Lecture

Lecture 20
20

Professional Communication

Email Writing
 Recap
• Letter Formats
– Block Format
– Simplified Format
– Modified Block Format
• Kinds of Letters
– Inquiry
– Cover (transmittal)
– Good news
– Bad news
– Complaint
– Adjustment
– Sales
• Cover Letter

2
 Agenda
• What is an email?
• Techniques to write effective emails
• When to use email
• Effective Subject Lines
• Email Content and Style
• Format
• Signatures
• Professionalism
• Email etiquettes
 Electronic Correspondence

• It is correspondence through “Internet”.

• Internet is also known as “The Information
Superhighway”.
• It is also known as “Global Information
System”.
 Electronic Correspondence

• Linked together by global address/es.

• Supports communications through IP
(Internet Protocol).
• Provide high-level services (public/private).
 What is Email?
• An electronic message.
• Emails are cheap.
• Emails are quick.
• Emails are convenient.
• Examples:
• Yahoo, Hotmail, G-mail, Juno, Excite etc
Techniques For Writing Effective Email

• Use the Correct email address:

i.e. [email protected]
• Provide an effective subject line:
i.e. Topic/Subject
• Limit your email message to one screen:
i.e. use “cyber speak” abbreviations
Techniques For Writing Effective Email
• Organize your email:
1. Introduction
2. Discussion
3. Conclusion
• Use Highlighting Techniques:
1. Color
2. Underline
3. Bold etc
 Techniques For Writing Effective Email
• Proofread your email
• Don’t email confidential information
• Make hard copies for future reference
• Practice etiquettes
1. Be courteous
2. Don’t write abusive/angry language
messages
3. Express emotions
Sample Email
 Email Problems
• Poor or incomplete documentation
• Computer limitations
• Lack of Privacy
• Misunderstandings
 When to use email
• If the communication will require a lot of
back-and-forth discussion or if the subject is
delicate or sensitive you should call or speak
with the person directly
 When to use email
• If a discussion is becoming emotionally
charged, stop exchanging emails.
• Speak to the person directly to clear up
any misunderstandings.
When to use email

Christian Science Monitor, May 15, 2006

 Effective subject lines
• Clarity
• Descriptive
• Critical information
 Ineffective subject lines
Subject: Date:

Hi 9:17 am

questions 10:11 am

Meeting 12:44 pm

One more thing........... 3:02 pm

Some thoughts 4:21pm

 Effective subject lines

Subject: Date:

Party planning meeting rescheduled for 3pm 9:17 am

Help: I can’t find the draft for the Smith Paper 10:11 am

Reminder: peer-review articles due tomorrow (3/30) 12:44 pm

Questions about Sociology 210 project 3:02 pm

Congratulations to Jennifer for winning Nobel Prize 4:21pm

 Effective subject lines

Subject: Date:

Re: Question about Smith paper (was: please help with

10:11 am
this!)

Change subject lines

when necessary
 Effective subject lines

Subject: Date:

Re: Re: Re: [Fwd: [Fwd: [hrfac] Reminder: Deadline for

9:17 am
Spring Semester Is Jan. 15]]

Remove extra email

prefixes
 Effective subject lines

Subject: Date:

Thanks for the help today! <eom> <end of message> 9:17 am

Got your message <nm> <no message> 10:11 am

Today’s group meeting canceled <ssia> <subject says it all> 12:44 pm

 Before you start writing, ask yourself…..

Email Content

• Is this truly the correct person to

contact?
• What is my goal?
• Should this conversation be held
in person or over the phone?
 Email Content

Use a polite and respectful greeting and

closing
Professor Anderson,…….
Respectfully,....
Sincerely,…..
 Email Content
• Brevity and clarity
• Try to keep each email short
• Use paragraphs (5 sentences each)
• Is this message scannable and actionable?
 Email Content
• Use topic sentences
• One topic per email
• Provide important dates or references
• Put each action or point on its own line
 Poor Email Content
John,
Hey, I was just thinking about the meeting we had about the new workshop
you were planning for next week about resume-writing. I think that we may
have forgotten to include all of the students who might benefit from this
workshop. There are several groups of students at the School of Public Health
that were not on your list. Of course you may have added them to you list
since our last meeting. Sara from the School of Public Health contacted me to
ask if the students from the Epidemiology program were on our list of
included students. She also wanted a list of all of the included departments
from the School of Public Health. Can you send me a list of all of the included
student groups? I can then send the relevant information on to Sara because
she needs this information by tomorrow.

