E Mail Techniques

8/14/2019 E Mail Techniques

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Email EtiquetteEmail Etiquette

WorkshopWorkshop Your key to effective Your key to effective

communication.communication.



Why is email etiquetteWhy is email etiquetteimportant?important?

We all interact with the printedWe all interact with the printedword as though it has a personalityword as though it has a personalityand that personality makesand that personality makes

positive and negative impressionspositive and negative impressionsupon us.upon us.Without immediate feedback yourWithout immediate feedback your

document can easily bedocument can easily bemisinterpreted by your reader, somisinterpreted by your reader, soit is crucial that you follow theit is crucial that you follow the

basic rules of etiquette tobasic rules of etiquette to



The elements of emailThe elements of emailetiquetteetiquette

General formatGeneral formatWriting longWriting longmessagesmessagesAttachmentsAttachments

The curse of The curse of

surprisessurprises

FlamingFlamingDeliveringDeliveringinformationinformationDelivering badDelivering badnewsnews

ElectronicElectronicMailing ListsMailing Lists



General Format: TheGeneral Format: TheBasicsBasics

Write a salutationWrite a salutationfor each newfor each newsubject email.subject email.

Try to keep the Try to keep theemail brief (oneemail brief (onescreen length).screen length).Return emailsReturn emails

within the samewithin the sametime you would atime you would aphone call.phone call.Check forCheck forpunctuation,punctuation,

Use caps onlyUse caps onlywhenwhenappropriate.appropriate.

Format yourFormat youremail for plainemail for plaintext rather thantext rather than

HTML.HTML.Use a font thatUse a font thathas ahas a

professional orprofessional or



General Format:General Format:Character SpacingCharacter Spacing

Try to keep your line length at 80 Try to keep your line length at 80characters or less.characters or less.If your message is likely to beIf your message is likely to beforwarded, keep it to 60 charactersforwarded, keep it to 60 charactersor less.or less.Set your email preferences toSet your email preferences toautomatically wrap outgoing plainautomatically wrap outgoing plaintext messages.text messages.



General Format: ListsGeneral Format: Listsand Bulletsand Bullets

When you areWhen you arewritingwritingdirections ordirections or

want towant toemphasizeemphasizeimportantimportant

points, numberpoints, numberyour directionsyour directionsor bullet youror bullet yourmain points.main points.

For example,For example,Place thePlace thepaper inpaper indrawer A.drawer A.Click the greenClick the green“start” button.“start” button.

AnotherAnotherexample,example,

• ImproveImprovecustomercustomer



General Format: ToneGeneral Format: Tone

• Write in a positive toneWrite in a positive tone““ When you complete the report.”When you complete the report.”

instead of instead of “If you complete the“If you complete thereport.”report.”

• Avoid negative words that beginAvoid negative words that begin

with “un, non, ex” or that end withwith “un, non, ex” or that end with“less”“less” (useless, non-existent, ex-(useless, non-existent, ex-employee, undecided).employee, undecided).

• Use contractions to add a friendlyUse contractions to add a friendly



AttachmentsAttachments

When you areWhen you aresending ansending anattachment tellattachment tell

your respondentyour respondentwhat the name of what the name of the file is, whatthe file is, whatprogram it is savedprogram it is savedin, and the versionin, and the versionof the program.of the program.““ This file is in This file is in

MSWord 2000MSWord 2000



When your message isWhen your message islonglong

Create an “elevator” summary.Create an “elevator” summary.Provide a table of contents on theProvide a table of contents on thefirst screen of your email.first screen of your email.If you require a response from theIf you require a response from thereader then be sure to request thatreader then be sure to request thatresponse in the first paragraph of response in the first paragraph of your email.your email.Create headings for each majorCreate headings for each majorsection.section.



Elevator Summary andElevator Summary and

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsAn elevatorAn elevatorsummary shouldsummary should

have all the mainhave all the maincomponents of components of the email.the email.

““ Our profit marginOur profit marginfor the lastfor the lastquarter wentquarter wentdown 5%. As adown 5%. As a

result I amresult I am

Table of contents Table of contents““ This email contains This email containsA. Budget projectionsA. Budget projections

for the last quarterfor the last quarterB. ActualB. Actual

performance forperformance forthe last quarterthe last quarter

C. AdjustmentC. Adjustmentproposalproposal



Delivering Information AboutDelivering Information AboutMeetings, Orientations,Meetings, Orientations,

ProcessesProcessesInclude anInclude anelevator summaryelevator summaryand table of and table of

contents withcontents withheadings.headings.Provide as muchProvide as muchinformation asinformation aspossible.possible.Offer the readerOffer the readeran opportunity toan opportunity to

receive thereceive the



Delivering Bad NewsDelivering Bad News

Deliver theDeliver thenews up front.news up front.

Avoid blamingAvoid blamingstatements.statements.Avoid hedgingAvoid hedgingwords or wordswords or wordsthat soundthat soundambiguous.ambiguous.Maintain aMaintain apositivepositive



Delivering Bad NewsDelivering Bad News

Deliver the news upDeliver the news upfront:front:

““ We are unable toWe are unable to

order neworder newcomputers thiscomputers thisquarter due toquarter due tobudget cuts.”budget cuts.”

