I’m amazed at how many people use subject lines like “Cool” or “Good Stuff” to describe their e-mail. These types of messages invariably end up at the bottom of my “to read” list in favor of more descriptive subjects such as “Project Quote Needed” or “CGI Problem.”
Of all the e-mail rules, this is the one I break most often. I am, after all, a good talker and since I type 80wpm, I can translate this into long e-mails. This is not usually a good way to communicate. I compromise by making sure the gist of my e-mail is inside the first few sentences and go from there.
That’s considered yelling and is very rude and annoying. Enough said.
When responding (replying) to a message, make sure that at least enough of the original message is included that the receiver will remember what was being said. If you’re an AOL user, this is even more important since AOL’s e-mail client does not quote the original e-mail by default.
Use a spellchecker if you can, but watch your spelling. Common typos and other “hurried” mistakes can really undermine your professionalism. Take the extra few seconds to re-read what you’ve typed at least once before you hit the “send” button.
Don’t use HTML e-mail unless it’s REALLY necessary.
I can’t count the number of e-mails I receive with those nifty “themes” included – graphical backgrounds, sidebars, signatures, etc. Funny thing is, most of them appear as an e-mail with a bunch of graphic file attachments and probably don’t look anything like what the sender expected. I usually make sure to thank the sender for sending me their clipart, even though I really have no use for it.
Use the BCC tag to send your jokes, chain letters, etc.
I can’t stand seeing an e-mail that starts off with a huge chain of “To” and “Cc” e-mails at the top. Not only is this unsightly, it is also an open invitation for the one bad apple in the bunch to gather the e-mails for his/her SPAM list. Send the e-mail to yourself and include all of those people in the “Bcc” field (Blind Carbon Copy). This way, each recipient sees only his or her e-mail and yours. It is much cleaner and much safer.
Answer e-mail quickly.
Obviously, this needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Don’t ruin your productivity by jumping every time the e-mail sound is made on your computer. Make sure, however, that you answer e-mail in a timely fashion (within a working day is best). I personally check e-mail first thing in the morning, mid-day, and at the end of the working day. I also periodically check during the day as time permits or as a distraction to freshen my mind.
Use a signature file.
Your e-mail signature, which most e-mail clients can insert automatically, is a great way to communicate not only who you are, but also what you do. I keep a list of rotating signatures, which include quick (one-line) marketing copy and a link to my Web site. In this way, no matter who you send e-mail to or when, you are letting them know who you are and even where you are.
Don’t believe anything that someone forwards to you.
In my experience, 99.99% of the stuff you receive in your e-mail announcing that some big company is giving money to people who forward the e-mail for a test; announcing that some guy in any country starting with “N” needs you to “store” millions of dollars for him; or that if you send this e-mail to 100 people, you’ll have good luck, love, or whatever else – is B.S.. Save the rest of the world, and your friends, from this crap and just delete it when you receive it.
These tips should get you on your way towards more effective communication. E-mail is a great tool, but is generally not used very well. By streamlining your use of it, you can make your corner of the ‘Net less cluttered and much more useful!
Aaronz WebWorkz is a full web services supplier for small businesses online - including design, hosting, development and more. Aaron is the proprieter of Aaronz WebWorkz.
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