276 / SPEAKING AND WRITING
Using email and
texts effectively
Email is now a key means of staying in touch, passing data and graphics,
and managing the flow of information needed to run a business. Text,
or SMS, messaging, when properly managed, can also become a
productivity booster, a direct, interactive link to customers, and an
essential tool to communicate with other staff.
Pick the subject line of the email
carefully: make it informative
and brief so the recipient can
easily find and act on it.
Be careful with criticism: be
sure to provide enough context
and background to avoid a
misunderstanding.
Keep it short. If you need more
than three paragraphs, call
instead or send the material
as an attachment.
Sending better emails
Reducing your emailing time
Email is a tool; don’t let it become your
master. Limit the time you spend on
email by following these tips:
•
Send less, get less Think carefully
about whether you really need to draft
new messages or respond to those
you’ve already received.
•
Escape the endless reply loop Silence
in response to an email message may
feel rude, but is acceptable. If you wish
to reassure someone that no reply
is necessary, finish a message with
“no reply needed,” or a request
with “Thanks in advance.” Avoid
asking any questions for which you
don’t really want or need answers.
•
Think twice about the “cc” box If you
copy in a large number of people to
your emails and they all respond with
a reply that needs an answer, you may
create unnecessary traffic.
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USING EMAIL AND TEXTS EFFECTIVELY / 277
Now write the main body
of the email, using correct
grammar, punctuation,
and capitalization.
Avoid abbreviations and
cyberjargon: most business
professionals dislike them.
WIDLTO (when in doubt, leave
them out).
Use a signature to conclude your
email, but keep it simple: don’t
be tempted to add humorous
or “inspiring” quotes.
Before you send the email,
check your attachments. Send
only those that your recipient
needs or wants to see.
CHECKLIST...
YES NO
Knowing when email is not appropriate
1 Do I need to convey or discern emotion? .........................................
2 Do I need to cut through the communication clutter? ...................
3 Do I need to move quickly? ...............................................................
4 Do I want a remote communication to be private? ..........................
5 Am I trying to reach someone who doesn’t have
(or check) email? ..............................................................................
6 Do I want to engage people and get an immediate response?.......
Be sparing in your use of email: think very carefully
about whether you really need to draft new messages
or respond to those you’ve already received
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278 / SPEAKING AND WRITING
High open rates:
more than 90
percent of texts
are opened and
read by recipients
Developing good email habits
Don’t check your email constantly. Check it at regular
intervals, such as first thing in the morning, once after
lunch, and again before going home. Be disciplined about
your email management. Aim to handle each message
just once. If it’s unimportant or irrelevant, hit the delete
key. If you spend more than three hours a week sorting
ESTABLISH A RESPONSE TIME
If you usually respond to email
messages immediately, people grow
to expect an immediate response,
and become annoyed if you differ
from this. The rule of thumb in
business is to respond to emails by
the end of the same day. If it’s really
urgent, use the telephone instead.
Tip
through junk mail, you have
a problem and need to
reorganize your system.
If a message is something
you’ll need to respond to,
decide whether to do it now
or later, when you will have
the time and information
you need. Once you have
responded, move the
message out of your inbox
and into an archive folder.
An inexpensive way
to reach out to
customers
Advantages
of text
communication
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USING EMAIL AND TEXTS EFFECTIVELY / 279
Texts as a business tool
Using text messages to reach out to
customers is established practice in
many businesses, but relatively few
companies use texts for other types of
business communications. The reason
for this is that the content of a text
message can be perceived as being
trivial, impermanent, and not tied to
any coherent communications strategy.
However, texts do have their place in a
work environment, as long as you define
Environmentally
friendly—creates
no paper waste
what they should—and should not—be
used for. Texts are an ideal medium for
alerts, such as notifications of downtime
of computer servers; they can be used
for company announcements, to motivate
staff, or to quickly introduce new
members of a team to the company.
Avoid using texts to explain complex
ideas, or when you need a verifiable
information trail.
An inexpensive way
to reach out to
customers
Concise—your message
must be less than 160
characters in length, so
is more likely to be read
and absorbed
Almost
instant
delivery
Texts have their
place in a work
environment, as
long as you define
what they should
and should not
be used for
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