While hitting
"send" may be an effective way to get your ideas across, doing so too quickly or without a lot of thought can send
the wrong message. Here are 10 common e-mail mistakes and tips for avoiding them:
1. A vague
subject line.
The subject line not only lets the person receiving the message know what it's about but
also provides him or her with a reason to read it. Some people get hundreds of e-mails each day and may not have the
time to open each of them. The subject line acts as the window into the message and can also indicate its urgency, so be specific
with what you write there.
2. No sign-off.
A weak signature is almost as bad
as a weak handshake: Both convey a lack of professionalism. A signature at the end of your e-mail should include your e-mail
address, phone number and your website link. Including these details gives recipients multiple means of contacting you.
This information is especially important for people to whom your e-mail might be forwarded who could turn into leads.
3. "Im writing re: the meeting @ 3."
Many people take a casual approach when
using e-mail. But what you write is a reflection of your professional self, so take the time to craft complete sentences,
use proper grammar and check your spelling. And don't depend solely on your computer's spell-check function, which
won't find misused words; review your e-mail carefully before sending it.
4. Going on and
on and on.
This strategy might work for the Energizer Bunny, but your goal when crafting a message should be
to keep it short. You don't want to write the e-mail equivalent of a novel, so get to the point as quickly as possible,
using both short sentences and paragraphs. At the same time, you don't want to write too brief of a message, which could
make you appear curt.
5. SHOUTING IT OUT.
Some people like the ease of typing
in all capital letters. What they may not realize is this is the online equivalent of shouting, so avoid the temptation of
using the caps lock button.
6. Striking the wrong note.
Unfortunately, it's
easy for tone to be lost with the written word, especially in shorter messages. An attempt at humor, for instance, may be
read as something offensive or inappropriate. If you're not sure how something you wrote will be interpreted, err on the
side of caution and leave it out.
7. Weighing others down.
If your e-mail inbox
is continually clogged, you know how frustrating it can be to receive large attachments, especially when you don't want
them. And, according to a survey we developed, executives agreed, ranking the receipt of large, unsolicited files as the most
annoying aspect of communicating via e-mail. Limit the distribution of massive files to people who absolutely need them.
8. Sending to the wrong box.
Before you send a message, always double-check the list of
recipients. Many e-mail programs automatically fill in information you've previously typed, such as the e-mail addresses
of frequent contacts. If you have multiple people in your address book with similar names, you could mistakenly choose the
wrong person and send him or her a message intended for someone else.
9. Mixing business and
pleasure.
When the information is confidential or sensitive, this move could limit your intent. Any time you
use your business e-mail account, the message should be business-related. Have your friends send non-work-related
e-mail to your personal account.
10. Over e-mailing.
Do you find yourself typing
a long message in order to avoid confusion on the recipient's part? Do you hesitate to click Send because you think your
contact might forward your message to someone who shouldn't see it? E-mail is best suited for quick communication, and,
in situations like these, it's wise to call or speak to him or her in person instead.
With
e-mail correspondence becoming increasingly important in business, you can only benefit from learning how to craft an effective
message. So keep the above tips in mind the next time you sit down at the keyboard.
