After reading an email message, I often find myself asking, “Did they read this before sending it?” Here are a few things to consider before sending out an irretrievable message with your name on it.
Quote Original Messages in Replies
Answering a question without including the question is assuming that the recipient has nothing better going on than to sit around and wait for your answer. Seriously, it’s confusing. Your reply should be below the quoted text, not above it.
Keep Emails Short
Do not intimidate recipients with too much text. Readers are less interested in what you have to say than the time it takes to find out what it is.
Punctuation Matters; in Emails Too
Comma, colon, hyphen and semicolon — all exist for a reason: they make it easier to understand the intended meaning of a sentence. Don’t make life more difficult and possibly less interesting for the recipients of your emails. Pay some attention to punctuation.
Use Acronyms Sparingly in Email
DYK? Not everybody knows every acronym, and they don’t save that much time anyway.
Use Bullet Points for Readability in Emails
Bullet points make your emails
- easier to read and
- easier to reply to.
Use Lots of White Space in Your Email Messages
Messageswithhardlyanywhitespacearedifficulttodecipher.
What Can be Misunderstood Will be Misunderstood
Email lacks the advantage of body language and tonal inflection leading to a probability of being misunderstood. Take care to say what you mean and state clearly how you mean to convey your message.
ALL CAPS is Like Shouting
Don’t shout in your emails (it’s difficult to read, too).
Email Leaves a Permanent Record
Whatever you say can and will be used against you. Don’t say anything in an email message that you wouldn’t say in person.
Take Another Look Before You Send a Message
Source: About.Com
I think everyone has a family member that seems to forward every joke they’ve ever received clogging up your inbox with messages you’ll never have the time to read. My advice? Don’t be that person!
