Learning Outcomes - Email Etiquette Training Program (Part A)
By the end of this course, participants will: Develop a heightened awareness of the potential perils of digital communication Master effective email structures to achieve clarity and successful communication Learn to write for the reader, starting with effective subject lines Make the most of 'email estate' Carefully consider the email recipients Learn to work within principles or 'rules of thumb' to ensure professional, clear & effective emails Perfect grammar because it matters Format messages for readability Learn to write professionally and brand Broadcast emails Learn to avoid senders regret by proof reading Understand 'netiquette' Master the inbox using some core principles and email functions
Program Outline – Email Etiquette Training Program
Topic 1 – Introduction
As with any form of communication, there are certain rules of behavior which should be considered when using email.
Email is written communication, but it does not have the formality of earlier written forms. It has a much more immediate, less formal feel than paper, pen, and stamp mail. Email is also essentially one - way communication. There is no immediate feedback and interaction. Also, written communication by definition allows far fewer context clues to its meaning as face - to -face and telephone conversation. Any written communication must be carefully considered so that it is not misunderstood, but email lends itself to casual interaction. The potential for real misunderstanding is clear.
When you compose an email message, pause and read over it again before you send it. Once it is sent, you can't get it back. Remember that your grammar, spelling, and vocabulary send a message as clear as the words.
Be very careful about using humour in email.
Email etiquette is the way in which you communicate via email. There are two types of communications, one a personal email, to friends, family, etc..., and the other is business. Of course the way you address your best friend is the same as you would your superior. Do not type in all caps, that is considered shouting. When sending a business email, make sure you use correct grammar and punctuation. Keep in mind whom you are addressing when sending an email.
Email etiquette is the skills and techniques necessary for managing emails and writing professionally with effective email structures.
Evaluate your Email usage
Workshop Objectives
Topic 2 - Introduction to Email Etiquette
Email is never secure
We send some of our most personal and private information through email. Shouldn't we have 100% trust in our email system? Unencrypted, plain-text emails can easily be intercepted, read, and edited. In fact, sending an unencrypted email is a bit like sending a postcard written in pencil: whoever intercepts it can read it with ease. Until now, the process of encrypting email messages was lengthy, difficult, and cumbersome, even to the most tech-savvy PC user. Of course, security systems that, however necessary, are a chore to use will never be adopted on a large scale. You may already know that email is insecure; however, it may surprise you to learn just how insecure it really is. For example, did you know that messages which you thought were deleted years ago may be sitting on servers half-way around the world? Or that your messages can be read and modified in transit, even before they reach their destination? Or even that the username and password that you use to login to your email servers can be stolen and used by hackers?
Productivity is lost when cyber-slackers log on
Businesses should crack down on workers who visit recreational Web sites—such as Fantasyfootball.com and Facebook.com—on company time. Pro or Con?
It sounds simple enough to say that employers need not tolerate recreational Web browsing by their workers. Work is for work; do your personal cybersurfing on your own time and your own computer, right? This seems eminently reasonable—until you actually stop and think about it. A rule of zero or near-zero tolerance for cyberleisure on the job might make sense in a workplace populated exclusively by robots, but it‘s impractical and unreasonable in the real world of real humans at real jobs.
The Internet isn‘t just a business tool; it‘s an information and communications necessity. Cracking down on recreational surfing means making difficult, potentially intrusive, and mostly unnecessary decisions about the kinds of ―information‖ employees are allowed to consume at the workplace. Do employers really want to go there?
So it‘s acceptable to spend a break reading an online article at BusinessWeek.com but not playing online computer games? It‘s reasonable to e-mail a colleague to arrange lunch but not to post a comment on his Facebook page? Will I be fired for making a passing reference to last night‘s game in an interoffice e-mail?
This isn‘t about recreational Web surfing. The issue here is freedom of expression—an employee‘s ability to think and read and communicate on matters that have nothing to do with work—without interference from the employer. What‘s really relevant to the manager is actual job performance. Employers should certainly feel free to discipline workers who abuse the privilege of Internet access to the detriment of their productivity, just as they would show little tolerance for any other behavior that significantly impairs performance.
Smart employers know that talented, motivated people want to work where they are evaluated on their performance, not within a zero-tolerance tyranny where they are judged by the private expressive choices they make in filling their idle moments.
Poorly written emails today suffer the same consequences as poorly written memos and letters of earlier times. So, when writing emails to your colleagues and clients, remember to create a professional image by following these simple guidelines. As you do, you will help others meet important deadlines and keep projects on target.
Keep It Short and Sweet
Avoid rambling as you type one idea after another.
Instead, be clear in your thinking, use one of the three models of Writing to Get Things Done and finesse with tone.
Make the Organization Visually Apparent
Avoid presenting one paragraph after another with no clear visual connection tying them together. Instead, make the organization of your emails apparent to your readers. Here are two simple, yet powerful, ways to do this:
• Organize a list of key points under a forecasting sentence in a bullet-point paragraph format. (Like we‘re doing here.)
• Use headings to forecast the content of your paragraphs. (Like we‘re doing with the paragraphs in this article.)
Write in the Style of Educated Professionals
Avoid thinking that good writing rules don‘t apply to emails. Instead, follow Standard American English rules for grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, word usage, spelling and capitalization. Remember:
• Few readers notice good grammar. When was the last time you thought, ―Gosh, I like the way she used that semicolon! Super choice of punctuation!‖
• All readers notice bad grammar. It knocks readers off message and makes the writer look uneducated and careless.
Must we also say?
AVOID ALL CAPS. Readers will think you‘re yelling—which you are. Or is it just laziness?
Avoid the use of smileys. Reserve these for fun between friends and family. In business, they can easily be interpreted the wrong way.
Avoid text-messaging language: BTW, IMHO, J/K, LOL, BAK, MTFBWY, etc. These are great shortcuts in texting and should be reserved for texting. In business, they, as with smileys, can be misinterpreted and detrimental to your message.
Avoid using colored type, freaky styles and sizes, colored backgrounds and unnecessary logos and graphics. These distract readers from your message. Do a Final Revision
Avoid firing off your email as soon as you‘re finished typing. Take a minute to add some finishing touches:
• Engage your reader with a forecasting subject line that describes the topic of your email.
• Include a friendly salutation or greeting, such as ―Good morning Brenda,‖ if appropriate.
• Check that you have a professional, positive tone that encourages cooperation.
• Proofread each sentence carefully, even after doing spelling and grammar checks. As we all know from experience, a spelling check will miss the error of using to when we mean too.
Forward with Care
Avoid automatically relaying email from others. Respect the privacy of the messages you receive.
• Consider confidentiality before you forward, and use the ―Reply to All" function with care.
• Ask permission before forwarding someone‘s private email on to others.
• Consider attaching only the last email in a chain of emails and deleting prior emails.
Make it Media-Ready
Avoid thinking that just because you respect the privacy of others, they will return the favor. Avoid putting things in your email that you wouldn‘t want anyone to see. Your email could end up on the desk of your boss, on the front page of the New York Times or in a court of law. And in such cases, you want to look your best.
Keep it Professional
Finally, avoid taking people to task via email. Conflict is often better addressed face-toface or over the phone. Be aware that every email you send becomes a written record of your performance. It also reflects on those you represent—your work group, your department and your company.
Email misuse and abuse may get you fired
More than a quarter of employers have fired workers for misusing e-mail and one third have fired workers for misusing the Internet on the job.
The vast majority of bosses who fired workers for Internet misuse, 84 percent, said the employee was accessing porn or other inappropriate content. While looking at inappropriate content is an obvious no-no on company time, simply surfing the Web led to a surprising number of firings. As many as 34 percent of managers in the study said they let go of workers for excessive personal use of the Internet, according to the survey.
Among managers who fired workers for e-mail misuse, 64 percent did so because the employee violated company policy and 62 percent said the workers' e-mail contained inappropriate or offensive language. More than a quarter of bosses said they fired workers for excessive personal use of e-mail and 22 percent said their workers were fired for breaching confidentiality rules in e-mail.
