Julia Burke

SLM-521

Elective #6- Email tips

July 4, 2009

Email Tips

In order for people to function in the world they need to communicate with each other. As the means of communication continue to evolve it is important to ensure that regardless of its form, the message itself is as effective as it can be. What follows is a list of suggestions for effective communication via email.

Note: The use of the suggestions below depends on the relationship of the parties communicating—the closer the relationship, less formality is needed and visa versa. Use of common sense is key.

1. Clearly identify yourself Never assume that the recipient of your emails knows exactly who you are—especially if your email address doesn’t contain your name. You do not have to write your autobiography but it can help to provide some indication of who you are in relation to the recipient in addition to your name.

2. Provide a clear, concise subject line As with most communication, clarity is key. Since the subject line is usually the second piece of information viewed after the web address of the sender, it is important that its contents give a clear indication of what the purpose of the email is. This may determine whether the recipient deems the message worthy of opening, especially if time is an issue and if they are unfamiliar with the web address.

3. Provide context While brevity is preferable, it can be helpful to provide some background as to the purpose of the message. If the current email is in response to a previous message, quoting from that primary email could be beneficial, especially if the response comes after a passage of time. (It may not be necessary to do this if the previous message is automatically displayed along with the response.)

4. Provide clear representation of URLs When providing URLs within the context of your message make sure to specifically delineate the exact address. URLs can be quite complicated so it’s probably a good idea to put <brackets> around the complete address unless your computer automatically makes web addresses into hyperlinks. Nothing can be more frustrating than being told that a site doesn’t exist when you know that it does!

5. Keep the format simple Once again, this depends on the context of your email but usually simpler formatting (fonts, colors, etc.) is preferable due to the fact that different software packages have different capabilities when it comes to conversion. If your extremely sophisticated but complex email cannot be read by the recipient it really defeats the purpose of your communication. This is also something to keep in mind when sending attachments. Check with the recipient ahead of time or post the document as a web page.

6. Keep page layout short and simple Short paragraphs and concise sentences are usually preferable for email communication. Visually it’s easier to read on a screen and once again, it is important to consider the recipient’s computer’s technological capabilities. If the recipient can only see half of the message the communication was not successful.

7. Use correct spelling and grammar Especially when communicating with someone you do not know personally, it is very important to keep in mind that their perception of who you are is dependent on clues provided by how you express yourself. Incorrect spelling and grammar can be detrimental to your reputation as an educated, detail-oriented person. An exception to this suggestion is if overly correct language usage obscures the meaning or efficiency of the message.

8. Tailor your style with regard to the recipient The more you know about the recipient of your email communication the better. As more communication is conducted on a global scale it is imperative to be aware of such things as cultural differences and to take these into account when composing your correspondence.

9. Determine the level of formality A continuation of the previous suggestion, the level of formality depends on who your recipient is as well as the response that you expect to get from them. From the greeting to the closing, through everything in between, the level of formality of the message expresses the degree of closeness of the relationship.

10. Pay close attention to the tone of the message Because the visual cues and verbal intonation of a face-to-face conversation are absent from an email, it is very important to try to anticipate the way it will be read. Emotions can be related through emoticons (J) but sarcasm is much riskier. A good practice is to read the message to yourself and see if you can detect any negative connotations.

Reference Source

Sherwood, Kaitlin Duck (Last updated: 2007) A Beginner’s Guide to Effective Email . Retrieved 7/4/09 from http://www.webfoot.com/advice/email.top.html