Normally, when we engage in face to face conversations, we have at our disposal numerous tools to help us communicate effectively. We can modulate our volume, speed and pitch, use gestures, change our proximity to the listener, and change our body language, or facial expressions to emphasize or deemphasize aspects of what we say. In email, aside from the use of ALL CAPS, excessive punctuations!!!!.... or cute winks and emoticons, we are limited to pure composition to get our point across.
I have found that a poorly crafted email or a hasty response can quickly wipe away any positive reputation you may have established with known clients or co-workers. Now that's not to say that those whom you work with regularly might be aware of your personal quirks and general demeanor and are able to interpret your emails as if you were speaking directly. But, why would you take that risk, when I've also found that a well crafted and thoughtfully composed email may be a huge plus in your reputation with all recipients of your email, close co-workers, acquaintances, or people you are addressing for the first time?
Here are just a few tips in no particular order to help ensure your email communication is received in the manner you intended.
□ Typos - Even though spell-check catches inaccurately spelled words, common missed typos include unintended words that are spelled correctly. e.g. there - they're - their
*Try Reading the content through backwards.
□ Grammar - Consistent and correct tense throughout. Here are various links to Grammar aids and common mistakes:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/faq.htm
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/
http://cliche.theinfo.org/ (this will help identify Cliches or extraneous words in your copy)
□ Contextual - Ensure the message is clear, well organized and accurate
□ Avoid the use of ALL CAPS, cute winks or emoticons - unless you are completely comfortable with your relationship of all the readers. Even in this case, you never know if your email will get forwarded and to whom. Better safe than sorry is my motto.
□ Try not to write a book. Get to your point early in the email without a lot of extraneous verbiage. If there is too much filler in your email, you run the risk of your readers getting distracted by superfluous information and not reading it fully.
□ Formatting - Indented/bulleted text as required, use appropriate outline or bullet formatting (no single bullets or an "A" without a "B" etc.
□ An email's Subject is basically the intro to your email. Be clear and concise. Execs probably don't read every email they have in their inbox, so title your email wisely to engage them. Also, for those recipients who use mobile devises, the compromise between length and content in the subject line can have major impact on whether your email is even opened.
□ If you happen to be on the receiving end of an email that stirs up some anger and you feel compelled crank out a quick response, don't. When this happens, walk away or do something else for 5 minutes, an hour, a day; whatever it takes to take the emotion out of your response and create something objective. When we react quickly with emotion, we set ourselves up for missing facts, acting on our own misinterpretation of the email that got our blood boiling and coming off as hot headed. Take the high road at all times. Again, emails once sent, have a knack for coming back to bite you when you least expect it.
□ Lastly, never drink and email! When the wine bottle opens, shut down your laptop. You don't want your lack of inhibitions tangling with your business.
So although this may slow you down in the short term, the payoff can be invaluable in terms of advancing your career or saving it.
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