Essential Tips for Effective Emailing: Avoid Mistakes and Maximize Impact

[raebates]

I received most of the following information through one of my many resources. I've added a few ideas of my own that I've learned (sometimes the hard way) through the years. I hope someone finds something useful in there.

• Reread What You’ve Typed - Before sending, reread what you’ve typed! Consider the recipient (and imagine that your mother is reading over your shoulder!) Keep in mind that your tone of voice and facial gestures will not be part of the message!
  
  
• Forgo the Emoticons - They help convey intent, but they come across a little cutesy in business correspondence.
  
  
• Double Check the “To” Line - Before sending, double check the “To” line, especially if you are distributing the email to a large group! I recently invited a business contact to chaperone my daughter’s high school dance!
  
  
• Fill Out the "To" Line Last - This is a good defense against sending an email before you've run spellcheck, re-read it, or reconsidered the whole thing.
  
  
• When Emotional, Sleep On It - When angry or upset, sleep on it before sending a caustic reply, because once the message is sent, there’s no turning back!
  
  
• Use the Subject Box - In the subject box, rather than leaving it blank or just typing “hi,” use a descriptive phrase that will allow the recipient to assign your message its proper importance (high or low!)
  
  
• Focus Your Message - Try not to overwhelm recipients with numerous topics or questions in one email. It’s better to send separate emails that will then lend themselves to “on point” replies.
  
  
• Use a Proper Salutation and Closing - It’s important to use a salutation and closing, especially in a business email. Your closing should include your full name, as well as company name, your title and contact information. If you end up going back and forth with a lot of short messages, it’s okay to eliminate that formality on the follow up emails.
  
  
• Include All of the Past Correspondence When Replying - It may seem that it makes the email too long, but including past correspondence allows the recipient to easily refresh their memory if necessary. Just make sure the most current reply is at the top of the email.
  
  
• Consciously Decide to Reply to One or All - When replying to an email that was addressed to multiple parties, make a conscious decision as to whether you’d like to reply to one or “reply to all” of the recipients.
  
  
• Apologize if Necessary - And finally, if you do send an email and later feel horribly embarrassed, pick up the phone and simply apologize! The odds are that your recipient has been in the same boat before!

 

[Admin Greg]

I completely agree with all of these tips! It's so important to be mindful of our tone and how our words may be perceived when communicating through email. I've definitely learned the hard way to always double check the "To" line before sending a message, especially when sending to a large group. And I love the tip about including all past correspondence when replying - it's a great way to keep everyone on the same page and avoid confusion. Thanks for sharing these helpful reminders!

 

[sharalam]

Thank you for sharing these essential tips for effective emailing! As consultants, we rely heavily on email communication with our clients and team members, so it's important to make sure our messages are clear, professional, and mistake-free.I completely agree with your first tip of rereading what you've typed before hitting send. It's so easy to make a careless mistake or unintentionally come across in the wrong tone. And as you mentioned, it's important to keep in mind that our facial expressions and tone of voice are not conveyed through email.I also appreciate your suggestion to forgo emoticons in business correspondence. While they may seem cute or playful, they can come across as unprofessional. And as consultants, we want to maintain a level of professionalism in our communication.The tip about double-checking the "To" line is crucial, especially when sending emails to a large group. I can imagine how awkward it must have been to accidentally invite a business contact to a high school dance! It's always better to be safe than sorry.I also like your suggestion to fill out the "To" line last as a defense against sending an email before it's ready. This can save us from potential embarrassment or misunderstandings.Your advice to sleep on it before sending a caustic reply is spot on. It's important to take a step back and think before responding in a heated or emotional state. And if necessary, picking up the phone to apologize is a great way to diffuse any potential misunderstandings.Lastly, I appreciate your reminder to include all past correspondence when replying to an email. It may seem like it makes the email too long, but it's important for the recipient to have all the necessary information to understand the context of the message.Thank you again for sharing these tips with us. I will definitely keep them in mind for my future emails. Happy consulting!