Business Netiquette

Originating e-mail.
When originating e-mail, say where you obtained the e-mail address of the person to whom you are writing. Or mention the web page name or URL, if you e-mailed off a web page. Many business people have more than one page on the Internet and knowing from where or why you are contacting them is helpful. It might even get you a more meaningful reply.
In addition, always put something in the Subject box.
Messages that arrive with no indication of source and no Subject are very likely to be treated as “junk mail.”
Do not send ‘attachments’ (files attached to an e-mail message) with your e-mail unless and until your correspondent has indicated that they will accept it. Ask first!

e-Mailheads and Signatures.
Create an e-mail letterhead for formal proposals, contracts, offers, and the like. But, use it sparingly, and only when appropriate. Recipients may balk at the wasted linage, unless there is a clear purpose. Keep it short - 3 lines are enough.
Proper use would be whenever it is necessary to make it clear that the message is from your company, rather than from yourself, such as an offer to purchase.
Create a signature for consistency. Keep it short and concise. Include your e-mail address in case the signature gets separated from the header. Don't duplicate in your signature any material you have in your e-mailhead.

Capitalizing, and other odd things.
Business communication requires proper use of written language. It requires proper use of capital letters. Some offices permit - even encourage - all lower-case for internal memos. But, this is rude and slovenly when used for inter-company communications. Would you write a business letter on company letterhead using all lower-case? Hope not!

Specifics

internet - is a generic term, not a proper noun. Use lower case and capitalize only at the beginning of a sentence. (However, many journalists are capitalizing Internet. By today's rules, this is not correct, but English is a living language with custom a major factor. In time, it may be correct to capitalize Internet.)

intranet - is a common noun. Capitalize at the beginning of a sentence and when the word has been particularized - as in the IBM Intranet (like the Ohio River), but: IBM's intranet.

World Wide Web - should be capitalized, according to Webster's - see below. (However, by the same rule, other things of the same class like gopher and archie should be capitalized, too. As these are rarely capitalized, you may decide not to capitalize “world wide web.” Whatever you choose, be consistent.)

The initials, WWW, which stand for “World Wide Web,” should be in capitals. (But Webster's does not always capitalize abbreviations. If you capitalize the whole phrase, capitalize the abbreviation, and vice versa.)

e-mail - the “e” is always lower case. At the beginning of a sentence, the “M” is capitalized – as in e-Mail. And the word should be hyphenated. (“email” - no hyphen - means “enamel” in German and French.)

on-line - should be hyphenated, not written solid (online). However, “Online” is commonly used in trade names (eg.America Online), in which case it should be written as the trade name dictates, usually solid and capitalized.

http://www.bspage.com/1netiq/Netiq.html


When you send a message to a customer or employee, assume that others will see it. You won't be notified if the receiver forwards your message to others. And if you forward a message to others, be sure to give credit to the original author.

Use a "signature file" so that those who receive your message can quickly and easily determine where it came from. You can create and save the information you want to include-- usually your company's name, address and telephone number. Then use a menu in your e-mail program to select the file you've just created. Then, every time you send an e-mail message, your signature file information will automatically appear at the end of each message you send. This way, too, customers who wish to be removed from your mailing list can contact you easily.

Make your messages as concise as possible and stick to a single subject. Long messages take time to transfer to your recipients' computers.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/businessstartupsmagazine/1997/november/14740-2.html