Entries Tagged 'email' ↓
May 16th, 2008 — email
1. Send To The Right Person
Make absolutely sure, you are sending it to the right person. It is unfortunately too easy, to send an email to the wrong point. A small mistake in sending to wrong person could cost you your job or a relationship. see: Email disasters
2. Don’t Use Autofill.
Autofill is when you start typing in a name and your email client automatically fills the name in for you. However, there is real potential for disaster. Imagine you are writing to tim_your_boyfriend and autofil fills in tim_your_miserable_boss. - It could be very painful.
3. Do You Really Want to Reply To All?
A good email client should always ask people, do you really want to send this personal message to your boss to every 200 employers on this mailing list? However, they don’t and because of a careless mistake, you have broadcast your thoughts to 200 people, when it was intended for one. Needless to say, this can be very embarrassing for all concerned. Always stop and think - Who am I sending it to.
4. Keep It Polite.
Email is a very impersonal method of communication. It is easy to be misunderstood. Whatever you do try to be polite and avoid making sarcastic comments.
5. For Difficult Situations Don’t use Email.
If there is a very awkward situation, ask yourself whether you could find a better mechanism for dealing with the issue. Speaking to people face to face, helps to avoid misunderstanding.
6. Treat Email Like A Postcard
Email is Not Secure. The contents of email can be easily hacked into. When writing an email, think of it like a postcard, you don’t know who might be reading it so you will keep very sensitive information to other more secure methods of communication.
7. Keep it Short.
Emails should be kept brief and to the point. Make sure you don’t wander off topic adding unnecessary emotion. Keep to a specific subject; if you have several issues try sending different emails, or at the very least try to break it up.
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May 15th, 2008 — blogs, email
There is an interesting thread on Freakonomics about People’s worst email mistakes.
Actually, it’s pretty gruesome reading. Some of the common mistakes come from:
- Replying all rather than replying to an individual.
- Using Auto complete for recipient. e.g. you want to write to steve_myboyfriend but autofill fills in steve_myboss.
- Email is not secure. You should feel like you are sending a postcard. It could be read by anyone.
- There is a lot to be said for using phone / letter for more important discussions.
At least there was one that made me laugh:
“I accidentally e-mailed a copy of university final exam to all of my students the night before the exam. Fortunately, they didn’t mind.” — Posted by Kara
May 1st, 2008 — email
Email, has come from nowhere to be one of the most used forms of communication. It’s rapid rise mean there is a lack of any tradition and etiquette in proper usage. Yet, improper use of email can do as much damage as it can benefit.
Just because something is good and can save time, doesn’t mean it will always be useful.
Basic email etiquette comes down to common sense and good manners.
- Keep it simple
- Keep it polite
- Keep it to the point
- Write in proper English, avoid sounding like a text message
- Minimise useage of email; there are many better ways of communicating people.
Useful Articles on Email
See also:
February 20th, 2008 — blogs, email
Email have become an intrinsic part of personal and business life. However, we often write emails without considering the best approach and style. These are some suggestions to write more effective emails and avoid any potential embarrassment that a badly written email can give.
Make it Clear.
The first rule for writing an effective email is that the message and content should be clear. Unfortunately I often receive emails with about 7 different questions all in the same sentence. It makes replying very difficult. To write with clarity it is essential to keep the message no longer than necessary. Also try to stick to just one point. If you want to cover several topics, write different emails with the title showing the correct topic. This also makes archiving emails easier.
Keep it Simple and Short
Related to the first point about clarity, simplicity is the essence of a good email. Try and convey the point using the minimum number of sentences and words. For example, if you are writing about a solution to the problem, don’t add a lengthy story about why you have been delayed in answering. If a word doesn’t add anything worthwhile, leave it out.
Don’t Be Vague
Before writing an email, have a clear idea about its purpose. If necessary ask direct questions, or strongly suggest some alternatives. Don’t leave it open ended and vague - get to the point.
Good Use of Language
I think it is a mistake to feel that just because it is an email we can ignore the basic essentials of English language. Maybe we got into bad habits when dealing with friends. But, we increasingly use emails for dealing with official business; in these cases the quality of English should be similar to a letter. Remember the quality of your English will also have a subconscious impact on how you are perceived by others. If you can’t be bothered to use a spell checker and capitalise the letter i, it doesn’t look good.
The importance of Reflection
The ease of which we can write emails, is also a potential problem. Most people will have had the experience of sending an email, which soon after, they regret writing. For any important or contentious issue, it is always best to ‘let it lie for a while’ before posting. A delayed email is better than an email which creates more problems. If you have any hesitation in sending, you could also ask for a second opinion from a trusted friend. They may be able to offer a dispassionate perspective on your email.
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October 20th, 2007 — email
Emails are quick and easy to send. But, they
1. Always double check who you are sending it to.
For example, be careful about replying to all - when you want to just reply to one person.
2. Be careful about leaving old messages at the bottom of an email.
To send an email I often reply to an old email in my inbox. If you cc this message to someone else make sure that the old message is not inappropriate; it is potentially very embarrassing. It is of course best to delete any old messages and discussions, and, it can be easy to forget.
3. Save to drafts for a few hours.
The biggest cause of embarrassment is that we send emails in the heat of the moment, which we later regret. If we have any important or potentially awkward emails, it is always best to leave a gap between writing and sending. It is better to have a delay than send an inappropriate email. Often when we wait a few hours, or even sleep on it, we get a very different feeling for what is appropriate.
4. Could you say this message to the person?
Imagine the recipient of the email, is right in front of you. Then read out the email and decide whether you would be comfortable doing this. If you would feel awkward saying these things then don’t send the email.
5. Be careful with language.
A good email should use good English, and avoid getting emotional or unnecessarily personal. Never write an email in anger, or frustration. You can still express your displeasure, but, try to maintain a diplomatic tone.
6. The World still Existed Before Email
10 years ago, nobody used email, but, the world still existed. The point is that it is often better to communicate through traditional means, especially for sensitive messages. Think carefully about the message, and if appropriate speak to the person directly.
7. Ask a friend to check the Email.
If you have an important email to send, it is worth asking a reliable friend to check it first. Sometimes a second opinion can prevent an awkward situation. One email I was going to send, a friend was able to insert just one word. But, it made a big difference to the message of the email.
More Tips for writing Emails
