Top Ten Tips, Tricks, and Peeves in Email Communication

Lindsay Henning BuCS

+What are your pet peeves…

Hmmm?

+Email Irritants

+What are your irritants…① OMG/LOL② Smiley faces③ Spelling/Grammatical Errors④ Going AWOL w/o Auto reply⑤ Kisses⑥ Terms of Endearment⑦ Cheesiness

+To: CC:

BCC:

+Is there a difference?

TO:

CC:

BCC:

+Clear and Concise…

+What does that mean…① Lead with your main point② Cut the jargon③ Use short, direct sentences④ Read it aloud⑤ Use spell check⑥ Don’t overuse spell check

+7 Rules for Communicating Clearly and Concisely in Email

① Use the minimum amount of sentences② State what you want right away③ Write about only one thing④ Leave out the humor and emotions⑤ Use “If…then” statements⑥ Review for ambiguity, clarity⑦ Revise for conciseness

+Use (just) enough words…Bullets work.

But if the list Makes no Sense in that Format

It doesn’t help your communication…

+Manage this issue… Save time and money by getting it right the first time Don’t make the reader guess your meaning Use enough words but not wordy Read and proof before sending

+Editing and Proofing…

+What’s wrong with this picture?

+And this…

+Email Etiquette…

+Email Etiquette…① Start Your Message with a Greeting② Send to Appropriate Recipients③ Use Descriptive and Meaningful Subject Line④ Write Clear and Concise Message⑤ Scan Attachments

+Email Etiquette…⑥ Avoid Using Emoticons ⑦ Avoid Sending Forwards and Inappropriate Jokes⑧ Use Email Signature⑨ Respond to Emails in Timely Fashion⑩ Know When to Email and When to Call

+First five…① Thou shall use e-mail to convey only ideas and factual or

logistical information, no emotions.② Thou shall write the topic of your message on the reference or

subject line.③ Thou shall address the e-mail using the name of the intended

person.④ Thou shall use BCC for e-mails sent to groups.⑤ Thou shall never ever forward a chain letter that states if you

do or don’t do something within a certain time, your life will forever be changed.

+Last five…⑥ Thou shall use ‘delivery receipt notification’ only when it’s

imperative that you know if the intended recipient received it.

⑦ Thou shall use capitalizations, upper and lower case, and proper punctuation in e-mails as in all other written communications.

⑧ Thou shall close your e-mail message with heartfelt words that show that the sender is fully present.

⑨ Thou shall proofread your email messages before sending them.

⑩ Thou shall respond to emails within 24 hours.

+Top 10 Tips…

+Let’s build our list…

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