Doublecheck, before you hit sendĭon’t be that person who follows every note with a correction or clarification. For more complicated directions, provide a link. Spell out directions in simple, direct language and provide a contact number. There is no guarantee when an email will be read or when a 12-hour window opens and closes. 18, not next Monday, tomorrow or a week from today. Include specific time elementsīe clear about dates, days and times. Don’t hide behind a faceless title or department. In a group email like this one, use your name to encourage compliance. Convey professionalismīy writing in complete sentences and using proper punctuation, grammar and capitalization, you convey a sense of authority and competence. The original email was more than 100 words the rewrite is less than 50. In our example, focusing on the action needed and timeline outweighs the weekend’s preparation or executive order. Give key information or the key question you need answered. “For a deeper dive, a phone or Zoom call is in order.” Say just enough.Īuthor and editor Rob Asghar, writing in Forbes, says that the ideal email length is two sentences. In the example above, only the Jones building was affected. This is critical when you are preparing a cover letter for a job application. Take the extra steps to research your audience and tailor your mailing list if possible. Many emojis and blinking characters are difficult to discern. Red or green fonts can be difficult to read for those with visual challenges such as color blindness. Besides “Action required,” you might use “FYI only,” “Request” or “Second Request.” 2. Strive to answer the question “Why do I care?”Īn action clue helps readers prioritize. No one likes to be yelled at, and no one believes the label IMPORTANT. Make the subject line work for youĪvoid the all-caps trap. If you have questions, need help or need to schedule a laptop upgrade please call 512-XXX-XXXX. Please restart your computer between 8 a.m. Subject line: Action required: Restart PCs Monday, Oct. These notes on writing for clarity and effectiveness may help you improve your emails, too. So, they sent this out again! Twice!Ĭheck out my suggested rewrite. Managers in this department were frustrated when few workers complied. This action is limited to PCs in the Jones building. The optimal time frame is within 12 hours.įailure to comply could result in security breaches or network failures.Īgency issued laptops must be brought to the central office for updates by appointment. employees currently using Version 1.1 software must reboot their desktop computers manually in order to activate this important security update. Per executive order for security purposes, all computers linked to the Super system will be updated with Version 2 of the latest operating system over the weekend. (Changed slightly to protect the innocent, of course.) Would you open this email? Spoiler alert: many hit Delete immediately. Let’s take a look at one of these misguided notes. Protect your image with clear, careful writing and hang on to those extra seconds.Īs a communications specialist at a large state agency, I saw more than my share of off-track emails while helping colleagues become more effective writers. In that 10 second window, murky writing, factual slip-ups and wordiness can make you seem careless, unreliable and a waste of time. The challenge is that the average time spent reading an email is 10 seconds. Some of the most important writing you will create will be in the form of email - notes to the boss, updates on projects, directions for completing tasks, even cover letters for job applications. The best email communication is simple and clear.”Ĭonstance Hale, American writer and critic Make sure you protect your professional image with clear, careful writing. By Sandra Kleinsasser Email is a primary form of communication in the workplace.
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