Email can be embarrassing
Sending an email in error can be a minor embarrassment – or it can cost you your job. Yet, with some two-million emails sent globally every second it‘s no wonder that most of us have, at some time, forgotten our netiquette and committed an email faux pas which has ended up causing offence, embarrassment, annoyance or even gotten us the sack.
Everyone knows how important it is to double check your e-mailattachments, especially if you‘re applying for a job. However, sometimes the wrong file can find its way to an important message.
This nightmare happened to one girl, who accidentally sent a potential employer an e-mail attached with a scary photo of Nicolas Cage instead of her resume and cover letter. Talk about a bad first impression.
As a result of the innocent screw up, she probably didn‘t even get an e-mail back for a potential job. Sounds frustrating, huh?
Don‘t let these careless mistakes cause big embarrassment and missed opportunities. Here are seven common errors to check for before you hit the ―Send‖ button.
Get names right. Nothing is more embarrassing than messing up someone‘s name, especially if it‘s your boss or potential employer. Always double check names and spelling! Make sure your e-mail address is appropriate. First impressions are huge. Do you really think a potential employer would respect an applicant whose e-mail handle was ―[email protected]‖? Probably not. Make sure you have a professional e-mail address for business-related messages. Watch out for typos. We all are guilty of misspelling a word or two every once an awhile. It‘s a pretty common mistake, so we tend to brush it off. However, it might not sit well with a potential employer if your e-mail was peppered with minor typos (especially after all that talk about your attention to detail in your cover letter!). Be aware of your grammar. Double check ―your‖ and ―you‘re,‖ ―their,‖ ―there,‖ and ―they‘re,‖ ―than‖ and ―then,‖ and ―it‘s‖ and ―its.‖ Each of your little mistakes will reflect on your employer, no matter how small. If you can‘t even write a grammatically correct e-mail, how will you represent the company? Avoid all caps. NO EMPLOYER WILL APPRECIATE AN E-MAIL FROM AN APPLICANT THAT DOESN‘T HAVE THE COURTESY TO TURN OFF CAPS LOCK. Not only does it look like you are shouting, but it‘s also incredibly annoying. Ditch the slang, bro. Make sure to avoid using slang words and phrases in e- mails, especially professional ones. Even if you are sending a casual message to a co-worker, practice good e-mail habits so things like ―thx,‖ ―gr8,‖ or ―LOL‖ don‘t slip into an important e-mail. Try not to use emotions. Although it can be hard to convey emotion through e- mail, try not to use smiley faces in work-related e-mails. Though there are worse things you can put in an e-mail, some people find them to be annoying and unprofessional. Sorry :-( And above all, make sure Nicolas Cage doesn‘t creep into an attachment.
Email abuse impacts revenues and also reputations
Outbound abuse has a long list of consequences that affect not only subscribers‘ experience but also the mailbox providers‘ operations, brand image and revenues. These issues are: • Operational Disruption—Mailbox providers can have their email traffic blocked at other mailbox providers due to the outflow of spam, something Return Path often finds out as we mediate and help resolve disputes between providers. The common cause for such a disruption is outbound spam, though infrequently, it can be the result of a misconfigured email server. Bounced emails contribute to user dissatisfaction and other factors listed below.
• Loss of Trust—Once a mailbox provider‘s IP range is blocked by other mailbox providers due to spam generation, subscribers will experience message sending issues since the IP addresses are identified as spam generators. Note a subscriber‘s email account does not necessarily need to be compromised, rather it is ―guilty by association‖ as a few compromised accounts generate the IP block, and all messages using the blocked IP addresses suffer the consequences. If this happens frequently a user will lose trust in her mailbox provider, which brings us to the next point.
• Customer Churn—In this day and age changing personal email accounts is very easy. Once a subscriber loses trust in her mailbox provider she will look for alternatives, which there are plenty of, and eventually she will pick another one. If left unchecked, outbound abuse could be not only a significant contributor to customer churn but also a main driver of it.
• Revenue Loss—The barriers to leave a mailbox provider are very low. A user in the average US metropolitan area has at least seven choices for her email needs: she can get an email account from one of the major webmail providers, Yahoo Mail, Gmail, AOL, Hotmail and Facebook or through her DSL or cable provider. Revenue stream generated by users that move to a competitor will be very hard, if not impossible, to bring back.
• Brand Image—No mailbox provider wants to see its IPs blocked and be identified as a generator of outbound spam. However, in the past year more than 40% of global mailbox providers have had some IP ranges blacklisted due to outbound abuse reasons. If such a block remains in place for a while or happens multiple times and customer churn increase, the mailbox provider‘s brand image will be damaged in the eyes of the consumer.
• Productivity Loss—Outbound abuse has been receiving more attention relatively recently and, as such, does not have a comprehensive solution available. Mailbox provider abuse groups are therefore forced to create their own manual solutions or to repurpose some existing tools that were not originally created to solve the outbound abuse problem. In the case of homegrown solutions the abuse group embarks in a long project (months and, in some cases, years) that might not provide complete visibility and therefore partial or no relief. Similarly, inbound spam solutions are ineffective for outbound spam remediation and log aggregators, while useful, are also a multiple month proposition with incomplete visibility. As a result, an abuse team loses productivity by first trying to keep up with the amount of outbound spam and then by using solutions that were not created to solve the problem.
Email is easily misinterpreted
People overestimate both their ability to convey their intended tone in e-mails -be it sarcastic, serious or funny - when they send an e-mail, as well as their ability to correctly interpret the tone of messages others send to them.
The reason for this communication disconnect, is egocentrism the well- established social psychological phenomenon whereby people have a difficult time detaching themselves from their own perspectives and understanding how other people will interpret them.
There‘s nothing new about text-based communication; people have been writing letters for centuries," they explain. "But what's different in this medium is the ease with which we can fire things back and forth. It makes text-based communication seem more informal and more like face-to-face communication than it really is." People are better at communicating and interpreting tone in vocal messages than in text-based ones.
As a web writer, it's important to write emails — and other web copy — that can't be misinterpreted. When you‘re writing to clients, the last thing you want is for them to think you‘re disrespectful or entitled. But many times, our emails can come across exactly how we don‘t intend them to.
A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found people could only correctly interpret the tone and mood of an email half the time. That means if you‘re happy all the time, your clients could think you‘re upset, irritated, or annoyed half the time.
Since we only have a 50/50 chance of our emails being properly understood, we should make every effort to be as clear as possible when emailing. Here are seven ways to make sure your emails aren‘t misread:
1. Take your time.
It‘s safe to say we‘re all in a rush these days. That‘s why it‘s not surprising many of us send emails without thinking them through.
Taking a few moments before hitting the ―Send‖ button to double-check the email message and make sure that it can‘t be taken the wrong way can help avoid a lot of headaches. If you don‘t have time to think about what you want to say, and how you want to say it, save your email as a draft and come back to it later.
Of course, one way to save time is to keep your emails short.
2. Say less.
Writing brief emails lowers the chance of having your email misinterpreted because there are fewer things to say wrong or for your reader to take the wrong way.
Remember, it‘s easier on you to read shorter emails as well and by keeping your messages short, you encourage the reader to respond with a short email.
Of course, if they aren‘t taking your hint, you could always use this trick, and limit the number of sentences in every email you write while encouraging others to do the same.
3. Stick to one topic.
If your emails are long, it‘s probably because you‘re trying to cover more than one thing at a time. This leads to confusion, unanswered questions, missed steps, frustration, and email misinterpretation.
One of the easiest ways to say less — and to get your question answered quickly — is to stick to one topic. There will be less to misunderstand and your reader can quickly get to the point.
4. Don’t start with pleasantries.
In a Creative Mornings talk, Simon Sinek explained that when you have a request for something, it‘s best to ask for it first and then include pleasantries. When you start with pleasantries, it comes across as a ploy to get what you want. But, when the kind words come after the request, they seem more genuine because they don‘t seem like part of your agenda.
For example, instead of saying, ―Dear Becky, I loved your article today. It was great! Please read the attached web copy and give me your feedback.‖
You should say, ―Dear Becky, Please read the attached web copy and give me your feedback. By the way, I loved your article today. It was great!‖
5. Avoid Emoticons.
Studies show we misinterpret positive emails as more neutral than the sender intended. We also misinterpret neutral emails as more negative. Sadly, jokes are rated less funny by readers than senders. If you write something you think might be offensive to the email recipient, adding a winky face doesn‘t make it okay. And, if a comment requires a smiley face to be understood, then it‘s probably best to eliminate or rephrase it.
