E-Mails : The 10 Commandments

E-Mails - The Professionals Do It Different!

Our internet age has lead to the rise of a multitude of communication mediums. But despite the boom in social media or Instant Messaging, E-mails remain the most used medium in the professional world. The world is getting more and more attached to the informal, back-and-forth texting style. It's no wonder some of us are starting to forget what's expected of us while exchanging emails with professional contacts. Most professionals can receive hundreds of emails a day and simply have not the time to entertain leisurely back-and-forth!

Remember, every action that you make is an extension of you! "LOL" your friends, "TTYL" your relatives ... But the professional world may not be as forgiving.

Follow these guidelines ! Increase the effectiveness of your emails and improve the quality of your brand!

The Ten Guidelines of E-mail Etiquette

1. The subject line is you E-mails brand! - Professionals spend about 28% of their time at work opening emails. Always fill in the subject line with something informative!
   Not " IMPORTANT!" or just " PARTS" but "Spare parts needed for Project XYZ". This will differentiate your e-mail from the hundreds of others and shorten response times.
2. Professional formatting is key – Be professional and stick to what you learnt in school. Littering your message with unnecessary uppercase letters/ underlining/ bold, may be interpreted as unprofessional, aggressive or worse.
3. Avoid text abbreviations - You may be LOL (laughing out loud) but your reader may be left wondering WTFs up with this person.
4. Monitor your tone – Tone? My emails don’t speak! … Or do they? As you read these words, are you not stimulating a conversation between us? I hope I sound entertaining in your head ;) Fact is all of us speak the words we read. That’s why it’s so important to use a tone appropriate to the addressee and to the message. Be clear and concise! Don’t allow any misunderstandings on the tone you are implying. Also, if the exchange is informal, why not utilize emoticons to convey the mood?
5. Ignoring someone is still rude even behind a computer – I have 2,320 unread emails in my personal e-mail inbox but 0 in my corporate one. We’re used to receiving endless spam mails in our personal lives but never make the mistake of carrying that habit to work! You may not mean it, but not replying promptly can be received as disrespect and a sign of incompetence. Keep your responses within 24hrs!
6. Address ALL issues and organize your message – A good tip is to create a checklist of all that was addressed in an E-mail and address each and EVERY one accordingly! 
   Lastly, anticipate potential inquiries or obstacles and include them all in an organized package. This will prevent the need for unnecessary “back and forth” correspondence.
7. The opening sentence should be your Main Point! - The fact is, most readers won't stick around for a surprise ending.
8. "This" is your enemy - Be specific! Messages like " This needs to be completed by tomorrow" so often lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings. SPECIFY what "THIS" refers to!
9. Create a digital signature – Configure a signature for all your e-mail messages that includes your full name, position, and contact details, to make it easier for recipients to contact you.
10. Double! Triple-check your message! – Check e-mails once you've written them and correct any errors, instead of sending them immediately.

Email Effectiveness Checklist

New to writing effective professional emails?? Here's a checklist you can use as you proofread your emails ... You're welcome ;)

Have I..

• Ensured that my email format is correct?
• Identified all issues to be addressed?
• Are my points concise and consistent?
• Anticipated potential obstacles and provided solutions?
• Utilized bullet points to group together related items?
• Checked the file sizes of attachments? Were they necessary? Are they in the expected format and organized in ZIP files where relevant?
• Proofread my message and made sure there are no unintended connotations in my message?

You are now one step closer in being a better professional you! Like, share and comment - especially when you realize that YOUR e-mails have become more effective ;)

The Single Biggest Problem in Communication is the Illusion that it Has Taken Place