Format Email Addresses Correctly

April 2016 — Tip of the Month

Most of the time when you send an email, you simply enter the name in the "To" field of your email program or webmail interface and it automatically fills in the rest. Or you hit "Reply" and the email address is automatically placed in the "To" field.

Still, there are times you need to manually enter an email address. It might be from a business card you received at a meeting, from a teacher at school, or from a girl you met at the gym (who wasn't willing to give you her phone number or add you on Facebook, but at least you got her email address).

If you want to impress the girl at the gym (or any other recipient), you can enter her email address correctly, using her full name and email address. The correct way to format an email address is:

Full Name <[email protected]>

To clarify, type the person's full name, followed by her email address enclosed in angled brackets (< & >). This will display her full name in the To field and the email will look much more professional. If you're using an email client, this may also add the person's name to your recipient list for future use.

This month's tip is a good reminder to make sure you include your full name in your email address as well. You can do this by making sure you configure your email account correctly.

- Per Christensson