6. Put yourself in their shoes.
It‘s a good idea to re-read your emails and consider how the other person will feel. It can be difficult because the reader will interpret it based on their mood and expectations, but consider if there is a way your email could be misunderstood? If so, you might want to rewrite it until there is only one clear meaning.
I‘ve received quite a few emails where people use ellipses (the three dots) incorrectly. They might say, ―Thank you …‖ But because I agree with the Wikipedia description, ―ellipses can be used to indicate an unfinished thought,‖ I feel like these emails are saying, ―Thank you, but …‖ or ―Thank you for nothing.‖
I try to remind myself that they probably didn‘t intend it that way and may not know what ellipses mean, but it can still be hurtful and is an example of email misinterpretation.
7. When all else fails, make a phone call.
It might be faster and better to call if you don‘t have enough time to type a thorough email and read it twice before clicking ―Send.‖
If you‘re concerned your email might be misunderstood, or if you‘re struggling with what you want to actually say, pick up the phone. You can talk it out and both reach an understanding. This works best with touchy subjects or if you‘re already in a confusing conversation.
However, there is a bright light at the end of the email misinterpretation tunnel. Familiarity between email senders and receivers reduces the problems of email misinterpretation. The better you know someone, the less likely you are to misunderstand what he or she typed.
Topic 3 - Create Structure for Success
Forward-To-CC-BCC
When you write an email, you write it to someone (or, of course, to someone special).
Yet the To: field is not the only place to put an addressee. Two more fields accept recipients. They are called Cc: and Bcc:, and you probably have already seen them. Cc: — Carbon Copy
"Cc" is short for "carbon copy". Those naming and designing this email feature probably had the real world counterpart to email in mind: letters. Carbon copy paper made it possible to send the same letter to two (or even more if you hit the keys really hard) different people without the onerous task of having to write or type it twice.
The analogy works well. An email is sent to the person in the To: field, of course.
A verbatim copy of the message is also sent to all the addresses listed in the Cc: field, though. Yes, there can be more than one email address in this field, and they all get a copy. To enter more than one address in the Cc: field, separate them with commas.
The Shortcomings of Cc:
When you send a message to more than one address using the Cc: field, both the original recipient and all the recipients of the carbon copies see the To: and Cc: fields including all the addresses in them.
This means that every recipient gets to know the email addresses of all the persons that received your message. This is usually not desirable. Nobody likes their email address exposed to the public.
Full Cc: fields also don't look all that good. They can become quite long and grow big on the screen. Lots of email addresses will overshadow little message text.
Bcc: — Blind Carbon Copy
The long version of "Bcc" is "blind carbon copy". If this gives you the image of an empty sheet of paper — a carbon copy without text —, that's not quite what email's Bcc: is up to.
The Bcc: field helps you deal with the problems created by Cc:. As it is the case with Cc:, a copy of the message goes to every single email address appearing in the Bcc: field.
The difference is that neither the Bcc: field itself nor the email addresses in it appear in any of the copies (and not in the message sent to the person in the To: field either).
The only recipient address that will be visible to all recipients is the one in the To: field. So, to keep maximum anonymity you can put your own address in the To: field and use Bcc: exclusively to address your message. Bcc: lets you send a newsletter, too, or send a message to "undisclosed recipients".
Cc: and Bcc: Etiquette
Bcc: is a nice and powerful tool. But you still should limit its use to cases when it is clear that the message was sent to multiple recipients whose addresses are protected using Bcc:. You could mention the other recipients at the end of the email by name, but not by email address, for example.
Urgent
Need to keep track of an important message? Or do you want to make sure that e-mail recipients immediately understand that your mail is urgent and needs attention.
The important indicator is available to you on the toolbar and is a fast way to let recipients know that you have sent them an important mail.
A message flag can mark that mail and make it easy to scan the Inbox and find it again, either as a reminder for you or to catch a recipient's attention.
! High Importance Low Importance
As you go about your daily e-mailing, you know that some of the e-mails you send out are much more important than others. For instance, e-mails you send out to clients at your business are more important than sending a joke to your best friend.
Setting your e-mails as high priority, or even low priority, will help your receivers understand if the e-mail needs to be read as soon as they get it or if they can let it go for a couple hours. I‘m not saying you should mark every e-mail you send as high or low priority, but sometimes it‘s nice to let your readers know what‘s going on. High priority is much more common than low priority, because it just lets everyone know how important the e-mail is. Okay, so setting your e-mail priority is very simple to do, so let‘s get started.
In Outlook Express, create a new message just as you would for any other e- mail. Along the toolbar buttons at the top, look for the button that says Priority. Click on it once to get High Priority, click on it twice to get Low Priority or three times to have no priority. There is also a down arrow on the button, so you can click on that to choose either high, low or normal (none at all) priority as well.
A red exclamation point is used for high priority and a blue down arrow is used for low priority. Once you choose your priority, a message will appear at the top of the e-mail saying which status that e-mail is set to. Then just compose the e-mail like you normally would and send it off. When your receiver gets the e- mail, they will see either the exclamation point or the arrow beside their message, so they will know instantly if they need to read the e-mail right away or not. If you use Netscape mail, click on the New Message button and look for the pull down menu that says Priority. When you click on the menu, a list of priority settings ranging from lowest to highest will come up and you can select which one you want. Then just compose the e-mail like you always do and send it.
For Hotmail, click on New Message and look for the little red exclamation point and the little blue down arrow. (They‘re small, so really keep an eye out for them). Click which priority you want and then write the e-mail and send it normally. You won‘t see any sign of your priority, but it will show up for your reader.
Subject
A subject like the headline above can irresistibly pull readers into opening your message and reading its every hypnotic word. Often, it will not — and what if you don't have anything to sell?
Your email's subject line is, next to your name, the first thing the recipient sees. It is important.
In your email subject, do not:
Arouse interest and curiosity. Say "Hi". Be wordy. Respond without giving context. Be vague or general.
Write a Good Email Subject
To compose the perfect email subject:
Give the message's bottom line. If your email comprises multiple topics, consider breaking it into multiple messages. Summarize the message — why you are writing and what you want to be different after the recipient has read your email — instead of describing it. If you invite somebody to a conference, use "Invitation: Email Efficiency Conference, Bangalore Aug 14-16" instead of a plain "Email Efficiency Conference". Be precise. Include detail that allows the recipient to identify what you are talking about quickly and unambiguously. If your message requires the recipient's action, say so; preferably with the first word. Leave out unnecessary words. If the action associated with your message includes a date or deadline, do include it in the email subject. Email subjects need to be concise. Skip articles, adjectives and adverbs.
Salutation
A salutation is a greeting used in a letter or other written communication, such as an email. Salutations can be formal or informal. The most common form of salutation in a letter is Dear followed by the recipient's given name or title. For each style of salutation there is an accompanying style of complementary close, known as valediction.
The salutation "Dear" in combination with a name or a title is by far the most commonly used salutation in both British and American English, in both formal and informal correspondence. It is commonly followed by either by an honorific and a surname, such as "Dear Mr. Smith," or by a given name, such as "Dear John," However, it is not common in English to use both a title of address and a person's given name: "Dear Mr. John Smith" would not be correct form. A comma follows the salutation and name, while a colon is used in place of a comma only in American business correspondence. This rule applies regardless of the level of formality of the correspondence.
If the name of the intended recipient is unknown, acceptable salutations are: Dear Sir/Madam or Dear Sirs (If the gender of the reader is unknown). To Whom It May Concern (If the writer wishes to exclude the gender of the reader from the salutation and/or to convey that the reader should forward the copy to one more suited to receive or respond appropriately). Dear Sir (If the reader is Male). Dear Madam (If the reader is Female).
Dear Reader: Dear Reader, Dear Ms. Reader: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Reader: Dear Sir or Madam: Hi, Reader, Reader, This s all about the etiquette of salutations (greetings) for business letters and email.
