Business Writing: How to Write E-mails that “Work it Like You Mean It”

E-mail stands for electronic mail Most common form of written

communication in business

Some jargons you should know…Cc: Carbon CopyBcc: Blind Carbon Copy

What is an E-mail?

6 Steps in Writing Effective E-mails

Do you require back and forth communication? Try IM, a phone call, or better yet, face to face

communication. Do you require people to give their opinion on a

topic? Set a meeting or discuss via teleconference.

If you have ruled out both options, then e-mail is your option.

E-mails are convenient and quick, but not all e-mails are read quickly!

1. Don’t Overcommunicate.

Good Better

Subject: Meeting

Subject: New Policy

Subject: Christmas Party

Subject: Meeting – Visit to European Headquarters

Subject: New Policy on Dress Code and Office Attire

Subject: 2014 Christmas Celebrations – You’re the VIP!

2. Make Good Subject Lines.

3. Keep Messages Clear & Brief.

Subject: Revisions For Sales Report

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for sending that report last week. I read it yesterday, and I feel that Chapter 2 needs more specific information about our sales figures. I also felt that the tone could be more formal.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I've scheduled a meeting with the PR department for this Friday regarding the new ad campaign. It's at 11:00 a.m. and will be in the small conference room.

Please let me know if you can make that time.

Thanks!Monica

3. Keep Messages Clear & Brief.

Subject: Revisions For Sales Report

Hi Jackie,

Thanks for sending that report last week. I read it yesterday, and I feel that Chapter 2 needs more specific information about our sales figures.

I also felt that the tone could be more formal.

Could you amend it with these comments in mind?

Thanks for your hard work on this!

Monica(Monica then follows this up with a separate email about the PR department meeting.)

Identify your audience. The higher the person is in the ranks, the more formal your e-mails should be.

Reports that are sent to a lot of people should always be treated with care.

If you are already on good terms with someone, you can inject a bit of your personal touch, but that means you have interacted with them for quite sometime.

Never put something on e-mail stuff that you would be embarrassed with when it is forwarded to someone!

4. Be Polite.

NEVER E-MAIL BASED ON EMOTION. Be direct, but always, always be nice.

5. Check your tone.

Bad Example Good Example

Emma,

I need your report by 5 p.m. today or I'll miss my deadline.

Harry

Hi Emma,

Thanks for all your hard work on that report. Could you please get your version over to me by 5 p.m., so I don't miss my deadline?

Thanks so much!

Harry

15 Tips in Writing Effective E-mails

Someone who gets hundreds of e-mails

Receives compliments Regularly gets e-mails that

require action and attention Does not have a lot of time Could help you if it won’t

require too much time

E-mail Psychology - RECEIVER

Spends a long time in writing and editing a long e-mail

Thinks that their e-mail needs to get into the receiver’s priority

Believes that they are the first one to ask for favors

Wants to explain the whole story – with details and attachments!

E-mail Psychology - SENDER

E-mail to Inform Inquiries Open Dialogue Action E-mails

You need to know your intention before sending your e-mail. The more focused your e-mail is, the better the result!

Determine Your Desired Outcome

Your e-mail should answer the question, “What’s the point?” State your purpose clearly. If you need an action from the recipient, you

need to put that in the e-mail as well. If no action is needed, you can be clear and

place – No reply is necessary.

What’s the Point?

If you are asking people to actually accept new office policies, procedures, and CHANGES to the way they do things… your e-mail should explain the benefits of the CHANGE.

If you can provide a ‘Before’ and ‘After’ summary, then it would help convince them about the need to comply.

What are the Benefits?

Make the e-mail short and easy to answer.

Use numbering and bullet points if needed.

Add personality to your e-mail with “creative” wording, but keep it brief.

KISS.

When providing e-mails that include reports, you can provide a summary of the report in the e-mail body and attach the word document or the excel worksheet with your graphs.

Your opinion is not always welcome. If you must put your opinion in your e-mail, you can use “If I may suggest”, or “Based on the facts, I would suggest that…”

Stick to the FACTS.

E-mail = Face to Face Intro

A face to face introduction

allows for pauses and

awaits responses. Your e-mail

should be just like that.

Your response to e-mails

should be as quick to read

as sending two or three text messages.

Text Message Trick.

Be genuine. Don’t compliment

(for the sake of complimenting).

Avoid Excessive Compliments

Make it Personal

Personalize e-mail about things that you know about the receiver: If you know that they have been on a holiday

due to their Out of Office e-mail, say something like “I hope your holidays were great.”

If they have been married recently, you could put in a line that says “Congratulations and Best Wishes”.

If they are going on holidays, you could say “Enjoy your weekend!”

 

Kind regards, FLORENCEAnna Florence N. SontillanoSupport Account ManagerE-mail: florence.sontillano@gmail.comMobile: 63 949 8889258Skype: live:florence.sontillano

Brand it!

The less technical-sounding it could be, the better.

If you are explaining technical concepts, assume that your reader does not know anything. List down processes with short and simple sentences.

Write how you would talk – use conversational English!

Be smart, but not overpowering. Be professional, but sound approachable.

Use Simple English

Kind regards,Gary SanfordOperations EngineerRoad Safety Architects, Inc.

Best regards,Vanessa C. CruzGeneral Manager

Fonts.

Kind regards,Gary SanfordOperations EngineerRoad Safety Architects, Inc.

Best regards,

Vanessa C. CruzGeneral Manager

If you need to emphasize on some items, you can have them in bold, or italics or bold italic.

If you require urgency, choose a different color for action e-mails, but try not to choose red.

Avoid ALL CAPS. You sound like you are screaming. And most importantly, do not do this:

PLEASE RESPOND, THIS IS AN URGENT REQUEST.

Formatting

Dear Jane,

We will be having visitors in the office today. Please advise our staff to wear business casual.

Thank you.

Kind regards,Joe

Minimize Questions

Who What When Where Why How

Once you are done composing your e-mail… take time to EDIT it. Check for spelling and grammar. Review your e-mail structure. Make sure that

one point is coherent to the next point. Organize thoughts that could be bundled into

one topic. Review and revise as needed. Repeat the review after editing.

Edit, Edit, Edit.

* Final Note *

Clear E-mails = Time Saved!

Take time to proof read your e-mails to spot possible errors for spelling and grammar.

If you can put all of your message in one e-mail with bullets or short paragraphs, the better.

Be professional – ALWAYS!Keep It Short and Simple