Thanks,
Rachell
 Better Email Content
John,
Can you send me a list of the students included in the resume-writing
workshop by tomorrow?
We may have forgotten to include all of the students who might benefit
from this workshop. There are several groups of students at the School
of Public Health that were not on your list. Sara from the School of Public
Health contacted me to ask if the students from the Epidemiology
program were on our list. I will send her that information tomorrow after
I get the list from you.
Thanks,
Rachell
 Format
• Plain-text vs HTML
Plain-text is always preferable
• Send from your university account

DON’T TYPE IN ALL-CAPS,

IT LOOKS LIKE SHOUTING
 Email Signature

• Use an appropriate signature

• Brief (4-5 lines)
• Informative
provide all contact information
• Professional
do not include pictures, quotes,
animations
 Professionalism
• Always spell-check before sending
• Set your email program to automatically check
before sending
• Re-read email for other spelling, grammar and
punctuation errors.
 Professionalism
• Always proofread at least once!
• Read it out loud
• Sleep on it

Before sending ask yourself….

 Professionalism

• Would I be comfortable having this

email posted on a public bulletin board
or forwarded on to my entire
department?

To: [email protected]
Subject: Why It's All About Me
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~schochet/NYT--To_Professor@University_edu.htm
 Professionalism

• All laws governing copyright, offense,

discrimination and other forms of
written communication also apply to
email.
 Professionalism

• Complete the “TO:” line last

• Set your email program to delay
sending
 Remember…
• Emails are permanent
• Emails are searchable
Email Etiquettes
 Why is email etiquette
important?
• We all interact with the printed word as
though it has a personality and that
personality makes positive and negative
impressions upon us.
• Without immediate feedback your
document can easily be misinterpreted by
your reader, so it is crucial that you follow
the basic rules of etiquette to construct an
appropriate tone.
The elements of email etiquette
• General format • Flaming
• Writing long • Delivering
messages information
• Attachments • Delivering bad
• The curse of news
surprises • Electronic Mailing
Lists
 General Format: The Basics
• Write a salutation for each new subject email.
• Try to keep the email brief (one screen length).
• Return emails within the same time you would a phone
call.
• Check for punctuation, spelling, and grammatical
errors
• Use caps only when appropriate.
• Format your email for plain text rather than HTML.
• Use a font that has a professional or neutral look.
 General Format: Character
Spacing
• Try to keep your line length at 80 characters or
less.
• If your message is likely to be forwarded, keep
it to 60 characters or less.
• Set your email preferences to automatically
wrap outgoing plain text messages.
 General Format: Lists and
Bullets
For example,
When you are 1) Place the paper in
writing directions drawer A.
or want to
2) Click the green
emphasize “start” button.
important points,
Another example,
number your
• Improve customer
directions or bullet
your main points. satisfaction.
• Empower employees.
 General Format: Tone
• Write in a positive tone
“When you complete the report.” instead of
“If you complete the report.”
• Avoid negative words that begin with “un,
non, ex” or that end with “less” (useless, non-
existent, ex-employee, undecided).
• Use contractions to add a friendly tone.
(don’t, won’t, can’t).
 Attachments
• When you are sending an
attachment tell your respondent
what the name of the file is, what
program it is saved in, and the
version of the program.
• “This file is in MSWord 2000 under
the name “LabFile.”
 When your message is long
• Create an “elevator” summary.
• Provide a table of contents on the first
screen of your email.
• If you require a response from the reader
then be sure to request that response in
the first paragraph of your email.
• Create headings for each major section.
 Elevator Summary and Table of
Contents
• An elevator summary • Table of contents
should have all the
“This email contains
main components of
the email. A. Budget projections for
“Our profit margin for the last quarter
the last quarter went B. Actual performance for
down 5%. As a result I the last quarter
am proposing budget
C. Adjustment proposal
adjustment for the
following areas…” D. Projected profitability”
 Delivering Information About Meetings,
Orientations, Processes