Introduction – Body – Conclusion
Introduction A good introduction will surely give the reader a good impression. There are several types of introduction to start your email: Definition - According to the English dictionary, Internet is a computer system that allows millions of computer users around the world to exchange information… Question - Do you know that the invention of the Internet has revolutionized the business world? What are the pros and cons of the Internet? … Fact - A recent survey on the Internet suggested that more than 60 per cent of the users receive spam emails daily… Dialogue - ―Son, can you please help me to pay the bills online?‖ The use of the Internet benefits not only the Internet-literates but also the illiterate ones… Quotation - No man is an island. Everyone needs friends in his life…
Body Now you need not worry about running out of points, so you can focus on paragraphing. A good paragraphing is essential for a good email.
Include only one topic sentence which contains one main idea in one paragraph. Support the topic sentence with some elaborations, examples and further details or information. You should write your essay until you have nothing to write anymore.
Be specific in your email and avoid generalization. A too general sentence is hard to support your topic sentence. Maintain the right tone and coherence in your email. If a piece of writing is coherent, it is easy to understand because it is clear and reasonable.
Use logical connectors to join sentences and maintain coherence. Here is a list of useful logical connectors: To add another related point: and, also, too, besides, as well, in addition (to), furthermore To add a similar point: similarly To connect two statements or phrases when the second one adds something different or seems surprising after the first one: but, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand, yet, whereas, while, except To show connection between actions and consequences: so, therefore, so that, as a result, consequently, then, thus When a particular fact does not prevent something from happening: although, though, in spite of, despite
Conclusion End your conclusion carefully and clearly. Do not give the reader a vague idea about the email you have just written. Do not end your email like this: There are some advantages and disadvantages of the Internet. Your can include your point of view or your thoughts on the email in the conclusion of your email. Try to start your conclusion with one of these words.
Signature A signature is some text that appears at the end of any email messages you send. You could include your name, work address, home address, website address, marketing message or any other information you would like on your emails.
An e-mail signature is a block of text appended to the end of an e-mail message often containing the sender's name, address, phone number, disclaimer or other contact information. Most e-mail clients, including Mozilla Thunderbird and Eudora, can be configured to automatically append an e-mail signature with each new message. A shortened form of a signature block (sometimes called a "signature line"), only including one's name, often with some distinguishing prefix, can be used to simply indicate the end of a post or response. Most e-mail servers can be configured to append e-mail signatures to all outgoing mail as well. However, when multiple replies to the same post occur, care should be taken to prevent multiple signatures from building up so that message lengths remains legible and message size manageable.
Email Signature Tips 1. Keep it as short as you can while providing all of the information you deem most important (four lines is the accepted standard).
2. Condense information into fewer lines by using pipes (|) or colons (::) to separate the text.
3. Remember that simple plain text is best; skip colors, special fonts and graphics.
4. Use the accepted signature delimiter (-- ) to help your signature get recognized as such by email clients.
5. Be careful with HTML formatting because it may not appear how you want it to for everyone.
6. Test your signature with as many email clients as you can, especially if you use HTML.
7. Optimize your logo or other graphics, upload the files to your server, and use an absolute URL.
8. Consider using an email signature service if you have specific formatting needs or want to include graphics and other design elements.
9. Provide written out URLs instead of using hyperlinks in your email to ensure the link will go through in the sent message.
10. Avoid including multiple phone numbers and email addresses. Pick your contact preference and get rid of the rest.
11. Only include IM details and Skype account information if you want to be contacted that way by anyone who sees your message.
12. Skip your mailing address — not every recipient wants or should have access to that information.
13. Include links to your most important social media profiles, only if they are appropriate.
14. Include your email address. You can‘t rely on various email clients to include header information in replies and forwards.
Examples of Email Signatures
John Smith President | Top Web Design USA 555-555-5555 | [email protected] | http://www.websiteurl.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/twittername | LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/linkedinname
Kumar
Business Executive
Global Solutions Private Ltd
444-555-6666
Draft
Not ready to send your message? You can save a message as a Draft to revise and send later.
Save Draft 1. Compose your new message (or Reply to an existing message)
2. Click Save Draft on the toolbar
3. Close the message tab
Edit and Send Draft 1. Click the Inbox tab
2. Use the Filter pane on the left to open the relevant mailbox
3. Click the Drafts folder in the left pane
4. Existing message drafts will appear in the list
5. Click to select the draft you wish to edit
6. In the Preview pane, click Edit Draft
7. Make any desired changes
8. Click Send on the message toolbar to send the edited draft
The edited message is now part of the relevant conversation, and can be found in the Archive or Sent folders instead of the Draft folder.
Time Delays Occasionally you may need to delay or postpone delivery or sending or an email message. Normally, when you click on ―Send‖ button, the email will be sent immediately, no matter you‘re using desktop email clients such as Outlook, Outlook Express or Thunderbird, or web-based email services (of course, not when you disconnect from Internet when using offline desktop mail client where email cannot be sent out). The ability to delivery delivery of mail message will be useful in such a case where you want a mail to only be delivered to recipients on future date such as birthday wishes, appointment reminders, anniversary celebration, holiday or ocassion greetings, or simply to avoid sending mail to person on vacation when you know that he or she won‘t back before certain date, and etc. Microsoft Outlook provides such a feature called ―Do Not Deliver Before‖ to postpone sending of email to future date or time, and enable all POP3, IMAP, HTTP or Microsoft Exchange Server emailservices.
The email message that is delayed sending in future date will be held in the Outbox folder after you clicking on Send button. Once the specified assigned date and time is reached, the email will be sent and delivered, and email been moved to Sent Items folder automatically, provided you‘re connected to Internet.
Why is email delayed for a period of time?
The email server could be overloaded. An email server has to make an outgoing connection to send each email message. When an email server has many requests for sending email, the emails are held in a Mail queue and sent out a one at a time. An overloaded server with many mail requests will cause a delay in sending mail. Sometimes a spammer will find an exploit in one of the web sites on the server and start sending massive amounts of spam. This will overload the mail server. If your mail is being delayed, you should make a trouble ticket with your host so that they can check the server logs and Mail queue. A good server administrator can tell if the Mail queue is overloaded and what is causing it.
here are other possible causes like DNS or connection outages that may only be temporary. In some cases of a server that is exploited and sending out spam, the server IP address may be temporarily banned by other mail servers. Sometimes your mail server IP address ends up on a SORBS or RBL spammer black list and gets blocked by various mail systems. This may not be your fault because many sites on a web hosting server share the same IP. Maybe a spammer has an account there, or a spammer has exploited a script on the server and is sending spam from it.
Topic 4 - Rules of Thumb
We all know effective email is a key to getting things done. One of the best tips I ever heard on writing effective emails came from a Microsoft exec. It was quite literally a ―rule of thumb‖ in that he tried to never send an email longer than his thumb.
If your message has to be longer than your thumb because of the amount of information you need to convey, consider whether or not it would make more sense to arrange the message into a formal brief. You can then easily add headers and a table of contents to increase readability.
Effective Subject lines: Tell me up front what you want from me
One of the most important parts of your email message is the subject line. In just a short amount of space, you must convince your audience to take open your email and see what you have to say. If the subject line doesn't pass muster, the next step for the reader is to reach for the "mark as spam" button. "69% said they make the decision to click on the 'report spam' or 'junk' button using the subject line," according to the Email Sender and Provider Coalition.
You probably already know how critical good sales copy is to the success of your business. But how much thought do you put into your subject lines?
When doing e-mail promotions, your subject line can literally make or break your success -- a critical point that the majority of affiliates and marketers miss.
Think about all of those e-mails you're probably getting on a daily basis with subjects like:
"MAKE $75,000 EVERY WEEK GUARANTEED!" "EXPLOSIVE STOCK PICK AT $0.45!!!! "newsletter" "THIS IS NOT SPAM!"
Do you open these e-mails? Because I know I sure don't! The subject line makes it obvious that the e-mail is spam... that it's from someone you don't know... or it doesn't offer a clear benefit that makes you want to read it.
