After returning from maternity leave, I was immediately presented with a clear case of poor email etiquette. Astonished at the lack of professionalism, I began thinking about communication ethics in our now 24/7 crazy work and personal lives, particularly with social media playing a dominant role. 
While it can be easy to fall into shorthand communication reminiscent of texting to quickly convey a point or ask a question over email, spending a few extra moments to take care in email communications can mean the difference in having a positive impact or ruffling feathers regardless of the intended recipient (client, vendor or colleague). Here are a few do’s and don’ts for proper communication:
Do Add Please and Thank You: Most professionals today set-up email signatures that include a closing line “Best, Mary” or “Thanks! Bill”. While that’s nice, consider including a please and thank you in the body of the email. People notice!
Do Re-read Emails: Nothing is worse than receiving an email that is curt, terse or riffled with errors as it shows you didn’t care enough to take the extra minute to be professional.
Don’t Over Do It: While common courtesy and manners can take you a long way, it’s not necessary to harken back to the 1800s with overloaded formalities. Keep it polite but not too formal.
Don’t Send If You Would Be Offended: If it sounds rude or short to you or you are concerned it may not be well received, don’t send it. In the end it will save you countless hours of time and headache and will help avoid cleaning up a mess based on a reactionary/knee jerk, rushed and rude email.