• Include an elevator summary and table of contents

with headings.
• Provide as much information as possible.
• Offer the reader an opportunity to receive the
information via mail if the email is too confusing.
 Delivering Bad News
• Deliver the news up front.
• Avoid blaming statements.
• Avoid hedging words or words that sound
ambiguous.
• Maintain a positive resolve.
 Delivering Bad News
Deliver the news up Avoid using “hedging”:
front: “Our pricing structure
“We are unable to order is outdated.”
new computers this More examples of
quarter due to budget hedging are:
cuts.”
Intents and purposes
Avoid blaming:
Possibly, most likely
“I think it will be hard to
Perhaps, maybe
recover from this, but
what can I do to
help?”
 Writing a complaint
• You should briefly • Show why it is critical
state the history of for the problem to
the problem to be resolved by your
provide context for reader.
your reader. • Offer suggestions on
• Explain the attempts ways you think it can
you made previously be resolved or how
to resolve the you are willing to
problem. help in the matter.
 Writing a complaint
Briefly state the history: Show attempts made by
“The current way we you thus far to resolve
choose officers for our the issue:
organization is not “I have offered two
democratic. As a alternatives for officer
result, we have a selection that still
popularity contest that involves the votes of
the members but both
does not always get us
have been rejected by
the best candidates.”
the executive board.”
 Writing a complaint
Show why it is important for your reader to get involved:
“This is a problem for two reasons. First, I am concerned
that the executive board no longer protects the
interests of the organization and that their actions are
not in keeping with the constitution of the organization.
Second, there have been a number of complaints from
the members who feel that their concerns and
preferences are not being addressed by the executive
board, which decreases morale and productivity.”
 Writing a complaint
Ask for help and offer a resolution:
“Please let me know what other options I may
have overlooked. I am willing to meet with the
department head and the executive board to
seek out a solution that is fair to the members
and is good for the business of the
organization. ”
 Do not take your reader by surprise or press
them to the wall
• Do not wait until the end of the day to
introduce a problem or concern via memo or
email.
• Avoid writing a petitions of concerns that you
have been hiding for a long period of time.
 Flaming in emails
• Flaming is a virtual • Flame fights are the
term for voicing or equivalent of food
sending inflammatory fights and tend to
messages in email. affect observers in a
• Avoid flaming because very negative way.
it tends to create a • What you say cannot
great deal of conflict be taken back; it is in
that spirals out of black and white.
control.
 Keep flaming under control
• Before you send an email •
Read your
message, ask yourself,
message twice
“would I say this to this
before you send it
person’s face?”
and assume that
• Calm down before
you may be
responding to a message
misinterpreted
that offends you. Once
when
you send the message it
is gone. proofreading.
 Responding to a flame
• Empathize with the • Avoid getting bogged
sender’s frustration and down by details and
tell them they are right if minor arguments
that is true • If you are aware that the
• If you feel you are right, situation is in the process
thank them for bringing of being resolved let the
the matter to your reader know at the top
attention of the response
• Explain what led to the • Apologize if necessary
problem in question
 When Email Won’t Work
• There are times when you need to take your
discussion out of the virtual world and make a
phone call.
• If things become very heated, a lot of
misunderstanding occurs, or when you are
delivering very delicate news then the best
way is still face-to face.
 Summary
• What is an email?
• Techniques to write effective emails
• When to use email
• Effective Subject Lines
• Email Content and Style
• Format
• Signatures
• Professionalism
• Email etiquettes
 References

 www.unc.edu/agep/documents/effective_emails.ppt
http://www.google.com.pk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=email+writing+ppt&
source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CDkQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2
Fwww.citehr.com%2F42066-e-mail-writing-ettiquettes-business
communication.html&ei=oUBdUYj8H4_Ysgb_yYDgCA&usg=AFQjC
NGme998IEb8c85CuhSW94rZd2rSJg&bvm=bv.44770516,d.Yms