Effective Communication

Writing Effective and Impressive E-mails

How many times have you come across a situation when you have just clicked the Send button and then remembered a couple of things you forgot to write? Then you need to unnecessarily draft another one and write the remaining points, wasting your precious time and effort, an effort which is probably not even well taken. Sometimes, it could even pose some communication gap.

Did you ever think about the spelling mistakes in your e-mails? Sometimes, you may also have thought, ‘why bother?’ After all, "it's just an e-mail!"

What happens when you receive an e-mail in which there is a promise about an attached file (that you need urgently, most probably) but the attachment has perhaps done an invisible or disappearing act?

E-mails allow you to communicate promptly and frequently with your customers, colleagues, subordinates, and senior officials. A well-structured e-mail message can let you have an edge over others and you would certainly get a better and more desired response. Therefore, you must put your words in a clear manner with a comprehensive style. On the other hand, a poorly written e-mail text could drastically hamper not only productivity and progress, but image, whether it is an individual or a company. Your misspellings and unorganized messages may even call your competence into question in the eyes of the reader, who could be your seniors or clients. Does your inattention to spelling reflect your careless character? E-mails without a subject line or without a promised attachment file are very common. These things reflect your callous approach.

E- Mails though a most impersonal form of communication - imagine from a machine to a machine, not even handwritten but typed, can leave a very personal and permanent impact. It can reflect moods and personality. They can be judged and categorized as polite or rude, professional or personal and leave an impact temporary or permanent on the psyche of the reader. While writing an e-mail, always remember that the reader will judge you by what you say and how you present it.

For communication protocols we were taught in schools how to draft letters of various categories – official, to government bodies or formal personal or just personal. But now the postal mail has been taken over by the electronic mail – do we have any or even think about protocols on the same? Why was communication given so much importance earlier and why are we so callous and indifferent to it now?

You can (or should) improve your e-mail communiqué by following below mentioned points:

1. Think (plan) before you write

Before writing an e-mail, it is always better to prepare a rough draft of all the important points you want to write. Then, edit your write-up before putting the text as a final draft in the e-mail. While writing mass-mails or writing for international clients, it is important to consider the cultural makeup of the audience, so that you can convey the message without inadvertently causing any embarrassment or resentment. Sometimes, you could have very little time to follow this approach of e-mail drafting, but believe it, by following the said process you can express a lot and leave a positive impression on the readers.

2. Write clear subject lines

One-word subject lines like Meeting, Update, Reminder, etc. are very common and leave an aberrant impression on the reader. Instead, write meaningful subject lines like “Goal setting meeting in conference hall on 22nd May 2009 at 3 PM”, or “Update about GRMAP version4 project status”, or “Reminder to update the project plan”, and so on. Always remember, a good subject line keeps the reader interested in reading your e-mail down the page, and a vague subject line prompts the user to delete the e-mail without even reading it.

3. Tell the reader what action to take

Sometimes, reader has got no idea what to do with the e-mail. Never leave the readers guessing why you sent the e-mail and what you want. Instead, it is better to convey it clearly the desired action you want from the reader.

4. Write less, remove unnecessary information

Do not explain unnecessarily. It will needlessly increase the number of lines in the message and may considerably reduce the effectiveness of your message. Readers may also deviate from the theme. Instead, write in short, concise, and direct. Use active voice as much as possible.

5. Communicate with the concerned person only

Do not (unnecessarily) broadcast your message and send a copy to everyone you know in that department or company. It may reduce the effectiveness of your e-mail. Instead, communicate with the concerned (accountable) or interested people or departments only.

6. Check your tone and language

Your mood and mental status has nothing to do with the reader of your e-mail. Whatever be you mood, always keep you tone professional, cordial, unbiased, and business like. If the customer or your subordinate has done something silly, keep your cool and politely guide the right way to settle the things.

7. Read and spell check your e-mail before sending

At the very last, always read and spell check the e-mail that you have drafted. Try to ascertain whether you have written what you initially had planned.