So it’s time to change your email address and let everyone know you’ve moved. Here are a few things to avoid when you’re sending out that notice

Case in point: bad email change

Sending from your old address: Sending the message from your old address is a bad idea because it reinforces your presence at the old address. If someone replies to your message, their reply goes to the old address. It also tends to make it harder for your recipients to add your new address to their contacts. Some people do this because they haven’t imported their contacts to their new account yet.

Leaving all the addresses visible: Putting all your recipients in  the To or CC box (a) clutters up the email, and more importantly (b) violates their privacy by leaving all their addresses visible to all recipients of the message.

Signing just your first name: As a recipient of the message above, I thought to myself, “Is this from this [first name] or the other [first name] that I know?” Don’t leave your recipients wondering. Especially if you’re identified only by your email address when you send mail, sign your whole name.

There is a better way:

• Import contacts to your new email account
• Send the change of address from your new email account
• Send the message TO your new email address
• Put all other recipients in BCC to keep their names/addresses private
• Sign your name fully, especially if you don’t identify yourself fully as the sender

Let me know if you have any questions; I’m happy to help.