Now let me ask you a question... How many of your legitimate newsletters and e- mails are mistakenly deleted by your subscribers who read your subject lines and assume it must be spam?
How many potential sales could you have saved simply by rewriting your subject lines?
Obviously I can't answer these questions for you. However, I can teach you how to write subject lines that will compel your subscribers to open and read any e- mail you send them.
When you write your subject lines, you basically have 3 choices:
1) You can make an announcement or give news. (i.e. "IMC shows affiliates how to write killer subject lines")
2) You can make the reader curious. (i.e."IMC gives affiliates this secret marketing strategy...")
3) You can emphasize how the reader will benefit from opening your e-mail. (i.e. Discover tips for writing subject lines that will increase your affiliate sales.)
Out of these 3 techniques, you will always be most successful if you write subject lines that state a clear benefit and tell the reader exactly how they are going to save money, save time, make their life easier, etc... by opening and reading your e-mail.
1 page view only
The email should comprise of a page so that it is easier for the recipient to read your mail and most of them doesn‘t have patience and time to view multiple pages. So if your message is created in one page it will attract the recipient and also creates interest to read the mail.
Average 15 words per sentence
Generally, when writing engineering papers, the average sentence length of a paragraph should be around 24 words. If your average number of words per sentence is above 25, your writing style might be hard to read. If you have an average of less than 17, your writing style probably needs longer more complex sentences: sentences with a main and a dependant clause joined by a subordinator such as ―although, whenever, or because.‖
However, it also depends on the type of writing you are doing. If you are writing a user manual, then an average of about 17 is probably standard. If you are writing a business report or a proposal for a general audience, then an average of around 20 words is probably fine. Research writing, especially in the social sciences and humanities, tends to have a longer average number of words per sentence than writing for a general audience. If you are writing for a company newsletter or a user manual then the average sentence length should be shorter than for a research article. And when you are writing email it should on an average of 15 words per sentence.
We have been measuring sentences only in words. But sentences have three units of measure: words, syllables and characters. And so we may take the following as the new guideline: ―Over the whole document, make the average sentence length 15-20 words, 25-33 syllables and 75-100 characters.‖
As short as possible – no extra words
Emailing is an alternative to picking up the phone or meeting face to face, therefore emails should be used to quickly send small bits of information. Be careful not to intimidate the reader with paragraphs and paragraphs of run on sentences. If you have a lot of information, try organizing your email in a more efficient or quick way, such as bullet points. If you still have an overwhelming amount of information, perhaps you should pick up the phone instead.
How to write short email?
1. Who are you? This might be skipped if you already have a relationship with the recipient; otherwise, in as little space as possible, explain the relevant facts about yourself. 2. What do you want? Explain why you‘re writing the email, what you expect your recipient to do about it, and any relevant information they need to respond with the appropriate action. 3. Why should you get it? Or, more to the point, why should they bother? Explain why your request is important, and if relevant, what‘s in it for them. 4. When do you need them to act? Open-ended requests get open-ended responses – that is, they get responded to whenever the recipient gets around to it. Be as specific as possible, so that your recipient a) has a sense of urgency, b) feels that their response is important to you, and c) feels inspired to act.
So, for example, emailing a professor to ask for an extension on an essay (that must be at least 10 pages long…) might look something like this:
Professor Richard,
I‘m a student in your Thursday afternoon anthropology class, and I‘m having some trouble finding enough references for my term paper. Could you please give me an extra week to complete the assignment? I realize this might affect my grade, but I really want to give you the best paper I can, not just 10 pages of filler to make up for the missing information. Please get back to me by tomorrow morning so I can plan my writing schedule.
Thanks,
Robin
2 – 3 lines per paragraph
Some tips for writing your email so it will be read, understood and acted upon. • Keep to one subject per email wherever possible to avoid confusion. • Try to match your message length to the tenor of the conversation e.g. keep quick replies short. • Be concise and to the point. People are less likely to read everything in a long email and may miss important things. • Keep your sentences to 20 words at most. They‘re easier to read onscreen.
In email you don‘t need to read the words. In fact, you wouldn‘t read the words if that was an email. The wall of text is a barrier that few will bother scaling.
No matter how good the writing, how valuable the information, how trusted the source, response is sacrificed because the paragraph length demands more reading effort than some are prepared to commit.
Break up the paragraphs and a wall becomes a series of gentle hurdles. Just as we break big projects into bite-sized chunks that are easier to tackle, so it is with paragraphs. (My rule of thumb is typically 1-4 lines per paragraph and never more than six).
Topic 5 - Grammar Perfect
Using spellchecker
Due to the increasing number of people who use incorrect grammar and spelling, users are beginning to place more emphasis on the importance of using correct spelling and grammar at all times.It's easy to check your spelling while composing mail messages. Spell check is a handy tool available for checking the spelling and grammar.Most of email clients have it onboard.Spellchecker operates in the same language you've selected for your interface.
Check for simple sentences
E-mail takes too long to respond to, resulting in continuous inbox overflow for those who receive a lot of it.
Treat all email responses like SMS text messages, using a set number of letters per response. Since it‘s too hard to count letters, we count sentences instead.
Use the Active Voice
Passive voice is vague and puts a distance between you and your reader. It makes your sentences much longer, and it doesn‘t show any responsibility. Using active voice can considerably improve your writing style.
Using active voice will:
M a k e t h e t o n e m u c h m o r e interesting a n d l i v e l y s o u n d m o r e p e r s o n a l a n d n a t u r a l p u t p e o p l e b a c k i n t o y o u r w r i t i n g s h o w o w n e r s h i p a n d responsibility m a k e y o u r w r i t i n g c l e a r , s p e c i f i c a n d f o c u s e d m a k e y o u r w r i t i n g s h o r t e r
Here are some examples of changing passive to active voice:
Y o u r o r d e r was received by us today. (X) Thank you for your order, which we received today. (√)
The seminar was conducted by Robert Sim. (X) Robert Sim conducted the seminar. (√)
Sales of X101 have exceeded all expectations. (X) X101 sales have gone through the roof! (√)
Use of punctuation
When you speak, the listener is helped by the intonation in your voice, pauses, emphasis, as well as body language. When you write, punctuation carries out all the same functions. Punctuation helps the reader to make sense of your writing.
Sentences are complete thoughts
Full stops, question marks and exclamation marks are used to mark the end of a sentence. A sentence contains a subject and a verb, and expresses a complete thought. Commas
Commas provide pauses in sentences, and they help to manage the flowof thought. Commas are used:
when three or more items are listed:
To connect to the Internet you will need a telephone line,a modem, a computer and an Internet service provider.
to show where there would be a short natural pause if you were speaking:
I believe this candidate has the relevant qualifications,but the other one has more experience.
to show where something has been added, like names, designations or other explanatory details:
I will ask our Customer Service Manager, Robert Chan, to call you. Fauziah Suki, my assistant, will speak to you soon about this. Please switch off all electronic devices, including mobile phones, during the flight
Colons
Colons are used:
to introduce a list:
Many items are on sale today: telephones, computers,printers, fax machines.
to separate two clearly related ideas: Semi-colons
Semi-colons are most commonly used to represent a pause longer than a comma and shorter than a full stop. However, it is possible to write perfect English without any semi- colons. Here are some examples of their use: We must buy the new book for all staff; it will be useful for reference. These questions don’t require answers; they are just intended to make you think. Apostrophes
Apostrophes seem to cause the most confusion, but they really aren‘t asdifficult as they may seem. An apostrophe is used:
To indicate omission of a letter or letters. To show ownership or possession.
Use of emoticons
A l t h o u g h e - m a i l is g e n e r a l l y t h o u g h t of as i n f o r m a l , it is unfortunately d e v o i d of t h e n o n - v e r b a l communication t h a t is so o f t e n t a k e n f o r g r a n t e d in r e a l conversations. F a c i a l expressions, b o d y l a n g u a g e a n d v o i c e inflections a r e o f t e n u s e d in s p e e c h to c o n v e y a l o t of o u r m e a n i n g . F o r e x a m p l e , c o n s i d e r h o w y o u m i g h t i n t e r p r e t t h e m e a n i n g s of t h i s s t a t e m e n t as t h e s p e a k i n g e m p h a s i s v a r i e s in e a c h c a s e :
YOU told him that ? You TOLD him that ? You told HIM that ? You told him THAT ?
