In this day and age where email usage is so prevalent, sometimes people get lazy
and forget to construct the best message they can. Email can be used in business
as well as for personal use. However, with email handling so much communication,
people take advantage of it and fail to put a coherent thought together. The following
are some tips that will help you build a polite email.
For starters, be concise. In this arena, less means more. Expert say any message
of more than 100 lines is considered long and will probably not be read. Some companies
are taxed for every second of internet connection, so they will not be happy to
accept messages that are too long.
Be careful with attachment. Don't use it to send a short message. Use it to augment
your message or to send work or another project. Attachments can be tricky so be
sure to use them wisely. It's also a good idea to let the party know what the attachment
is for. Many people are wary of attachments as they have been known to contain viruses.
Some business have a firewall set up to intercept attachments so depending on the
type it is, it may not even reach its destination.
Know who you are sending the email to. You need to pay close attention when you
address an email to multiple recipients. First, be sure that everyone on the list
needs the information that you are sending. If there are people that don't need
the message or if it doesn't apply, then you may have to deal with some angry people.
No one wants their inbox cluttered with junk mail. Also be sure that the addresses
are current. Take the time to check the addresses every so often and make necessary
updates.
Be careful what you write. Again, since email use is so widespread, it's easy to
become very familiar with the message. However, not everyone appreciates such informal
notes. If you are not addressing a person you know, then don't use short phrases.
It may also seem unprofessional to use emoticons, so avoid them. Once you construct
your email run a spellcheck to make sure everything is correct. Emails with a lot
of mistakes don't look good and make a bad impression.
Formatting problems. Not all email programs are created equal. With this being the
case, stick to the easiest format available. Email is for communication, not a design
exercise. Simplicity is usually the best way to go.
Starting and finishing. Be sure to start your message with a proper opening. Many
times people jump right into the body of the email. It looks better to have a simple
opening such as 'Dear' or 'Hello'. Both are appropriate. You can choose to end with
'Sincerely' or if you want something more informal, go with 'All the best' or 'Yours
truly'.
