Home / Non-Accredited / Communication & Business Writing / Email Etiquette Course (1 day)
Quick Look Course Summary:Email Etiquette Course (1 day)
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Length: 1 day(s)
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Price (at your venue): 1 Person R 5,654 EX VAT 3 Person R 3,982 EX VAT 10 Person R 2,954 EX VAT
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Certification Type:Non-Accredited
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Locations & Venues: Off-site or in-house. We train in all major city centres throughout South Africa.
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Email Etiquette Course (1 day)
Every email your staff send is clear, courteous, correct and safe to forward – and their inboxes take less of the day.
Email is where most of your organisation's written reputation is made, yet few people are ever taught to do it well. A curt reply upsets a client, a vague request leads to five more messages, a reply-all floods forty inboxes, and an attachment sent to the wrong address can expose personal information. This one-day email etiquette training gives employees and managers a simple, consistent standard for every email they write.
The day covers who belongs in the To, Cc and Bcc lines, subject lines that say what is needed, structure that puts the request first, and a tone that is professional without being cold. Delegates practise writing sensitive emails – saying no, handling a complaint, answering an angry message – and learn when to pick up the phone instead. The last session turns to the inbox itself: habits, folders and rules that cut the time spent on email.
Delegates bring examples of their own emails, rewrite them during the day and leave with a one-page email checklist.
Why this course
For your organisation
- A consistent, professional standard for email across the organisation
- Fewer misunderstandings, complaints and unnecessary reply-all chains
- Lower risk of personal or confidential information going to the wrong person
- Less time lost to inbox overload
For your delegates
- Emails that get read and acted on the first time
- Confidence in tone when writing to clients, managers and colleagues
- Ready phrases for difficult and sensitive messages
- Practical habits for a manageable inbox
What delegates will be able to do
- Decide whether email is the right channel and who should receive it
- Use To, Cc, Bcc, reply and reply-all correctly
- Write subject lines and opening lines that state the purpose and the request
- Set an appropriate tone for internal and external readers
- Apply plain language, correct grammar and punctuation in email
- Respond to complaints, angry messages and requests they must decline
- Check recipients and attachments to protect personal and confidential information
- Organise their inbox and set realistic response-time habits
Who should attend
Any employee who uses email for work, from administrators and customer-facing staff to supervisors and managers. It is especially useful for people who write to clients, suppliers or senior management, and for teams that want one agreed email standard.
Course outline
Day 1 – Professional email from first line to inbox
Why email etiquette matters
- Email as the public voice of the organisation
- Emails as a lasting business record that can be forwarded and produced later
- Thinking about the reader and how they are likely to react
- When to email, when to call and when to meet
Addressing and structuring the message
- To, Cc and Bcc – who belongs where
- Reply versus reply-all
- Subject lines that say what the email is about and what is needed
- Greetings and sign-offs for different readers
- Putting the main point and the request in the first lines
- Attachments, links and email signatures
Tone and netiquette
- Writing without the help of voice or facial expression
- Capitals, exclamation marks, emojis and abbreviations
- Formal and informal tone for clients and colleagues
- Language and cultural differences in a South African workplace
- The pause before you reply in anger
Clear language online
- Plain language and short paragraphs
- Common grammar and punctuation errors in email
- Acronyms and jargon your reader may not know
- Formatting for small screens
- A final check before you press send
Difficult and sensitive emails
- Saying no and giving bad news politely
- Answering a complaint or an angry message
- Escalating an issue without blaming anyone
- Confidential and personal information: checking recipients and attachments under POPIA
- Practical: rewriting delegates' own emails
Managing your inbox
- Folders, flags, rules and search
- Agreeing realistic response times
- Out-of-office messages that help the sender
- Sending fewer emails and getting fewer back
- Personal action plan and email checklist
How it is delivered
One day, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20. Workbook and a one-page email checklist included; delegates are encouraged to bring examples of their own emails. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
“The course was efficiently scheduled and planned around our timetable. We were impressed by the quality of training, as well as the experience of the facilitator”
“We have been very impressed with their service and rollout of the training.”
“We were particularly impressed by the quality of facilitation and the practical relevance of the content presented. The programme was delivered with professionalism, clarity, and a strong emphasis on real-world application”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. Most groups are trained at the client's premises anywhere in South Africa; we can also host it at a BOTI venue or deliver it live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of about 20.
Is it accredited?
No – it is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Can you include our company email standards?
Yes. Send us your signature format, house style or customer-service rules beforehand and the facilitator builds them into the day.
How is this different from the business writing courses?
The business writing courses cover letters, reports and other documents as well as email. This course spends the whole day on email: tone, structure, sensitive messages and inbox management.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
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Get your price – the more delegates, the less each pays
Change the options to see your price per person, then email yourself the quote and course outline.
Contact us now – we reply within 15 minutes during office hours
Monday to Friday, 08:00–17:00. After hours, we reply on the next working day – or call 011 882 8853.