When it comes to writing business emails, there are certain etiquette rules that you should follow to ensure effective communication with your recipients. One common practice is to use cc and bcc to include additional recipients in your emails. However, many people are still unsure about when to use these fields and how to use them correctly. In this post, we'll go over some guidelines for using cc and bcc in business emails, along with some examples of when not to use them.
Definitions of CC & BCC
First, let's define what cc and bcc mean. CC stands for "carbon copy" and is used to include other recipients in your email, while keeping them informed of the email's contents. BCC, on the other hand, stands for "blind carbon copy" and is used to include other recipients in your email without the other recipients knowing. BCC is often used for privacy or to avoid spamming others with unnecessary emails.
When To Use
So, when should you use cc and bcc in your business emails? Here are some guidelines to follow:
- Use cc when you want to include additional recipients who are not the primary recipients of your email, but who need to be kept in the loop about the email's contents. For example, you might use cc to copy your boss or colleagues on an email to a client, to keep them informed about the progress of the project.
- Use bcc when you want to include additional recipients who do not need to be known by the other recipients of your email. For example, you might use bcc to include a vendor or supplier in an email to a client, without the client knowing that the vendor is involved.
- Use cc and bcc sparingly, and only when necessary. Including too many people in your emails can clutter inboxes and make it difficult for recipients to know who the primary recipient is.
When Not To Use
Now, let's go over some examples of when not to use cc and bcc in your business emails:
Do not use cc or bcc to gossip or talk about someone behind their back. This can damage your professional reputation and create a negative work environment.
Do not use cc or bcc to avoid taking responsibility for an email. For example, you should not cc your boss on an email to a client, just to avoid taking the lead on the project.
Do not use cc or bcc to spam others with unnecessary emails. Make sure that everyone you include in your emails needs to be included and will find the information relevant.
Examples To Consider
In addition to these guidelines, it's important to remember to use a professional tone in your emails and to proofread them carefully before sending. Now, let's look at some example scenarios and see how cc and bcc might be used:
Scenario 1:
You are emailing a client about a project, and want to keep your boss informed.
To: Client
CC: Boss
In this scenario, using cc is appropriate because you want to keep your boss informed about the project's progress without cluttering the client's inbox.
In this scenario, using cc is appropriate because you want to keep your boss informed about the project's progress without cluttering the client's inbox.
Scenario 2:
You are emailing a client about a project, and want to include a vendor who is involved in the project.
To: Client
BCC: Vendor
In this scenario, using bcc is appropriate because the client does not need to know about the vendor's involvement in the project.
Scenario 3:
You are emailing a client about a project, and want to cc your entire team.
To: Client
CC: Team
In this scenario, using cc may not be necessary unless your team needs to be informed about the project's progress.
Summary
In business email writing, knowing when to use CC (carbon copy) and BCC (blind carbon copy) can make all the difference in your communication. CC and BCC can help you keep multiple people in the loop and provide transparency in your email communication. However, if used incorrectly, they can also create confusion and potentially embarrassing situations. In this post, we’ll go over when to use CC and BCC and provide some examples of when not to.
When to use CC:
Keep relevant parties informed: Use CC when you want to keep someone informed about the content of your email, but the email is not directly addressed to them. For example, if you are emailing your team about an important project update, you may want to CC your supervisor or a stakeholder who is not directly involved in the project.
Provide transparency: Use CC to provide transparency in communication. If you are discussing a sensitive topic or making a decision that affects multiple people, you may want to CC everyone involved to keep them in the loop.
Request action: Use CC to request action from someone who is not directly involved in the email thread. For example, if you are emailing a supplier about a product issue, you may want to CC someone from your quality control team to request their input.
When not to use CC:
To cover your tracks: Do not use CC to cover up mistakes or to shift blame. If you make a mistake or have an issue to address, take ownership of it and address it directly with the relevant parties.
To create unnecessary emails: Do not CC someone if the email is not relevant to them. It can create unnecessary emails in their inbox, and they may start to ignore your emails altogether.
When to use BCC:
Privacy concerns: Use BCC when you need to protect someone’s privacy. For example, if you are emailing a large group of people, you may want to BCC everyone to protect their email addresses from being shared.
To avoid “reply all” responses: Use BCC to avoid creating an email chain that involves too many people. If you are sending an email to a large group of people, and you don’t want everyone to “reply all,” use BCC to keep everyone’s responses separate.
When not to use BCC:
To hide information: Do not use BCC to hide information from someone who should be informed. It can create distrust and erode relationships.
To spy: Do not use BCC to spy on someone’s email communication. It is unethical and can result in serious consequences.
Practice Exercises
Now that you know when to use CC and BCC, it’s important to use them appropriately. Here are some assignments to help you practice using CC and BCC:
Read through some of your past email communication and identify opportunities where you could have used CC or BCC to improve the communication.
Write an email to your team about a new project and CC a stakeholder who is not directly involved in the project.
Write an email to a supplier about a product issue and CC someone from your quality control team to request their input.
Write an email to a large group of people about an upcoming event and BCC everyone to protect their privacy.
Write an email to a colleague about a sensitive topic and BCC your supervisor to provide transparency in the communication.
By practicing these assignments, you’ll be able to improve your business email writing skills and effectively use CC and BCC in your email communication.