ADVICE FOR WRITING BETTER EMAILSKent J Wessinger
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH EMAIL?
➤ Email has spawned a new wave of writing.
➤ From business owners to wealth managers, anyone who interacts via email needs to be able to write intelligently with the appropriate tone.
➤ Knowing how to craft a well written email is the key to success in corporate, academic, or even casual settings.
“Clarity is the most important characteristic of good business writing. Often businesspeople will use big $10 words because they want to sound intelligent. Instead,
they end up sounding like they’re trying too hard.” Replace complex words like “utilize,” for simpler terms
like “use.” - Mignon Fogarty, “Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for
Better Writing” podcast
STATISTICS
➤ According to The Radicati Group, Inc. Email Statistics Report 2011-2015, the average number of emails received per user, per day for 2015 is 84 (13 of which are spam).
➤ The average user sends 41 emails per day.
➤ Consumer and corporate users alike are incorporating social networking
SUBJECT MATTER
➤ It is imperative to include a meaningful subject line.
➤ Before you send any email, take a moment to ensure that the subject line accurately describes the content, giving the reader a solid reason to engage.
➤ Never leave a subject line blank or title it “Important!!” or “Quick Question.”
➤ Consider titling your emails, “Confirmation for Friday Meeting” or “Follow-Up Regarding Marketing Suggestions.”
CONTENT
➤ Keep the content of your message focused.
➤ Incorporate bullet points or numbers for more complex, in-depth content.
➤ Separate paragraphs by topic and always remain urgent, yet polite.
➤ Some emails will definitely be more informal than others, especially if you’ve developed a strong client relationship or the subject matter is light; however, always stick to the point.
STYLE
➤ Your email should always be legible and easy to navigate.
➤ Avoid using elaborate typeface or unnecessary acronyms.
➤ Monotype Corsiva, Edwardian Script IT, or Freestyle Script is hard to read and frankly, comic sans is unprofessional.
FINISHING TOUCHES
➤ Always appropriately identify yourself and cc or bcc the necessary parties if you were not the initial point person.
➤ A brief introduction along the lines of “Hi [RECIPIENT], My name is [NAME] and I will be your point person moving forward,” will flow nicely into any point you’re trying to make.
➤ Most important, never send an email with proofreading. Watch out for basic grammar and spelling errors.
➤ Make sure you’ve touched upon all points you’re trying to make and the tone is appropriate and consistent.
Remember, the more emails your write, the better you will become at assessing the tone, and making necessary adjustments along the way.
Good luck!
