WRITING GOOD EMAILS

Intrepid Pursuits

2 // Intro

According to a 2013 survey by the Huffington Post and publisher of the Myers-Briggs personality assessment CPP...

"Email was found to be the biggest offender when it comes to creating resentment and confusion in the workplace.”

Compared to: texting, social networking, the phone, instant messaging, video conferencing

http://socialmediatoday.com/socialmktgfella/1545786/email-creating-resentment-work-infographic

3 // Intro

At the same time...

http://socialmediatoday.com/socialmktgfella/1545786/email-creating-resentment-work-infographic

92% of respondents still consider email to be a valuable communication tool

● Email can be considered a primary form of communication in business - it’s not going away any time soon

● How can we structure & compose emails to get the most out of our internal & client communications?

4 // Agenda

AGENDA

01 // Email Format

02 // Email Tone

03 // Email Content

04 // Email Cadence

05 // Tips & Tricks

06 // Q&A

01Email Format

6 // Email Format

Write for “scannability”

● Assume reader isn’t going to read everything in complete detail -

especially not a busy client, or someone reading on a phone

● Most important items need to be easily called out & emphasized so

they won’t be missed

● Formatting techniques: bulleted lists, bolding action items & dates, etc.

https://econsultancy.com/blog/64439-eight-best-practice-tips-for-writing-effective-email-copy/

7 // Email Format

Examples

01 Make good use of your subject line:

vs.

Which is more effective?

8 // Email Format

Examples

02

“Dave - please make sure to send your draft to the team for review by

EOD, Wed 12/2”

BUT: Overusing formatting techniques may come across as too

aggressive & distracting

Pro Tip: stray away from red unless something is extremely urgent. Otherwise it may cause unnecessary alarm. Blue or underlining can look like hyperlinks.

Call out action items or due dates in bold and/or in a color & keep

them at the top:

9 // Email Format

Examples

03 Separate each thought into its own paragraph/section & make use of

lists where possible:

Email #1:

Subject: tomorrow

As you know, tomorrow afternoon we’ll be meeting to discuss the status of all of our current projects. Donuts will be provided. Be sure to arrive on time and bring along teh materials you have been working on this week—bring enough copies for everyone. Some of these material might include your calendars, reports, and any important e-mails you have sent. Also, I wanted to remind you that your parking permit requests are due later this week; you should turn those in to Ms. Jones, and if she is not at her desk when you stop by, you can e-mail them to her.

Email #2:

Subject: materials for Wed. staff meeting

Hi, everyone—

For tomorrow’s 3 p.m. staff meeting in the conference room, please bring 15 copies of the following materials:

● Your project calendar● A one-page report describing your progress so far● A list of goals for the next month● Copies of any progress report messages you have

sent to clients this past month

See you tomorrow,Jane

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/effective-e-mail-communication/

02Email Tone

11 // Email Tone

Know your audience

● Not just about standard etiquette - be aware of recipient’s personality

& values

● Ensure the right message is being communicated in the right way so

nothing is misconstrued or lost in translation

● Usually learned over time - adapt your tone as you get to know your

clients/teams & what type of emails they are most responsive to

● Also “generational” and “hierarchical” differences to take into account

with tone

12 // Email Tone

Examples

01 Brevity vs. Detail 02 Facts vs. Fluff 03 Casual vs. Formal

● Important to be

efficient but too

short a message

may come off as

rude/inadequate

● BUT, add too

much detail &

your reader may

lose patience

● Important to build

a good rapport

with your team &

be approachable

● BUT, keep in mind

roles &

relationships -

would you send an emoji to a client?

● Facts are

important for

accuracy but may

case reader to feel

disconnected from

sender

● BUT, too much fluff

& overall point of

the message could

be lost

03Email Content

14 // Email Content

Keep it relevant & actionable

● Every email should have a goal or intended outcome after it is received

● Important not only that this goal is clear to the recipient but also that

your message encourages them to take action after reading

● After all, the content is the meat of the email- you want your reader to

digest it all!

15 // Email Content

Examples

01 Content is directly relevant to subject line; reader shouldn’t have to

ask: “what’s this about?”

02

03

04 Include clear call to action before closure (e.g. “Please make sure to

provide your feedback on the report before EOD”)

Ask direct questions to demonstrate you expect a reply (e.g. “I

would really like to see the report” vs. “Can you please send me

the report?”)