In p e r s o n a l e - m a i l m e s s a g e s we c a n o v e r c o m e t h e l o s s of t h i s n o n - v e r b a l e x p r e s s i o n by c o n v e y i n g e m o t i o n s u s i n g e m o t i c o n s . A n o t h e r n a m e f o r e m o t i c o n s is ‗ s m i l e y s ‘ .
E x a m p l e :
: - ) S m i l i n g
: - ] Sarcastic smile
: - / Puzzled or Confused
Use of text talk
It takes so long when you use proper grammar and spelling! So, learn how to talk text.
Words that have a number in them could be replaced by an actual number. For example, forever could be 4ever. Or too cool could be 2cool. Later could be L8R.
In some words you could remove letters, for instance vowels, and still have the word making sense. "Tlking" would be talking.
If you are using a long phrase, take the first letter of each word and put them together. ASAP is a perfect example.
Some words with "ck" or "ing" at the end can have the last letter removed. Rock would be roc and running would be runnin.
Topic 6 - Formatting your Email Message
When you're sending an email about a job or applying for a job or far any other task, it's important to format your email as professionally as you would any other business letter.
Here's what to include when sending job search correspondence and the email message format you should use when you are sending employment related email messages.
Email Message Format
Subject Line
Don't forget to include a Subject Line in your email. If you forget to include one, your message probably isn't even going to get opened.
Salutation
If you have a contact person, address your email to Dear Mr./Ms. LastName. If you don't, address your email to Dear Hiring Manager. Another option is to not include a salutation and to simply start with the first paragraph of your message.
Email Message
When you're applying for a job via email, copy and paste your cover letter into the email message or write your cover letter in the body of an email message. If the job posting asks you to send your resume as an attachment, send your resume as a PDF or a Word document.
When you're inquiring about available positions or networking, be clear about why you are writing and the purpose of your email message. Format Your Email Message
Your email message should be formatted like a typical business letter - with spaces between paragraphs and with no typos or grammatical errors. Proofread it, just like you would any other correspondence.
Review this email message template and sample email messages to see what your message should look like.
Include an Email Signature
It's important to create an email signature and to include your signature with every message you send. Include your full name, your email address, and your phone number in your email signature, so the hiring manager can see, at a glance, how to contact you.
Email Style
The email that you sent to outside audiences like prospective students or community partners or important. Researchs hows that, in addition to conveying necessary information to your readers, your emails also shape the perceptions they have about. To write an effective mail and to accomplish your goals and enhance your reputations, following steps should be followd.
. Be consistent. . Keep subject lines short and clear. . Put your key message in upper left corner. . Use atleast 12 point font. . Use colour carefully. . Make sure email is the right way to reach your audience. . Keep it brief. . Use spelling and grammer check wisely. . Test all emails before sending. . Commas. . Time. . Numbers. . Seasons. . Use a common language in communication.
Writing the Email
Please note and follow the guidelines below concerning the writing of e-mail messages.
1. Subjects Give the message a subject/title. E-mail messages without a subject may not be opened because of a fear of viruses and especially note that it is very easy to forget to type this important information.
2. Subject contents Keep the subject short and clear but avoid such headings as: ‗Good News‘, ‗Hello‘, ‗Message from Mary‘. These headings are common in messages containing viruses. Short but specific headings are needed,
e.g. Order No. 2348X Delayed Shipment Laboratory Equipment Order
3. Greetings Start the message with a greeting so as to help create a friendly but business-like tone. The choice of using the other name versus the surname will depend on who you are writing to. If you have communicated with the receiver previously and he/she is at a similar level to you, then the use of the other name would be appropriate. If the receiver is more senior to you, or if you are in doubt, it would be safer (particularly in the first communication) to use the person‘s surname/family name together with a title, e.g. Dear Mr Smithson, Dear Ms Stringer.
It is also becoming quite common to write the greeting without a comma, e.g. Dear Miss Lawson e.g. Dear KK
4. Purpose Start with a clear indication of what the message is about in the first paragraph. Give full details in the following paragraph(s). Make sure that the final paragraph indicates what should happen next. e.g. I will send a messenger to your office on Tuesday morning to collect the faulty goods. e.g. Please let me have your order by the beginning of the month.
5. Action Any action that you want the reader to do should be clearly described, using politeness phrases. Subordinates should use expressions such as 'Could you...' or ' I would be grateful if...'. Superior staff should also use polite phrases, for example, 'Please...'.
6. Attachments Make sure you refer, in the main message, to any attachments you are adding and of course make extra sure that you remember to include the attachment(s). As attachments can transmit viruses, try not to use them, unless you are sending complicated documents. Copy-and-paste text-only contents into the body of the e-mail. If you use an attachment, make sure the file name describes the content, and is not too general; e.g. 'message.doc' is bad, but 'QA Report 2012.doc' is good.
7. Endings End the message in a polite way. Common endings are: Yours sincerely, Best regards, Best wishes, Regards, If you did not put a comma after the greeting at the beginning of the message, then do not put a comma after the ending either, e.g. Best wishes e.g. Regards
8. Names Include your name at the end of the message. It is most annoying to receive an email which does not include the name of the sender. The problem is that often the email address of the sender does not indicate exactly who it is from, e.g. [email protected]
Please follow these guidelines with all e-mail messages that you send.
Selecting your format settings
Even if you‘ve created messages in Mail before, you might not realize that mail has a whole set of formatting tools that you can use to format your e-mail messages. Formatting e-mail messages makes them more attractive and easier to read. E-mail is the cornerstone of online communication; with Mail you can format your message so that they present you in the best light.
1. Go to the Internet mail page using your browser.
2. If you need to start a new account at this point, click the Sign Up button and go through the sign-up procedure first.
3. Sign in and then click the Mail button on the Windows Live screen to go to your Inbox.
4. Create a new e-mail message.
5. Enter text, and then select the text that you want to format.
6. Review the options on the message toolbar.
7. Use the options to format your e-mail message.
8. When you finish the message, check spelling and then click Send.
Choose the Right Font
To get your message across in the best way, you'll often need to consider not just word selection, but presentation too. So how do you choose the right font, font size, and color for your words? Here are some basic guidelines.
Although it's impossible to distill a complete study of the art of typography in one article, design inspiration blog Fuel Your Creativity does have a few tips for styling your words. These may come in useful for important things like selecting a font for your resume or text colors and backgrounds for your website.
For example, it's best to match the font to the job you want to get, avoiding quirky fonts like Curlz or Chalkboard. In terms of color, the article advises thinking of it like coloring a room in your house: for inviting readers in to cozy up to your blog, select reds and oranges. Colors can be used to frame your text and backgrounds should contrast well with your font color choices.
For best readability, keep your words large and leave lots of white space on the page.
Select Appropriate Colours
You can add color labels to messages in Mail.app (like you can in the Finder). Just select the message(s) you wish to color, then select 'Show colors' from the 'Format' menu. Click on any color and voil the selected message(s) in Mail is now highlighted that color.
Enhancing Readability
An email newsletter is a great way for a business to communicate with its customers. However, it‘s always tempting just to dump a lot of content into the body of an email. After all, this way the message may appear to be more substantial and more authoritative.
What marketers need to grasp is that how well they present this content depends on the readability of the newsletter‘s text. The easier it is to read, the better one can communicate with subscribers, increasing the value of each newsletter.
Some newsletters are very good in terms of having professional design and good copy — and yet since the content is too dense, the success rate of the campaign suffers. After all, what good is any marketing email message if people can‘t read it and find the information they need quickly?
1. Break up paragraphs with white spaces.
2. Use natural alignment.
3. Make the text scannable.
4. Moderate line length for optimum reading.
Resist the urge to use All Upper – or Lowercase Letters
To draw attention to on-screen messages, some e-mail writers use all capital letters. Bad idea. A message written in all uppercase letters is more difficult to read than one written in standard style. The human eye is used to reading a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters. When you draft e-mail in all uppercase letters, you run the risk of slowing down—and annoying—your reader. Moreover, using all uppercase often comes across as shouting.
