As remote working became the new normal, our inboxes stacked up even higher than ever before, and clearly there’s never been a better time to revise etiquette and send some awesome emails that will help you stand out in your work environment.
Here’s some things you should always look out for in your emails:
<rich-h2>Keep Your Subject Lines Clear And Concise<rich-h2>
<rich-para>Make sure every email that you send out has a specific, clear and concise subject line. An email without a subject shows lack of attention to detail, work ethic and professionalism. Imagine applying for a job without knowing the job role.<rich-para>
<rich-h3>Subject lines need to be clear & concise, not GENERIC!<rich-h3>
<rich-list-item>Wrong: “Hi”, “Touching Base”, “Meeting Minutes”, “Wanted to follow up”<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item last-item>Right: “Meeting Minutes – 20/09/2020 – “Paytm”, “Request for Approval – DesignCoz’s Final UX Designs”<rich-list-item last-item>
<rich-h2>Appropriate Salutations Go A Long Way<rich-h2>
<rich-para>Using the right greeting shows respect & professionalism as well as makes it easier for recipients to get in touch with you for proper correspondence.<rich-para>
<rich-h3>Never use an informal salutation (unless you’re in business with your high school buddy)<rich-h3>
<rich-list-item>Wrong: “Hey”, “Yo”, “What’s Up”<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item last-item>Right: “Hello XYZ”, “Hi XYZ”, “Dear XYZ”<rich-list-item last-item>
<rich-h3>Personalize Salutation<rich-h3>
<rich-list-item>Wrong: “Hello Director Sir”, “Hello Sir/Madam”<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item last-item>Right: “Hello Mr Sinha”, “Hello Snehal Ma’am”, “Hello Aakash”<rich-list-item last-item>
<rich-h3>Send Greetings/Concerns for known events<rich-h3>
<rich-list-item>For example: “Good Morning”, “Hope this email finds you well during these challenging times”, “Greeting for the day<rich-list-item>
<rich-h2>Keep Your Email Body Brief<rich-h2>
<rich-para>Your email body should have clear & concise content. This will ensure that your emails can be an easy scan and understood by your recipients.<rich-para>
<rich-h3>To write an effective email body, keep these pointers in mind:<rich-h3>
<rich-list-item>Always divide your email body into 3 parts - Introduction, Reason/Pitch/Deliverables/Content/Opinions& Conclusion.<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item>Your choice and size of font should be consistent throughout your emails.<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item>Highlight important points.<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item>Double check your spellings & punctuations (Grammarly is a blessing)<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item>Avoid using emojis and abbreviations (FYI for example) unless you know the person really well.<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item>Be cautious with humour and sarcasm, and try to keep your tone informative because a joke can be perceived differently when written vs spoken.<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item>Have a strict turn-around time for responses.<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item>Always add a conversation closer (For example: “Please let me know of any queries or concerns”, “Looking forward to your positive response”)<rich-list-item>
<rich-list-item last-item>And lastly, recheck attachment files and make sure it is not in between the body of the email.<rich-list-item last-item>
<rich-h2>Email Signature<rich-h2>
<rich-para>An email signature acts as a sign of an organisation as well as makes it easier for recipients to get in touch with you. Your email signature should be uniform throughout the organization, if not, ask your admin team for assistance. Signature should include your name, job title, contact number & email id.<rich-para>
<rich-h2>Proofread your emails<rich-h2>
<rich-para>Check your spellings correctly. Typos are easy to make and can leave a bad impression on your recipient as well as tell your reader that this email isn’t important to you. Before hitting send, review your content or ask seniors for guidance, check if you’ve entered the receivers email address correctly. Remember, proofreading emails is never a waste of time.<rich-para>
<rich-h2>Professional Email Address<rich-h2>
<rich-para>This goes without saying that a professional email id for all business communications is a must have (leave the xsamx for Instagram handles). Make sure that your email address reflects your name. It is always beneficial to have a separate work email for all business-related communications.<rich-para>
Takeaway: A well-written email can literally make or break a deal and can help you stand out from the crowd.
