How can you effectively communicate via email with those from cultures that value brevity?

1 Know your audience

Before you write an email, try to find out as much as you can about the cultural preferences and expectations of your recipient. Do they prefer formal or informal language? Do they use titles and honorifics? Do they expect a greeting and a closing? Do they appreciate small talk or not? Do they want you to get to the point quickly or provide some background information first? Knowing these details can help you tailor your email to suit their style and avoid misunderstandings.

2 Be clear and concise

One of the main reasons why some cultures value brevity in email is that they want to save time and avoid confusion. They may receive hundreds of emails a day and have limited attention span for each one. They may also prefer to communicate facts and actions rather than opinions and emotions. Therefore, when you write an email to someone from a culture that values brevity, try to be clear and concise. Use short sentences and paragraphs, avoid jargon and slang, use bullet points and headings to organize your message, and highlight the main purpose and outcome of your email in the subject line and the first paragraph.

3 Be respectful and polite

Even though some cultures value brevity in email, that does not mean that they do not care about respect and politeness. On the contrary, they may have different ways of expressing courtesy and appreciation in email, such as using formal language, acknowledging the recipient's status and expertise, thanking them for their cooperation, or apologizing for any inconvenience. Therefore, when you write an email to someone from a culture that values brevity, try to be respectful and polite. Use appropriate salutations and closings, address the recipient by their name and title, express gratitude and praise, and avoid sarcasm and humor that may be misunderstood.

4 Ask for feedback and confirmation

One of the potential pitfalls of communicating via email with someone from a culture that values brevity is that you may miss some nuances or subtleties that are conveyed in other forms of communication, such as tone of voice, body language, or facial expressions. You may also assume that the recipient has understood your message and agreed with your proposal, when in fact they may have questions or concerns that they do not express directly. Therefore, when you write an email to someone from a culture that values brevity, try to ask for feedback and confirmation. Invite the recipient to ask questions or share their thoughts, provide your contact information for further discussion, and request a reply or an action by a specific deadline.

5 Follow up and follow through

Another important aspect of communicating via email with someone from a culture that values brevity is that you need to follow up and follow through on your email. This means that you need to check if the recipient has received and responded to your email, and if not, send a gentle reminder or a follow-up email. It also means that you need to do what you promised or agreed to do in your email, and update the recipient on your progress and results. By following up and following through, you can show that you are reliable, trustworthy, and respectful of the recipient's time and expectations.