For the same reason—readability—resist the urge to write e-mail messages in all lowercase letters, which can come across as juvenile or cutesy. It may be quicker to write in all caps or all lowercase, but the result will be more difficult to read and less professional.
Arranging Text into Vertical Lists
Is a bulleted or numbered list punctuated like a sentence or is it something else all together?
Before the word-processor, writers used outlines, in which prioritized list-items were separated by roman numerals, letters, and numbers. Or writers included list items in text, separated by commas or semicolons. When Microsoft Word featured bulleted and numbered lists, that changed everything! Or did it?
While some rules for punctuating bulleted lists differ, most are the same as those used for in-text lists. The differences are the use of the bullet and the use of white space, which provide visual separation, reducing the need for punctuation. The bulleted lists presented on this page are examples of list ("seriation") guidelines from a variety of business and academic style manuals, as noted in each section. (While the term "bulleted list" is used in style manuals, the term "bullet list" is more commonly used.)
Sending Attachments with Care
One of the most useful features of e-mail is the ability to attach files. This allows people to share any file in any format — Word documents, JPEG-encoded images, Photoshop files, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, audio/visual files, data files, and so on. If something can be saved as an electronic file, it can be sent along with any e-mail message. This works very well when: you remember to attach the file. Frustration can occur with attachments, especially when your correspondent cannot open the file. One of the main reasons for this is that the recipient does not have the same version of the software that you use. If this happens you can often spend ages sending e-mail back and forth saying, ‗It didn‘t work — can you try sending it again?
Before sending a file, if you are in any doubt at all it‘s best to send a simple e- mail asking if the recipient can accept attachments easily.
When sending an attachment, bear in mind that it may lose some of its format when viewed by your recipient. This has happened to me on numerous occasions when, for example, I have prepared materials for a presentation and the recipient doesn‘t have the fonts that I have used. As a result your document can end up looking quite different at the receiving end.
Zip it up
Downloading large files can sometimes take a long time as well as take up a lot of space. Software is available that automatically compresses files (e.g. WinZip or Stuff It) but you will need to ensure that your recipient has the software necessary to decompress them at the other end. WinZip also allows you to send as many files as you want to attach as one single compressed file.
Post the attachment instead An alternative to attaching files to e-mails is to post the file on an intranet server and tell your recipients where the file can be found. The recipient scan then decide if and when they actually want to look at it, and then whether or not they will download it onto their own workstation. This can be particularly useful, for instance, when you inform members about a staff meeting. You can post all the presentation materials on your website, then send a message to all participants with the URL (and possibly the password if the documents are confidential). They can then download whatever documents they need or want.
Topic 7 - Proofreading Does Pay
A Proofreading Primer Proofreading refers to the process of reading written work for ―surface errors.‖ These are errors involving spelling, punctuation, grammar and word choice. For successfull proofreading:
. Cultivate a healthy sense of doubt. If there are types of errors you know you tend to make, double check for those. . Read very slowly. If possible, read out loud. Read one word at a time. . Read what is actually on the page, not what you think is there. (This is the most difficult sub-skill to acquire, particularly if you wrote what you are reading). . Proofread more than once. If possible, work with someone else. . Put It On Paper:People read differently on screen and on paper, so print out a copy of your writing. If you read aloud, your ear might catch errors that your eye may have missed. . Watch Out for Homonyms:Homonyms are words that share the same spelling or pronunciation, but have different meanings. Switching accept with except or complement withcompliment could be disastrous, so pay attention to them. . Watch Out for Contractions and Apostrophes:People often mix their and they‘re, its and it‘s, your and you‘re and so on. If there is something that can hurt the credibility of your text, it is a similar mistake. Also, remember that the apostrophe is never used to form plurals. . Check the Punctuation:Focusing on the words is good, but do not neglect the punctuation. Pay attention to capitalized words, missing or extra commas, periods used incorrectly and so on.
How Peer Review Can Help
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility. The point of peer review is not to help each other feel better! It is to help each other understand and improve the quality of our work.
Topic 8 - Polishing Your Cybermanners
"Don't stare. Chew with your mouth closed. Quit snapping your gum." Since childhood, many of us heard these exact demands. Manner minding is expected everywhere, at school, work, home, and even the Internet. Watching our cyber p's and q's can allow new users to merge onto the Information Super Highway without being scorched by any potiential flamers.
Watch your Cyberlanguage
Cyber language, also known as Netspeak, is the language of cyberspace, or the realm of electronic communication. It is commonly used in electronic mail; Internet chat rooms, which allow computer users to communicate with each other in real time; and in text messages sent between cellular phones using the short message service, or SMS.
The technology of electronic communication has provided a third medium, which occupies the middle ground between spoken and written language, and reflects the fact that the Internet is electronic, global and interactive. In other words, cyber language is written language, but reads as if it is spoken language. The nature of the language does, however, depend on the technology being used and the recipient; email messages, for example, may resemble a traditional letter or written speech.
Examples
Cyber language contains abbreviations, acronyms, variations on words -- which may include common prefixes, suffices or blends -- and graphical icons, known as avatars. Typical examples of cyber language include well-known abbreviations, such as lol (laugh out loud), omg (oh my god) and l8r (later), to slightly more cryptic contractions, such as paw (parents are watching). In the absence of avatars, communicators often create their own "emoticons" from basic punctuation marks; :) or :-) represents a smile, :( or :-( represents a frown and :() or :-() might indicate that the sender cannot stop talking.
Avoiding Sexist Language
Sexist language is language that is meant to include all people, but inadvertently excludes either men or women. It‘s no longer politically correct to use man as a prefix or suffix for nouns encompassing both genders. Instead of words such as mankind and fishermen, use human race or humanity and fishers or anglers instead. Nor do we usually now refer to females with the suffix -ess. Replace actress, manageress and waitress withactor, manager and waiter.
policeman police officer fireman firefighter
Avoid using he to refer to everyone. However, because constructions such as he or she, he/she or s/he are clumsy, it‘s usually better to:
Turn the sentence into the plural The claimants read their policies.
Use a ‗you‘ construction You must read your policy.
Use the singular ‗their‘ The claimant read their policy.
Often you can rephrase the sentence to avoid a clumsy usage.
The claimant read the policy.
Chair, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson The last bastion of sexist language! There is quite a bit of resistance to using chair or chairperson, so if you have to pragmatic, use your organisation‘s preferred title.
Set the Right Tone
When speaking to someone face-to-face, it‘s easy to alter your tone ofvoice to convey messages in different ways. Much of what you say isalso interpreted through non-verbal clues — eye contact, gestures, voiceintonation, etc.This is not possible with the written word, so good business writers learnto choose their words very carefully. It is so important to get the tone rightbecause using the wrong tone could cause real offence to your readerand could lose you an important business contact — or friend.Tone can help to make a message sound firm or friendly, persuasive orconciliatory, helpful or condescending, according to the impression youwish to convey. Here are some irritating expressions that you should avoidin your writing:
YOUR NEGLECT YOU SHOULDKNOW YOU FAILED TO YOU CANNOTEXPECT IT IS NOTOUR FAULT YOUR REFUSALTO CO-OPERATE WE CANNOT BEEXPECTED TO WE MUST INSIST
When writing in business analyse these four important factors and adopt an appropriate tone that reflects them all: your status • the status of the recipient • your relationship with the recipient • the content of the message • Consider the way these expressions come across, and study the betterway:
Your interview will be held on Wednesday 28 August at 1400 hours (too bossy and unfeeling). (Incorrect)
I hope you can attend an interview on Wednesday 28 August at 2 pm. (Correct)
Your computer‘s guarantee has expired, so you will have to pay for it to be repaired. (too blunt). (Incorrect)
The guarantee for your computer has expired, so unfortunately there will be a charge for this. (Correct)
Problems of this type are quite common with the cheaper model. Next time I suggest you spend a bit more money. (too condescending). (Incorrect)
Problems of this type are far less common with the more advanced model. (Correct)
Our phone bills are enormously high. Please stop making so many personal calls. (too emotive and sharp). (Incorrect)
The company‘s telephone bills have increased considerably. Please help by avoiding non-urgent personal calls. (Correct)
We cannot do anything about your problem. Try calling an electrician. (too abrupt)
I am sorry that we cannot help with this. I believe an electrician would be better able to help with this type of work. (correct)
Dodging Conversational Pitfalls
Write the way you talk is common advice in business-writing manuals. But carrying this advice too far can spell trouble. Remember, when communicating orally, you have the advantage of vocal variety that is absent in e-mail. The following are common pitfalls that can spoil your written messages or lessen the clarity in your correspondence.
