Use the Subject: Field Properly

What's up with that!? That must be very confusing if not a bit aggravating. These folks must be new to e-mail and to e-mail software to not understand that you don't put the e-mail message itself in the Subject: field.

He then went on to say how he tried everything from gently reminding them that this isn't best practices to do so and even replying with everything in the subject line. Nothing seemed to work!

The Subject: is just that--the "subject"--not the content. The Subject: field should be a handful of words that indicate the e-mail's content--nothing more. Putting entire e-mails in the Subject: field smacks of lack of tech savvy not to mention making reading the e-mail more difficult for the recipient as in most programs one has to scroll to be able to read an arm's length Subject: field before opening it.

Do you have those in your business life that do the same? Send them to my article on Business E-mail Etiquette Basics where I mention the Subject: field should be "short and sweet."

If they still refuse to use this field in the manner it which it is intended all you can do is reply by setting a good example and modifying the Subject: field to properly reflect your discussion.