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 MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES AND RESOURCES

Home > Writing Effective E-Mails

E-mail has become an extremely valuable tool in business. In an instant, managers can communicate with employees down the hall or across the country. Unfortunately, this high-speed method of communication is often underutilized or, even worse, misused and abused. Here are some ideas to turn your e-mails into an effective communication and management tool.

How you say something is as important as what you are saying. That's especially true when it comes to e-mails. If you regularly use e-mail to communicate with employees, here are a few things to keep in mind before you point, click and "send."

Give it some thought. As you would with any writing task, think about what you want to say before you write. Organize your key thoughts and ideas so you don't omit important information.

Include a specific subject line. A clear and compelling subject line ensures that your e-mail will be viewed and acted upon right away. Instead of writing, "FYI," for example, write "FYI Monday's meeting," or "meeting agenda attached." If you are requesting a response to your message, mark it as "urgent reply needed" or "reply by (state a specific time)."

Keep it short and simple. E-mails longer than one screen usually aren't read right away. The reader may, at best, scan it. More likely, he or she will mark the e-mail as something to review more thoroughly at a later time. If you find that there's just too much information to convey in a few brief paragraphs, maybe that's your cue to pick up the phone or set up a meeting.

Make it easy on the eye. Make sure paragraphs aren't more than five or six lines long. Break up the page with an extra space between paragraphs. Better yet, mark key communications with bullet points.

Don't shout. Use capital letters sparingly. While capital letters are sometimes used for emphasis, writing in all caps is akin to screaming at your recipient.

Tone it down. Don't send "flame mail," or an e-mail loaded with criticism or sarcasm. It's always best to deliver unfavorable news in person, or even on the phone. If you are angry when you are about to write, take a break. Then wait another five minutes before you send it.

Use the spell check. There is no excuse for typos and poor grammar. Besides the fact that the recipient may not get the full meaning of your message, these slip-ups reflect poorly on you as a manager.

P.S. Adding a postscript at the end of a message is a good way to drive home a key point or remind the reader to take action.

Encourage questions. Inviting readers to respond with questions or comments communicates your availability and is the same as keeping your office door open.

Keeping e-mails short and to the point, and using them wisely, helps make them effective communication tools that can keep you in touch with your employees. Just remember that an e-mail, no matter how well written, can't replace a good, old-fashioned pat on the back in person.

This information is compiled and provided by George S. May International Company.
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