Writing Effective Emails for Better Business Communication
When I get an email that has multiple paragraphs I look at it, decide I don’t have time to read it, and close it out, promising to go back to it later when I have more time, which never happens.
Here are a few tips for writing effective emails that are more likely to be read:
- Put a specific subject in the subject line that says what the email is about.
- This does not include your name. We already know your name.
- Ex.: “Meeting” (that’s not specific). Instead try: “Meeting to agree upon February goals.”
- Highlight and bold important parts of the email
- Limit this practice so what’s bolded and highlighted stands out.
- If everything is bold, nothing stands out.
- Use bullets
- Use the fewest number of words possible
- Use links that send readers to relevant information
- Offer additional information, if desired
The shorter your emails are, the more likely they are to get read. You can always offer additional information, but readers won’t get to the detail if they never read the email. When it comes to writing effective emails, shorter is better.
About Shari Harley
Shari Harley is the founder and President of Candid Culture, a Denver-based training firm that is bringing candor back to the workplace, making it easier to give feedback at work. Shari is the author of the business communication book How to Say Anything to Anyone: A Guide to Building Business Relationships that Really Work. She is a keynote speaker at conferences and does training throughout the U.S. Learn more about Shari Harley and Candid Culture’s training programs at www.candidculture.com.
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Tags: better business communication, handwritten notes, short emails, shorter email, writing effective emails