Avoid blaming:Avoid blaming:““ I think it will beI think it will be

hard to recoverhard to recover

from this, butfrom this, but

Avoid usingAvoid using“weasel words”“weasel words”or hedging:or hedging:

““ Our pricingOur pricingstructure isstructure isoutdated.”outdated.”

More examplesMore examplesof hedging are:of hedging are:

Intents andIntents andpurposespurposes

Possibly, mostPossibly, most



Writing a complaintWriting a complaint• You should briefly You should briefly

state the historystate the historyof the problem toof the problem to

provide contextprovide contextfor your reader.for your reader.

• Explain theExplain the

attempts youattempts youmade previouslymade previouslyto resolve theto resolve the

problem.problem.

• Show why it isShow why it iscritical for thecritical for theproblem to beproblem to be

resolved by yourresolved by yourreader.reader.

• Offer suggestionsOffer suggestions

on ways youon ways youthink it can bethink it can beresolved or howresolved or how

you are willing toyou are willing to



Writing a complaintWriting a complaint

Briefly state theBriefly state thehistory:history:

““ The current way The current way

we choose officerswe choose officersfor ourfor ourorganization is notorganization is not

democratic. As ademocratic. As aresult, we have aresult, we have apopularity contestpopularity contestthat does notthat does notalwa s et us thealwa s et us the

Show attemptsShow attemptsmade by youmade by youthus far tothus far to

resolve theresolve theissue:issue:““ I have offeredI have offered

two alternativestwo alternativesfor officerfor officerselection thatselection thatstill involves thestill involves thevotes of thevotes of the




Show why it is important for your readerShow why it is important for your readerto get involved:to get involved:

““ This is a problem for two reasons. First, I This is a problem for two reasons. First, I

am concerned that the executive boardam concerned that the executive boardno longer protects the interests of theno longer protects the interests of theorganization and that their actions areorganization and that their actions arenot in keeping with the constitution of not in keeping with the constitution of

the organization.the organization.Second, there have been a number of Second, there have been a number of

complaints from the members who feelcomplaints from the members who feelthat their concerns and preferences arethat their concerns and preferences arenot being addressed by the executivenot being addressed by the executive




Ask for help and offer a resolution:Ask for help and offer a resolution:““ Please let me know what otherPlease let me know what other

options I may have overlooked. Ioptions I may have overlooked. Iam willing to meet with theam willing to meet with thedepartment head and thedepartment head and theexecutive board to seek out aexecutive board to seek out a

solution that is fair to the memberssolution that is fair to the membersand is good for the business of theand is good for the business of theorganizationorganization . ” . ”



Do not take your reader byDo not take your reader bysurprise or press them to thesurprise or press them to the

wallwall• Do not waitDo not wait

until the end of until the end of the day tothe day tointroduce aintroduce aproblem orproblem orconcern viaconcern via

memo or email.memo or email.• Avoid writing aAvoid writing a

litany of litany of

concerns thatconcerns that



Flaming in emailsFlaming in emails

• Flaming is aFlaming is avirtual term forvirtual term forventing orventing orsendingsendinginflammatoryinflammatorymessages inmessages in

email.email.• Avoid flamingAvoid flaming

because it tendsbecause it tends

to create ato create a

• Flame fights areFlame fights arethe equivalent of the equivalent of food fights andfood fights andtend to affecttend to affectobservers in aobservers in avery negativevery negative

way.way.• What you sayWhat you say

cannot be takencannot be taken

back; it is inback; it is in



Keep flaming underKeep flaming undercontrolcontrol

• Before you sendBefore you sendan emailan emailmessage, askmessage, askyourself, “would Iyourself, “would Isay this to thissay this to thisperson’s face?”person’s face?”

• Calm down beforeCalm down beforeresponding to aresponding to amessage thatmessage that

offends you.offends you.

Read yourRead yourmessage twicemessage twicebefore you sendbefore you sendit and assumeit and assumethat you may bethat you may bemisinterpretedmisinterpreted

whenwhenproofreading.proofreading.



Responding to a flameResponding to a flameEmpathize with theEmpathize with thesender’ssender’sfrustration and tellfrustration and tell

them they arethem they areright if that is trueright if that is trueIf you feel you areIf you feel you are

right, thank themright, thank themfor bringing thefor bringing thematter to yourmatter to yourattentionattention

Avoid gettingAvoid gettingbogged down bybogged down bydetails and minordetails and minorargumentsargumentsIf you are awareIf you are awarethat the situationthat the situationis in the process of is in the process of being resolved letbeing resolved letthe reader know atthe reader know at

the top of thethe top of the



When Email Won’t Work When Email Won’t Work There are times There are timeswhen you need towhen you need totake yourtake yourdiscussion out of discussion out of

the virtual worldthe virtual worldand make a phoneand make a phonecall.call.If things becomeIf things becomevery heated, a lotvery heated, a lotof of misunderstandingmisunderstanding

occurs or when youoccurs or when you

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