Send effective emails
TIME is short and you have a hundred odd things to do on any given day. You work in real time and have to email myriad instructions to your colleagues so that a perfect job is done.
The job is proving to be a drag; take heart, all is not lost.
Going to work can still be pleasurable if you follow a few tips on writing email that makes people sit up and take note. How? Well, scroll down and find out just how.
Ensure you have a point to make: Hit the nail on the head, get down to the point right away
The subject line is made for you: Write the gist of your message in the subject line, as this is what will decide if your mail gets read or not. So, if your mail is about an important meeting on Friday, say "Meeting on Friday"
Get to the heart of long messages: To catch the maximum eyeball attention, summarise long messages. In fact, you could even begin it with an "Executive Summary" or gist of the message
Use a series of short messages for actions or instructions: Make your emails focused so that each one is distinct in action and purpose, then it stands as a reminder of that action to the recipient who can then either file it away or delete it as the action is completed
Be direct: Say what you mean when writing memos, faxes and other intra-office correspondence. Just because email is an informal medium, don't get informal when using it for official purposes. No matter how you feel about a person or issue, keep your emotions out of all correspondence. Therefore, don't be sarcastic, critical or catty lest your mail gets forwarded and ends up as evidence against you
Reply in conversational format: When you hit the reply button on your mail service, you automatically get the message sent to you. You can use this to insert your answers or observations in reply to queries made by the sender. This is called "quoting" the original message. In this way, your reply ends up looking like a conversation with the sender's queries being answered by you. This is simple and effective as it immediately puts a problem in its proper perspective. Also, it does away with the standard line, "This bears reference to... "
Write crisp answers to queries: When quoting, delete all those parts of the original message that do not need you to reply. In this way, your reply will seem crisp
Delete sender's signature: While replying, remember to delete the sender's email signature. He knows he has sent you that mail, so keep your answer short and powerful by not being unnecessarily verbose
Further, Address your mail to as few people as possible so that the impact is as potent as you would like it to be.
Rather than be remembered for your bad spellings, you would be well advised to use the spell check facility on your email programme.
Meanwhile, some things are better done without email.
What not to email:
Sensitive and confidential information
Criticism
Discussions that have ended up as arguments between two people
Urgent or important matters
E-mail Tips:
End your mail with your contact details, including telephone number and extension number
Write just one email per subject that can either be filed or retrieved
Match subject line with contents
When replying to a specific query, refer to that item in your reply for instant recall on your recipient's part
Write positively, in a tone that you would use while speaking to the recipient, but not abruptly
Use the cc and bcc functions when composing messages, and add your address in the "send to" box. By this, your address can't be spammed off your recipients' lists
Don't use block letters
Avoid sending jokes to just anyone at all
Beware of virus alerts
Confirm receipt of all your messages
Give your recipients a clear 24 hours to acknowledge receipt of your mail
MITHI CHINOY
mithichenoy.hyd@cnkonline.com
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