You leave an impression and establish an image with every correspondence you make where you are not able to present yourself visually. This is your visual presentation of how you look. This is your pressed suit and tie, and crisp white shirt with polished shoes. Let people know that you are a professional and know what you are talking about. It also impresses upon people the respect you have for others and your compassion as well. The email says a lot about the person you are and the values that you hold. People like nothing better than dealing with people they like. Make it count.
Communication is everywhere and unavoidable. Really great communication is hard to find. If we can’t be in the same room with someone or know their specific location, contact is not that far away. I remember when there was a phone booth at every gas station and in every restaurant. It was like having access to a bathroom. You could always find one somewhere nearby. Today, I don’t think I can find a single phone booth anywhere. If you don’t have a cell phone, you have been living under a rock.
Today we have mobile phones, computers, faxes, On-Star, voice mail, e-mails, texting, and now we are “tweeting.” It’s amazing that we can communicate nearly everywhere, I don’t know about under water. I would have to ask an oceanographer. I don’t even keep a home phone, I just use my mobile phone as my primary communication for talking on the phone. I do have a desk phone. It pretty much just looks nice sitting on the desk, as most of my communication is done through email or face-to-face.
Electronic mail consists of e-mail and voice mail. I prefer email over voice mail, as it leaves record to both the sender and recipient of the exchange and the specifics of the message. Documentation of an interaction is sometimes preferred.
Here are some suggestions for using electronic mail effectively.
Choose email when information is better conveyed in writing.
Some information can be quite detailed when leaving several names, numbers, and addresses. The recipient will need to write the information down anyway and guess at the spelling, unless you are spelling everything out over the phone as well. Still, it reduces error in communication specific information that would be more difficult in retrieving over a voice message or phone call.
Use a phone when you need immediate feedback or need to follow-up.
Some communication requires tact and more of a personal touch. A computer screen can be a bit “cold” and impersonal. Some communication just shouldn’t be done by email, but rather communicating where the other person can hear the inflection in your voice, such as a call of condolence, or in person if possible. Determining the sensitivity of the information will help you select the right medium to use.
I would probably say that firing, laying someone off, or breaking up with someone should only be done in person. If extenuating circumstances dictate that this is not possible, first consider something like Skype, then, as a last resort, by email or correspondence.
Bad news, in general, is best done in person, unless your safety is a concern or the other person is unreachable for some reason. Take ownership and responsibility of the information you need to convey, giving the other person the respect and opportunity to respond. It’s a tough thing to do, but has the capacity to create respect and a level of compassion rather than coming across like a jerk or someone who is just looking for an easy way out. Ultimately, negatively impacting your image and professionalism.
Write an eye-catching subject line.
Don’t forget the subject line. Also, make sure that you get to the point in your subject line so the recipient can determine its importance. Avoid using words that have the probability of landing in their “spam” folder, such as using the word “free.”
Preview the content and limit the information to one screen if possible.
Get to the point early and organize the information so that it is easy to scan through and retrieve the necessary information by using lists, bullet points, headings, etc. The first paragraph should be your summary and the rest is your supporting information.
Review.
Before hitting the send button, review. I cannot stress this enough. The impression you leave will be immediate, so don’t let typos and incorrect language detract from your message or your image. If it has some length to it, print it. For some reason, a printed document will expose some glaring errors that may have otherwise been dismissed or missed altogether. If it is information that reveals a high state of emotion, such as stress or anger, leave it for a day and go back to it once you have had time to get yourself back to center.
Signal your close and wrap it up.
State or restate what it is that you seek from the recipient what you would like to get from them from this email and a nice complimentary close with your name is always a classy and professional touch.
What important elements would you suggest to our readers that I missed? The more you write the easier it gets. Well, most of the time. Leave me a comment and let me know if this information helps to make it easier for you put your emails together. Let readers know what you find to be the most difficult aspect of writing and sending emails. Or just share your nightmare email elements that you have received, giving us an idea of what not to do.
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