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The DOs and DON'Ts of Effective E-MailSix simple guidelines to make your e-mail more effective |
• September 11, 2002 •
The DOs and DON'Ts of Effective E-Mail
Most of us now use e-mail so often that we can't even remember what we did before it existed. Given the explosion of e-mail as a means of daily communication with clients, associates, friends and family, it's vital to make sure that our electronic messages build rapport and accurately convey what we want to say. With that in mind, here are six simple guidelines to make your e-mail more effective:
1. DO select a subject heading carefully. Your e-mail note is of no use if the recipient doesn't open it. Many people who receive a high volume of e-mail will delete messages when they don't recognize the e-mail address of the sender.
So, when sending a message to someone who isn't familiar with your address, take the time to create a subject heading that attracts the interest of the recipient and invites him or her to open your message. Keep in mind that overly sensational headlines are not usually the best choice, as people tend to regard them as "junk mail" solicitations or "spam."
Even when you're sending an e-mail to someone who DOES know you well, there's a distinct possibility that the person will delete your e-mail before recognizing that it is from you.
I've found it helpful to include my name in the subject heading to make sure the person recognizes me right away. Thus, I use the heading "From Jeff Keller". When you include your name in the subject heading, you greatly increase the chance that your message will be opened and read.
2. DON'T use exclamation points following negative words. I was working on a joint project with someone and sent an e-mail note asking what that person thought of my idea. The response I received was, "NO!" Now, stop for a moment. What does "NO!" (in this context) conjure up in your mind?
To me, I see an angry face, perhaps someone pounding a fist on the table and raising his or her voice. It's as if the person is saying, "You idiot," or "what were you thinking?" Negative words (especially in CAPS) followed by an exclamation point come across as harsh and confrontational.
If you want to say "no" or deliver a negative response, that's fine. But make sure to stay away from exclamation points, which exaggerate the harshness of your message. By the way, there's nothing wrong with using exclamation points when writing positive words ... and it's fine to occasionally use capital letters in the body of the sentence for emphasis, such as, "I did NOT hear from John yet."
3. DO count to ten and re-read your message before sending e-mail when you're angry. Have you ever been really annoyed and began typing an e-mail to let the other person know just how you feel ... and then, before you clicked "SEND," you re-read your note and decided it was overly harsh and combative?
The truth is, if you were face-to-face with the other person, you probably wouldn't say what you just typed. Because the other person isn't in front of you, though, it's easier to let it all hang out. Take some time to cool off before sending a harsh note. You'll often choose to tone down your language ... and you'll be glad you did.
4. DON'T repeat the sender's message in your reply. I'm getting more and more e-mail where my own message, IN FULL, is copied into the top of the reply. In these situations, a lot of scrolling is required just to get to the sender's message.
There's nothing wrong with excerpting relevant portions of the e-mail you receive and then giving your reply. Just don't cut and paste the whole thing! [Ed: An exception is with email techsupport. There it is essential to leave all previous correspondence for the technician to refer to. Otherwise they are likely to have NO idea what your new email refers to.]
5. DO add the personal touch to help get your foot in the door. Lots of people visit my web site and then send e-mail in which they introduce their own product or service or suggest ways for us to work together.
When it is obviously a form letter - with no mention of any specifics about my site - I discard the e-mail right away. Those who take the time to offer personalized comments to demonstrate that they have carefully reviewed my site are far more likely to get my attention.
6. DON'T use e-mail when there's a better option. It's easy to get so dependent on e-mail that we always use it to communicate. This is a mistake. There are times when a phone call or even a personal meeting is the better option.
Remember, we're thinking, feeling human beings - not robots. So, if you're going to promote someone, or fire them, e-mail is probably not your best choice. Also, when you haven't spoken with someone for a long time, consider a phone call, rather than an e-mail. You can hear the person's voice and connect at a deeper level.
E-mail is also not the best choice when discussing a topic that is complicated or detailed - or that requires frequent exchanges of feedback.
No matter how fast you type, it's much easier to discuss certain issues in person or on the phone.
I think it's safe to say that e-mail is going to be around for a while. Take the time to assess your own e-mail habits and make sure to use this technology in a way that builds rapport and accurately conveys what you wish to communicate.
Jeff Keller © Attitude is Everything, Inc.
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| Jeff Keller is a motivational speaker and author of the best-selling book, Attitude is Everything. For more information and to sign up for his free monthly e-zine, Here's To Your Success, go to http://www.attitudeiseverything.com |
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