what not to email: with apologies totlc’s what not to wear
TRANSCRIPT
What Not to Email:
With Apologies toTLC’s What Not to Wear
with Stacy and Clinton
See the show on TLC
with Kathywith Kathy and Cecelia
Get makeover tips live
Check the status quo
It’s just email. Spilling and pungswayshun don’t matter.
You know better…
SQ 2: Return address
Email addresses like these build trust and rapport:
SQ 3: To quote or not to quote
To save time, you should reply “Yes” or “No” without copying any part of the original message.
SQ 4: Subject line
A message with a mysterious subject line is more likely to be read.
Your subject line should (drum roll please): Describe the subject of your email. Yep, that's it. —Mailchimp
SQ 5: To joke or not to joke
A bit of humor—especially sarcasm—keeps email interesting.
Participants [in recent studies] were able to accurately communicate humor and sarcasm in ________ percent of the emails they sent.
Louise Dobson (2006)
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SQ 6: Who gets the message?
When in doubt, copy everyone in your address book.
One of the officers convicted of beating R. King sent this email:
Oops. I haven’t beaten anyone so bad in a long time.
A transcript of the message was used at his trial.
SQ 7: Looking forward
Before forwarding a virus warning, you should check it out at Snopes.com or another reputable site
SQ 8: Adding emphasis
ALL CAPS HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR MESSAGE IS URGENT.
Please don’t
SHOUT.
SQ 9: Make it easy on the eyes
Long paragraphs are easier to read.
Give me a break!
SQ 10: Anything goes?
Email is informal, so there are really no rules.
Mind yournetiquette!
Three manners mavens: Shea
Virginia Shea is “Miss Mannersof the ’Net”
Pioneered netiquettein 1994
Book available online athttp://www.albion.com/catNetiquette.html
Difference: Where’s audience? People who wouldn't dream of burping
at the end of dinner post offensive messages to international forums.
Middle managers inadvertently send romantic email messages to the company-wide email alias.
People at computer terminals forget that there are real live people on the other end of the wire.
Virginia Shea, Netiquette (1994)
Three mavens: Booher
CommunicationsconsultantDianna Booher is “Miss Mannersof memos”
Good tips for writers Blog available online at
http://www.amazon.com/
Three mavens: Booher
How do you wind down an email exchange?
1. If the message is positive, assume all is well. If the message context is negative, spend the extra few seconds to reply and spare offense.
2. Reduce the length of your response. A single word or phrase response implies "So long, I'm signing off now."
3. Repeat the action—yours or theirs. You're implying that either of you should "jump right
on it" and have no further time to email.
Three mavens: Kallos
Judith Kallos is “Miss eManners”
Best source for specific adviceon business emailetiquette
NetManners.com
Style mavens: O’Conner
Email’s “very structure … encourages curtness.”
The blank subject line staring you in the face is a signal to state your business and get on with it…. The To and From fields seem to make salutations and signatures redundant or unnecessary.
What we have here is the ideal breeding ground for rudeness.
For a manners makeover…
Avoid terseness, which can be misinterpreted
Use face-to-face communication if issue is sensitive
Read your emails aloud, looking for ambiguity
Anatomy of email: To
To: My Entire Address BookFrom: H. HonchoRe: Nothing importantDate: 1 July,2006
Anatomy of email: To
To: You mad mustachio purple-hued maltworm
Bcc: Henry IV, part 1From: I. RateRe: So-called service at your crummy excuse for a store today
Tip: Use BCC wisely
To keep addresses private, put your own address in the To: line and paste your mailing list in the cc: line
BCCs within an organization can create distrust
Tip: Leave address blank
If you’re furious and must answer an email right away, leave the address line blank.
If you hit Send before you’ve had a chance to cool down, the email won’t go through.
Anatomy of email: From
Would you open mail from Vampyra@Goths_’R_Us.net [email protected] Dunno [email protected]
Anatomy of email: From
E-mail recipients put more weight on who the e-mail is from than any other item when choosing
which e-mails to open
which to delete which to complain about
Chris Baggot, ExactTarget
Anatomy of email: From
Be complete and be recognized.
Kathy Towner, WIN Communications
Anatomy of an email: Subject
Your subject can answer any of readers’ four key questions:
1. What’s this about?
2. Why should I read this?
3. What’s in this for me?
4. What am I being asked to do?
Anatomy of email: Subject
To: Girrrl friendsFrom: Ima DitzRe: Change of plans
Anatomy of email: Subject
To: Sara Bellum From: Gray Matter Re: Marketing meeting rescheduled for 12/15/06
Anatomy of email: Subject
EOM = end of message
To: Sara Bellum From: Gray Matter Re: Marketing meeting rescheduled for 12/15/06 (EOM)
Tips: Subject
Lead with the main idea Browsers may not display more than first 25-35 characters
Keep track of threads Subject: New Year’s Party Plans (was: New Year-End Bonus Structure)
Create single-subject messages Subject: RSVP for Party and Benefits Enrollment Deadline should be two separate messages
More Tips: Subject
Double-check the address line before sending.
Insulted by a general email from the boss, an employee sent an angry comment to a colleague (she thought): “Does she think we’re stupid?”The reply (from her boss): “Yes, I do.”
Anatomy of an email: Body Before you type anything into a new message,
have explicit answers for two questions: 1. Why am I writing this?
