You Can Write Great E-Mails!

Not counting junk and spam, most business professionals receive dozens (possibly hundreds) of legitimate e-mails every day.  If you follow these guidelines for great e-mails, your message will stand out and get results:

IS THIS E-MAIL EVEN NEEDED?

• Is e-mail the best channel for this message?  Even if e-mail is one good way to communicate your message, it may not be the best way.  If your voice will do, make a phone call, especially if a personal dialog will lead to a better outcome or assure that the message is understood.  If you have a question for a person sitting six feet away, get up and ask them the question.
• Do your recipients need or want your message?  Just because you have the need or desire to communicate does not mean your recipients have the need or desire to receive your message.  If you send an e-mail that is ignored and unread, you have wasted your time AND increased the chance that your next e-mail will not be read either!
• Can you accomplish your goal a better way?  If you are trying to get information, perhaps you can look it up online instead?  If you are trying to reach a consensus of opinion, can it wait until the next meeting?
• You should probably NOT email…  if you are angry, if you are providing negative feedback to a colleague, if you are offering an apology, or if you are resigning a job.  As uncomfortable as these communications may be, they are best done in person or at least by phone.

SEND IT TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE!

• To:  Your list of primary recipients should include ONLY those individuals who must take action on your e-mail, even if the action is to acknowledge they have received and understood the message.
• Cc:  Your list of copied recipients should include ONLY those individuals who have a real need to know that the message went out and that primary recipients have been asked to take action.  Otherwise, who are you trying to impress?   The cc should not be used as a passive way to rope someone into an issue.
• Bcc:  Use with caution.  Using Bcc is like trying to keep a secret in the office; it rarely works successfully.  It is very easy for a bcc recipient to inadvertently “reply all”, at which point all the recipients and copied recipients know that there was at least one blind recipient and they will rightfully wonder why.  Anyone you think to bcc, you should probably be transparent and cc them instead.

YOUR SUBJECT LINE SAYS IT ALL!

The subject line may be the most important part of any e-mail, because it determines which e-mails get opened and which get ignored.

• It is accurate.  The subject should state what one item is actually in the e-mail.  An e-mail with the subject “Sales Results” should not really be about “Sales Training”.  If an e-mail is really about two different subjects, it should be broken into two different e-mails.
• It reveals the content.  The subject line is like the headline of an article.  It should provide enough information to drive the reader to open and read the rest of the message.  For example, “Required Sales Training Starts Apr 1”.
• It indicates the action needed and from whom.  “Required Sales Training for Cleveland Reps Starts Apr 1; Sign Up Online by Mar 15”.
• It does all this in a handful of words!  In the example above, 15 words is about right!

WRITE CLEAR CONTENT

• Make the conclusion and action request first, then explain.  This may seem a little counter-intuitive.  In many areas of life, we tend to outline the history, then state the situation, then present our case, and finally ask for action.  For example, “Dad, I have been really good and kept my grades up all semester.  There is a long weekend coming up and my group does not have anything fun planned.  I think it is my turn to host a party for my friends where we wouldn’t have any alcohol or music that would bother the neighbors.  Can I invite my friends and can you help me set it up?”  In a great e-mail, the communication starts with, “Dad, I want your permission and help to put on a party for my friends.”  Then make the case.
• Give choices.  If you want action, give people real choices.  It is better to ask, “For our event venue, do you favor the zoo, the museum, or the planetarium?”  This is more effective, than, ”Where do you think we should hold our event?”
• Use bold to outline your points.  Your recipient should be able to get the gist of your message if they read nothing but the bold points.  This article is an example.  If you did nothing more than scan the bold statements, you would have a decent idea of what it takes to make a great e-mail!  Still, there can be too much of a good thing; unrestrained boldface type or all-caps is the e-mail equivalent of shouting.  Your message gets lost.
• Use bullet points or numbered lists.  Information packed too tightly does not get processed well in our minds.  Use bullet points and headlines in an e-mail to separate the key points or arguments.
• Provide LINKS for more information.  Remember that most people read e-mails while they are connected online.  It makes sense, then, to use links whenever possible to both free your e-mail of unnecessary content and to provide the opportunity for much deeper information if needed.  Photos and videos, for example, should not be attached to e-mails; instead provide a link to a photo sharing site or YouTube.
• Assume nothing.  It sometimes helps to imagine your e-mail being read by someone who has missed out on all prior communication on the subject.  For example, if an email exchange talks about the time and date for a meeting, it is important to repeat any prior information about the location and agenda.
• Summarize, repeating the conclusion and action.  It never hurts to repeat your conclusion and call to action at the very end of your message.  “Dad, I really appreciate your trust in me to have a party and your willingness to help!  Can I do anything to make your decision easy?”

THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Tone is important.  The best human communication is done face-to-face in person.  Nothing beats looking someone in the eye, seeing their body language, hearing their tone of voice, sensing their touch, even smelling their fear!  Close-up video conference may be the next-best thing, followed by phone calls.  E-mails come in next-to-last, just ahead of text messaging!  That is why it is important to maintain a proper tone in your e-mails.  None of the sensory clues are in play for e-mail, but people want to perceive those clues anyway.  Even neutral tone is counter-productive.  Very short responses can be easily misinterpreted.  For example, note the difference in tone between, “I am happy report a ten percent increase in sales this quarter…” compared to “Sales increased ten percent this quarter.”
• All e-mails can be public.  Compose any e-mail as though you could see it on the front page of the newspaper, or in any blog on the Internet, or on your mother’s desk.  Once you press send, you cannot un-send it.  Your e-mail can very easily travel around the world and be read by millions, even if you think it is a private person-to-person or group communication.  Just ask Bill Gates, whose business e-mails were subpoenaed, dissected and published as part of an anti-trust case.
• Check your grammar.  Is this a business e-mail?  It could be published! (See above.) Check your grammar.  Have someone proofread it for you before you send.  Your recipients may never notice your good grammar, but they will certainly notice your bad grammar and typos!
• Simple courtesy counts.  Start off your e-mail with a simple salutation such as “John,”  “Hi John,”  “Andes Project Team,” “Ms. Jones,” etc.  Finish off your e-mail with a simple acknowledgement such as “Thanks,” “Kind regards,” “Please call with questions,” etc.  Finally, a signature, which can be as simple as your name or as long as your name, address, contact information and philosophical statement.  In the end, business e-mail signatures should have ONLY business information, and only what you really need your recipients to know.