Focus on one point per email- don’t get tangled up with too many

topics

16 // Email Content

Provide accuracy & evidence

● Always make sure claims are truthful & can be backed up with relevant evidence/examples

● Remember: email is a written record - exaggerated/untruthful information can be used

against you!

● Also easier for your recipient to buy into claim when presented with evidence to support it

● Always provide the WHY’S behind an idea & examples of how something has worked in the

past

● Reference a past email in the thread or shared document which reiterates your point

Pro Tip: Trying to get a client to make a quick decision? Provide options for an easy yes/no answer. Include your personal recommendation as the “expert” on the topic for even more influence!

17 // Email Content

Examples

01 “The team has investigated this issue and has determined it can be

achieved through the following method (see link or attachment)...”

02

03 “As I mentioned in my previous email (see below), we were expecting the

updates from your team by noon today. Can you let us know when we might be

receiving them?”

“We’ve taken your feedback into consideration for the app navigation

and have incorporated the changes into two options (below). Option #1

utilizes a hamburger button and Option #2 displays a floating action

button. We’d strongly recommend going with Option #2 as it’s a better

user experience (etc…) and is found in similar apps such as….”

04Email Cadence

19 // Email Cadence

Consider your response time

● Respond according to urgency, especially with clients

● A quick response is more likely to elicit a quick response back

● Unable to respond right away? Send a quick email to acknowledge receipt and provide a

timeframe for when you’ll reply

● For less urgent matters, occasionally hold off on an immediate response (or responses over

a weekend) so client doesn’t view you as disposable at all times & take advantage

● Important to keep a good balance - for strategy AND for sanity!

Pro Tip: What if the urgency or ask is unclear? Follow-up and ask! e.g.: “When do you need this by?” “Would early next week be okay?” “Can you clarify the following?” If you can’t act on it right away, this type of response at least shows it’s top of mind

05Tips & Tricks

21 // Tips & Tricks

For your consideration...

01 Proofread, proofread & proofread again. And re-read again after sending!

Always gut check: did you remember to hit “reply all”?

Wait to fill in the address line until you’ve drafted (and proofread) the email to avoid

accidentally hitting “send” too soon & to ensure you’ve included all/only the

appropriate recipients

0203

04

Pro Tip: When drafting a long/important response in a reply, open a new draft & copy and paste your response back into the original thread

The time of day you send emails matters. Instead of sending EOD, leave an email

in drafts and hit send first thing in the AM so it’s at the top of the recipient’s

inbox

22 // Tips & Tricks

For your consideration...

05 There is a always a chance your email will be forwarded or passed around - use your

discretion as to how much info you divulge

When including attachments and/or links, double check attachments are: a) actually

attached and b) accessible/viewable for recipient. Make sure links lead to correct

URL

Insert images/objects for reference directly into body of email (when space allows)

so recipient isn’t required to open separate attachment or misses content entirely

Email thread getting too long, confusing or diverging from the subject? Send a fresh

email or hop on a call instead

06

07

08

Pro tip: Always consider when a phone call or face-to-face meeting might be a better approach than sending an email

23 // Tips & Tricks

Did you know?

You can change the subject line in an email thread while replying or forwarding in gmail

Select the drop-down arrow next to ‘reply’ icon and select ‘edit subject’

Pro Tip: Changing the subject (vs. starting a new thread) is most helpful when the topic and/or recipients of the thread changes but you still need to reference prior thread content for context

http://www.ditoweb.com/blog/2013/06/pro-tip-change-subject-line-in-gmai/

24 // Tips & Tricks

What are your “tools of the trade” when it comes to email?

25 // Tips & Tricks

Something to think aboutHow are these concepts different for Slack vs. Email, if at all?

Where do the same rules apply and where is there some flex?

When should we use Slack vs. Email?

?

06Q&A

27 // Q&A

Any questions?

THANK YOU!

29 // Sources, etc.

“How’s your email working for you?”

Infographic from Huffington Post Study

“When to use emoji in a work email (spoiler: not with your boss)”

Article from Mashable.com

30 // Sources, etc.

21 Tips for Writing Effective Emails01020304

Additional Sources

Watch Your Words: Seven Tips for Writing Effective Emails

A Little Email Etiquette Can Help Banish Workplace Blues

Email Charter

05 20 Rules of Writing Effective Business Emails

06 Effective Email Communication

07 Eight Best Practice Tips for Writing Effective Email Copy