Writing More Concise E-mails
E-mail was created to make sending and receiving information easier, so
why isn’t it simpler? Many messages are lengthy and hard to understand.
Here are 10 tips to help make writing e-mails more effective.
More e-mails are better than long e-mails. Readers get bored easily, so
keep your message brief to keep their interest. Then send follow-up e-mails
as needed. Never send an unedited e-mail. Revise your first draft and delete
all unnecessary words.
Plan your e-mail before you write. To make certain your message is clear
and correct, always plan the main topic(s) before you write. Decide what
information is most important and what message you want to convey.
Put the most important information at the beginning. Most view screens
only show one-half of a hard copy sheet, so make sure that the most important
information is at the beginning of your message so your reader does not have
to scroll down. If they have to scroll, it’s probably too long anyway… See
#1.
Keep your paragraphs brief. Limit each paragraph to one to three sentences.
Limit one idea per sentence. Sentences become confusing when two or more
ideas are connected through commas or dashes. Make e-mails more readable
by writing short, individual sentences for each idea.
Use bullets. Bullets make e-mails easier to scan and obtain information.
Don’t ramble. When telling an elaborate story or situation, try not
to add insignificant details. This makes the reader lose focus. If you feel
the need to ramble, use the telephone instead of e-mail.
Avoid too much background. Only provide the necessary background information
in your message. The reader may be more informed than you think. If more
information is needed, they will ask you for it or research it themselves.
Save action items for last. It is important that the reader knows what
you want them to do. Save this for the last sentence so that it stays sharp
in their memory.
Always proofread. Even though e-mails are meant to send and receive information
quickly, it is always important to proofread. Simple spelling and grammar
mistakes make the writer look unprofessional.
For more tips, visit
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol11/email.htm
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Looking for an article or trusted interview source on advertising,
branding, marketing and public relations? Contact Jessica Klenk
at 301.588.2900 or via email.
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