Extinguishing Flames
A ‗ f l a m e ‘ is a n a s t y m e s s a g e or a p e r s o n a l a t t a c k on a n o t h e r e - m a i l e r . P e o p l e a r e o f t e n t e m p t e d to s e n d an o b n o x i o u s m e s s a g e w h e n t h e y r e c e i v e s p a m a n d c h a i n l e t t e r s . H o w e v e r , s u c h r e p l i e s a l s o t i e up t h e a r t e r i e s of t h e I n t e r n e t a n d s h o u l d be a v o i d e d . S o m e t i m e s , f l a m e r s a t t e m p t to a s s e r t t h e i r a u t h o r i t y or e s t a b l i s h a p o s i t i o n of superiority o v e r o t h e r u s e r s . O t h e r t i m e s , a f l a m e r is s i m p l y an i n d i v i d u a l w h o b e l i e v e s he or s h e c a r r i e s t h e o n l y v a l i d o p i n i o n . T h i s l e a d s h i m or h e r to p e r s o n a l l y a t t a c k a n y o n e w h o d i s a g r e e s . If y o u r e c e i v e a f l a m e y o u h a v e s e v e r a l c h o i c e s :
A p o l o g i s e if y o u a n n o y e d t h e o t h e r p e r s on R e s p o n d w i t h y o u r o w n f l a m e a n d s t a r t a war I g n o r e it
If y o u a g r e e t h a t i t ‘ s n o t n i c e to f l a m e a n d if y o u w a n t to a v o i d f l a m e s , h e r e is s o m e a d v i c e :
N e v e r s e n d unsolicited e - m a i l advertising y o u r p r o d u c t or s e r v i c e . T h i s is n e i t h e r professional n o r e t h i c a l , a n d y o u m a y be blacklisted.
N e v e r i n s u l t o t h e r p e o p l e ‘ s c u l t u r e , c u s t o m s , r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f s or t h e i r c o u n t r y . A l l t h e s e t o p i c s a r e v e r y s e n s i t i v e , e s p e c i a l l y w h e n t a l k i n g to s t r a n g e r s . Y ou m a y be u s i n g a m a c h i n e to g e t t h e m e s s a g e a c r o s s , b u t reme m b e r t h e r e is a h u m a n b e i n g at t h e o t h e r e n d , a n d h u m a n b e i n g s h a v e f e e l i n g s . Be v e r y c a r e f u l w i t h s e n s i t i v e t o p i c s .
A v o i d ambiguities. M a k e s u r e y o u r m e s s a g e is c r y s t a l c l e a r a n d appropriate so t h a t it d o e s n ‘ t r e s u l t in misunderstanding.
N e v e r c o r r e c t a correspondent‘s g r a m m a r or s p e l l i n g , u n l e s s y o u a r e specifically a s k e d . T h e w r i t e r m a y t a k e o f f e n c e . If y o u a r e n o t s u r e w h a t a m e s s a g e m e a n s y o u c a n a s k f o r clarification — b u t do so t a c t f u l l y . R e m e m b e r t h e w r i t e r m a y n o t be w r i t i n g in t h e i r n a t i v e l a n g u a g e .
Topic 9 - Managing Email Overload
The traffic problem seems to be one of the main issues with e - mail. Some managers receive hundreds of messages every day, so ways to deal with this overload must be developed. It‘s too easy to forward messages on to lots of people, whether or not they really need to see them, ‗just in case‘. This can cause extreme annoyance as well as overloading networks, not to mention being a complete waste of people‘s time.
Controlling your Inbox Clutter
If you are like many of the internet users out there, you receive a fair amount of spam and unsolicited email. For some the amount they receive can become a problem which creates a delay or masks important emails from their view in their inbox.
Their important emails from people they correspond with regularly are now mixed in with their spam and other potential junk messages.
To solve this problem I implement a message filter in my email client that I like to call "Don't know you" filter. This filter runs against all incoming mail. The logic within this filter simply says: If the sender email is not one that I have in my address book or is not an email I have sent to in the past, file the email into a special "don't know you" folder for later review.
This simple logic keeps my inbox free from a fair amount of unwanted email. From time to time there is someone new that emails me directly that I have not communicated with before, and these messages fall to the don't know you folder for later review. However typically the majority of my email correspondence is with known clientele and staff members internally.
This filter keeps potential junk mail out of my inbox for good. All spam email that my junk filtering doesn't catch rarely ever hits my inbox directly. This makes a good separation between important emails with people I communicate with and potential junk messages. On the rare occassion I receive a message to my don't know you box from someone I do know, I simply right click their email and add them to my address book so that future correspondence goes right to my inbox.
Topic 10 - Examples
The Good
Example 1:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I‘ve attached my resume. I would be grateful if you could read it and get back to me at your earliest convenience. I have all the experience you are looking for:
I‘ve worked in a customer-facing environment for three years I am competent with MS office I enjoy working as part of a team
Thanks for your time. Yours faithfully, Robin
Example 2:
subject: ENGR 120-004, homework 1, problem 1
Dear Dr. ______, (instructor name)
Homework 1 for ENGR 120 required that students send their instructor an email using their Louisiana Tech email address. The purpose of this email is to satisfy that requirement. Optional Statement: I enjoyed the first engineering class and am really looking forward to beginning my engineering studies.
Best regards,
______(student name)
Example 3:
Dear Hiring Manager,
I would like to express my interest in a position as editorial assistant for your publishing company.
As a recent graduate with writing, editing, and administrative experience, I believe I am a strong candidate for a position at the 123 Publishing Company.
You specify that you are looking for someone with strong writing skills. As an English major, a writing tutor, and an editorial intern for both a government magazine and a college marketing office, I have become a skilled writer with a variety of experience.
My maturity, practical experience, and eagerness to enter the publishing business will make me an excellent editorial assistant. I would love to begin my career with your company, and am confident that I would be a beneficial addition to the 123 Publishing Company.
I have enclosed my resume, and will call within the next week to see if we might arrange a time to speak together.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration. Sincerely,
Jane Jones
111 Main Street Town, NY 11111 Email: [email protected] Cell: (555) 555-5555 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/janejones
The Bad
Example 1:
Sample virus infected files.
Subject: Re: Your product From: [email protected] Here is the file.
Comment for above example:
You didn't ask for this file, but perhaps think you did or you are curious as to whether it's an honest mistake. It's not. Also, never open a file of type ".pif".
Example 2:
Subject: A special funny game From: [email protected] Attachments: rock.exe
Comment for above example:
No text in the body of the message is not uncommon. Never ever install any software without doing a background check on it.
Example 3:
Subject: URGENT: Verify Your PayPal Account! From: "PayPal"
Comment for above example: Two things gave this away as the fraud it is. For one, I was not a PayPal customer at the time this message was sent to me. Secondly, the link did not go where it, at first, appears to go. Hovering the mouse over the link was all it took to see that it really takes you tothisismine.netfirms.com
The Ugly
Ugly Emails
There is something about email that probably a lot of you have not thought about. It is one of those things that falls into the "netiquette" category. ("Netiquette" being the etiquette of on-line interactions.)
Email was created to specifically be plain text messages because it was the simplest and most commonly available format regardless of the computer being used, the operating system or even the application software.
As email became more and more of a mass communication tool, people began to stretch email beyond its original purposes, most specifically, the additions of email attachments.
This in itself was a good thing for sending truly non-text data using regular text emails. A standard way of doing this was defined so everyone could agree on the proper way to send these attachments. This is called Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension Output, a.k.a. MIME Attachments. (By the way, it is somewhat debatable whether MIME is a good thing or not, since this is the way in which many email viruses get to spread.)