2. What exactly do I want the result of this message to be?
43 Folders (2005)
Anatomy of an email: Body Before you hit Send, review and delete
Negative comments about management Criticisms of staff or performance issues
Bonuses or salary issues Product or liability issues
Gossip Humor or other ambiguities Booher
Anatomy of email: Body
Write so emails are easy to read
Make paragraphs 7-8 lines Insert a blank line between paragraphs Use headlines, bullets, and numbers AVOID ALL CAPS; THAT’S SHOUTING If a message is longer than 3 screens, send an attachment
Anatomy of email: Body
Subject: Noise level in the break rooms
How can we satisfy everyone?
Many of you have told me about the growing tension you feel around using the break rooms. Some of you use them to work and socialize; others need a quiet place to work.
Your ideas are welcome
What do you think we can do about this? Should we designate one room as a lounge and another as a quiet area? D. Dumaine, Write to the Top
Tip: Balance formal/informal Like our work clothes,
the preferred writing style has become business casual.
Avoid extremes Not too pompous Not too passive Not too careless or flip
Diana Booher
Formal or informal?
Most people view email as
more formal than a phone call
less formal than a letter
Tip: Write business casual Strive for a style somewhere
between stuffed-shirt and t-shirt.
Diana Booher
Tip: Too formal is better
When in doubt, err on the side of formality
“Usually the problem is that we treat email too much like a phone call and not enough like a letter.”
O’Conner and Kellerman (2002)
Meeting request: InformalFrom: Bob Anderson <anderson@rand-unix>Date: 21 Dec 84 11:40:12 PST (Fri)To: randvax!anderson, randvax!gillogly,
randvax!normSubject: meeting ...
we need to setup a meeting bet. jim you and i -- can you arange?
i'm free next wed. thks.
Meeting agenda: Formal Subject: MEETING ON FY86 PLANNING, 2PM
12/28/84, CONFERENCE ROOM 1 There will be a meeting of the FY86 planning task
force in Conference Room 1 on December 28, 1984 at 2pm. The Agenda for the meeting is:
--------------------------------------- Topic Presenter Time
--------------------------------------- Strategic Business Plan John Fowles 30 min.
Budget Forecast for FY86 Sue Martin 15 " New Product Announcements Peter Wilson 20 " Action Items for 1st Qtr FY86 Jane Adamson 25 "
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tip: Avoid brusqueness Brief is good. Blunt is not.
Question: Should I pursue an advanced degree? Response 1: No. Response 2: I don’t think an
advanced degree would have any effect on your potential for promotion here.
Diana Booher
Tip: Spelling still counts
This is an actual email.
Purposal
I can beat almost anyones price and almost promise you success and if I don’t reach it, we wont charge you after the time we say we can achieve it until we do.
Tip: Spelling still counts Sloppiness is one of “seven deadly e-mail sins” Bad grammar, misspelling and disconnected arguments
gave 81 percent of the survey sample "negative feelings" towards the senders.
41 percent of senior managers said badly worded e-mails implied laziness and even disrespect.
CNN.com
Question: Do I need a greeting? Consensus: Yes.
Otherwise, you can seem brusque or unfriendly.
Question: Which greeting? Opinion: Divided
Some say “Hi, Steve,” is too informal.
Some say “To whom it may concern” is stilted.
For external communication, use same greeting as in letter
For internal communication, some use Myra:
Question: Which closing? Consensus
Match greeting in tone Formal: Sincerely, Best regards,
Cordially Informal: Thanks; All the best,
Talk to you later
Use a sig line that gives your name, title, and contact information
Omit a P.S. (if the email is longer than a screen,a postscript could be missed)
Question: Email thank-you? 36 percent of employers on
Monster prefer thank-you notes sent by email
29 percent prefer traditional letters
Tip: Electronic isn’t instant Many expect a phone call to alert them
to an email labeled Urgent. Allow a reasonable time (two days – week)
for a response. Respond before senders have to follow up
or business is delayed.
When would you use email? To send confidential salary information To address a personal hygiene issue To get an immediate reply To settle a conflict between two team members To request a manual for the new phone system To recap a conversation about a pending order To set up a meeting next month To keep people updated on a project’s status
When would you use email? To send confidential salary information To address a personal hygiene issue To get an immediate reply To settle a conflict between two team members To request a manual for the new phone system To recap a conversation about a pending order To set up a meeting next month To keep people updated on a project’s status
Why netiquette?
The electronic equivalent of a set of fussy rules that tell you … which fork to use with the salad course?
Netiquette does not consist of a set of rigid rules.
It encourages you to adopt a certain attitude of thoughtfulness.
Gregg Reference Manual, 10th ed.
Suggested resources Available at http://word-crafter.net/email.html
This presentation Articles (including some by Kathy) Best practices for email marketing Recommended books Grammar help Test your netiquette
Tone: Example OneTo: Female employees From: H. HonchoRe: Dress codeDate: 1 July 2006
Clients will be visiting next week. Halter tops and jeans will not make the right impression. It’s time you started dressing for the office instead of the beach. Leave your flip-flops at home!
Tone: Example Two
To: All staffFrom: H. HonchoRe: Reminder about what to wear to work Date: 1 July 2006
During the summer, our dress code is business casual. We think “business casual” means clothes that feel comfortable and look professional.
Men Women•khaki pants •casual pants and skirts•leather shoes… •leather or fabric shoes…
What makes email different?