in with a username and password they give you, and read and write emails.

Many of them also have a corresponding app which can be installed on a mobile devices - you use the same username and password to log in on the app. So that's pretty neat.

Writing an email

When you write an email to someone you don't know well or at all, you should strive to follow these rules:

  1. The subject should provide state clearly what the email is about
    Consider that someone may want to search for this email months from now, which is next to impossible if the subject is something like hello or newsletter.
  2. Clearly state to the receiver why you're writing them
    Preferably in a concise, focused manner, right after introducing yourself (if they don't know you).
  3. Make sure you provide all the information they will need
    If you're asking for help or writing someone in an official capacity, you need to make sure you've provided them with all the data they need to help you with your request. Think about what you want from them, and then make it easy for them to give it to you.
  4. End with an appropriate sign-off and your name
    E.g. Regards, Sincerely, Best, Cheers. Match the tone to the relationship you have with the person you're writing. Don't write 'Love, Danny' to your supervisor - and don't write 'Regard, Daniel' to your grandma.

Remember that while emails are quick to send, they're not necessarily read immediately, nor can you expect them to be. They're more like letters than texts - sometimes people need a bit of time to respond. On the other hand, when you receive an email, try to get back to the recipient within a reasonable timeframe.

Replying to an email

Replying to an email is a little bit different than writing an email. You're not the one writing the subject, for one, and not usually the one who needs to provide information, unless you're asked to in the email.

When you reply to an email, you should:

  • Match the tone of the email
    If the person writing to you is informal, you can be informal. If the person writing to you is formal, keep your reply formal. This is like communicating in Real Lifeā„¢ - so it shouldn't present much of a challenge.
  • Don't necessarily reply to everyone
    Sometimes emails are sent to a group of people, and then it feels right to reply to everyone as well. But give it some thought before you press 'Reply All' - are all 30 people interested in hearing if you're going to the Christmas party or not?
  • Don't CC a lot of people
    The CC field - which stands for carbon copy - is used to notify people about something, but people who are CC'd are not expected to reply or take any action based on the email. Only CC people when it's absolutely necessary - or when company policy requires it. Don't CC people's managers to be a dick or apply pressure. Just don't.

What else?

I'm not sure. What else do you need? Shoot me an email and let me know!