Before You Send That Email...

Communication is one of the most important business skills to develop, no matter what industry you work in.  Effective communication skills enable you to connect with others, build trust and respect, and feel heard and understood.  Communication in the workplace or about work, whether informal or formal, demands a certain level of professionalism.  This isn’t the case only when having a face-to-face conversation, but also when communicating via email.

Keep these tips in mind when sending emails:

Always include a meaningful subject line in your message.

Using a subject line prepares the reader for the purpose of the message.  It also makes it easier to find if you need to go back to it.

Address your contact with the appropriate level of formality and make sure you spelled their name correctly.

Never use all CAPS!

This may be perceived as yelling and send the wrong message.

Be concise and to the point.

Try to keep the email to one screen length.

Watch for typos.

It is important to proofread all of your emails.  Check for correct grammar and spelling.  Incorrect grammar and misspellings show a lack of attention to detail and come across as lazy.

Read your email out loud to ensure the tone is that which you desire.

If your email is emotionally charged, walk away from the computer and wait to reply.

When you need to discuss a sensitive subject, request a phone call or face-to-face meeting.

Include a courteous greeting and closing.

Use a signature!
Include your name and contact information.

 

Some additional tips:

*Return emails within 48 hours unless time-sensitive.

*Do not use your company email address to send personal emails.
  Companies monitor employees’ computer use including internet and emails (It is their legal right)

*If replying, include previous email message after your reply.

 *Do not send an email and immediately call/visit to ask “Did you get my email?”

 *‘To’ is for people you are directly addressing.

 *‘Cc’ is for people you are indirectly addressing.

 *Use 'Bcc' when sending an e-mail to hundreds of people and you don’t want to reveal others' email addresses without their permission

 *Reply all should be used when you have something valuable to add to the conversation or when you disagree with whatever is being proposed.  Use it sparingly.