Jan 24
Think about what draws you to a book, news article or webpage. Very often it’s the title or headline that grabs our attention and entices us to read more. Similarly, with business emails if you use a subject line that indicates why you are writing and that engages your reader your email is far more likely to be read sooner and, if required, acted upon. A meaningful subject line helps your reader to identify your topic, prioritise your email and find it quickly again at a later stage. A subject line that engages your reader will make it stand out; the reader will be more likely to read your email sooner and remember what it was about.
 © istockphoto.com/ Dmitriy Shironosov |
Following the tips below should help you use your subject line to maximum effect:
- Never leave the subject line blank
- Make your subject line specific using company or product names if appropriate
- Give particular consideration to the first word in your subject line as this will determine how easy your email is to search for at a later stage
- Help your reader to prioritise your email: only use the word urgent if it really is but “Action required” or “FYI only” can be helpful indicators in the subject line
- If you write regular emails about a similar subject to the same regular contacts try to use a consistent format in your subject line
- If you change the topic of your email but continue with an existing thread then change the subject line accordingly
- Make it concise – it’s ok in your subject line to miss out articles, prepositions, etc.
- Avoid using all capitals as your subject line – it’s important to grab attention but not to shout at your reader!
It is often the little things that can make all the difference when we communicate and the three or four words we choose for our subject line can help our reader to navigate their inbox. You can find a myriad of online resources and reference books to help you appreciate the intricacies of email correspondence or you can attend an email writing course and learn practical tips to improve your email etiquette.
© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011
Jan 19
Even the presenters of Radio 4’s Today Programme are now discussing email etiquette, specifically how we should best address our reader. During a discussion on a recent Today Programme, the conclusion seemed to be that the choice of salutation is really a question of taste, intention and context although horror was expressed at the use of openings such as ‘hey’ or even ‘ho’ or closings like ‘bestest’ or BW (Best wishes).
 © istockphoto.com/ Quavondo |
While the presenters are right that context matters and that it is important to reflect the style and expectations of your reader, there are also some basic ground rules we should all follow when opening our emails which will help ensure that our emails are well received.
- Never miss out the salutation unless it is someone you know very well or you are exchanging quick fire emails with your reader
- If you don’t know your reader or don’t know them well it is better to play safe and use ‘Dear’
- Avoid using the reader’s name without a salutation as it can sound abrupt or directive
- As the relationship develops take your lead from your reader and mirror their use of salutations; if you find your reader says ‘hi’ to you it is ok for you to use ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ in your emails to them
- Good Morning or Good Evening can be deceptive if you are communicating across time zones. It also assumes that your recipient will be reading your message fairly soon after you have sent it
- It can be difficult to find the right salutation for group emails; Dear All is generally better than Dear Customer or Dear Colleague. Better again, to use a proper mail merge, certainly when emailing externally, so that each recipient receives a personalised salutation
- Finally, be very careful when emailing your international colleagues or customers. Your lack of formality or failure to address them properly will be picked up on immediately and could impact your future working relationship. Cross cultural communication adds yet another dimension to email etiquette.
You may think that a simple email salutation is only a couple of words and not worth debating, or even not worth using, but how you start your email sets the tone for the rest of your message and can show your reader that you are actually talking to them. Taking time to consider your use of email etiquette or attending a professional email writing course will improve they way you are perceived by your reader and how you develop your working relationships.
© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011
Dec 15
When you write a professional email do you ever really think about why you are writing it or what it is you want to achieve? Often as not, you are probably asking your reader to do something for you, to support you or to take your point of view. To do this effectively, you need to engage with your reader, build a relationship with them and get them to see things from your perspective – to step into your shoes for a moment. So, when you are writing those business emails isn’t it worth taking a few extra minutes to think about how best to do this and to consider what language and style you should use to get the best results?
 © istockphoto.com/ Sykono |
We have all received emails that have got our backs up because the tone has been overly direct or lacking in warmth. And the result? We have been less inclined to follow the sender’s directions or support them in their endeavours. We ignore the email or feel irritated with the sender. Adding a human element can go along way – so try to talk about ‘you’ and ‘me’ and ‘we’ rather than using impersonal expressions. Phrases like ‘It would help me if you could…’ or ‘I would appreciate it if…’ go a long way to winning your reader over. It’s also worth taking the time to explain the benefits of what you are asking your reader to do. You may only be asking a colleague to implement a process but you will find you get a much better response if you sell your ideas rather than simply instruct. Only consider writing in an impersonal way when you feel tempted to point a finger, ‘you got it wrong’ or ‘you haven’t done what I asked you to do’ will not usually go down well with your reader.
Often it is just a question of taking a little more time and consideration when writing emails but if you start to think about the impact of your language on your reader and adapt your style to win them over you will really start to see the benefits. Alternatively, a Professional Email Writing course can also help you to choose the right vocabulary and express yourself in a efficient and professional way.
© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010
Nov 18
We use email as a quick and immediate form of communication and often neglect the rules of structure that we would apply to a more formal professional document. How we structure and format our professional emails has a real impact on our audience and can make our messages much more readable and digestible for the recipient.
 © istockphoto.com/ Lajos Repasi |
A well laid out and structured email is much easier to follow and is more likely to have the desired effect than a message that is a stream of text with no white space or clarity of structure. Following the simple tips below will help you to improve the structure of your emails making them more readable and manageable for your audience.
1. Use paragraphs in the same way you would in any other professional document and make sure you have a clear beginning, middle and end with a line space between each paragraph. Ideally each paragraph should have two or three sentences.
2. Open and close your emails just as you would a professional letter. You can be slightly less formal but still need to address your reader and sign off at the end – a simple “Hi” and “Thanks” will produce a remarkable response from the recipient of your email.
3. If your message is longer than a couple of lines use headings to add clarity. Avoid using all capitals or underlining but use bold to make your heading stand out. Questions often make good headings, particularly if you are giving instructions. What do I need to do next? or What does this mean for me?
4. If you are listing documents or instructions bullet points will improve the clarity of your message and make it easier for your reader to digest. Use simple bullet points and make sure you are consistent with their format
5. Use attachments for detailed information rather than making your email any longer than a page. Your recipients can then read the key information but come back to read the details in the attachment at a later stage if they need to.
Websites have lots of useful information on how to structure your emails correctly. Organisations also run business email writing courses for their employees as they seek to ensure that their employees protect the brand.
© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2010
