The Power of You: Writing Effective Emails

ERA Empowerment SeriesOctober 2013

P R E S E N T E D B Y D O N N A O B E I D

Housekeeping

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify the four types of email.

• Compose clear, concise and responsive emails.

Before you begin writing anything…

you must first know what you want

to say.

What’s my intent?

What’s my main point(s)?

What action is needed and by when?

The 4 Types of EmailsIn general, there are four types of emails:

• Telling – The email itself is the point.

• Asking – You need something from the receiver.

• Discussing Something to Come – To keep communication lines open.

• Taking Action – Receiver must do something.

Get Ready….

You are about to discover the

10 simple secrets to writing

effective emails.

Secret #1

Respond to every email

you receive.

Secret #2

Describe your message in the subject line.

Secret #3

Make only one point (at most two points)

per email.

Secret #4

Include the EXACT action you need and by WHEN.

Please email your response to me by noon this Friday, October 15.

Secret #5

Use a friendly but

professional tone.

Secret #6

Make it easy to be found.

Secret #7

Font and formatting matter.

Dear Professor Paul Simon,IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE SET UP PROCESS OF YOUR AY14 OFFSET, YOUR APPROVAL IS NEEDED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Secret #8

Revise, revise, revise.

All writing is revision…

Secret #9

Know when to call, email or meet in person.

Secret #10

Know how to handle a difficult person (or people).

Let’s Practice!

How could this be improved?Dear Adam,

 

I have contacted OSR regarding the travel expenses posted to your unrestricted accounts.  Unfortunately, exception to the cost transfer policy was not approved.

 

Should you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.

 

Thank you,Richard, your ERA RFA

[A very long string of emails follows this message.]

How could this be improved?Dear Kyle,

I would like to update you on the 119999-900-ABCDEF unclaimed $5,000 cost share.  Here is the situation. FAA requires cash cost share to support the sponsored projects owned by Dr. Charlie Brown, Dr. Big Bird and Dr. Cookie Monster.  Dean of Research and Dean Plummer had agreed to contribute $100K each year to support the FAA awards.  According to the original agreement, Dean of Research and Dean Plummer will split the 100K, each contributes 50K.  However, in the past couple years, we have been receiving $105K each year.  In FY13, Charles had requested a fund transfer from you for Dr. Charlie Brown’s portion of $45K, and I have requested 60K from Dean of research to cover Dr. Big Bird and Dr. Cookie Monster’s portion.  I believe that’s why you have $5,000 left unclaimed in your account.  It seems like that Dean of Research has been covering more this year.  I will be in contact with the office of Dean of Research and clarify with them, since they did not mention that they are short of funding to cover their cost share portion.

Please let me know if it’s possible to have Dean Plummer contribute $5,000 more next fiscal year to bring it to even.

Thank you!

Marguerite, your ERA RFA 

[No email string is present at all.]

How could this be improved?Dear Director,

Gloomy news.

 

Our new refrigerator has been leaking nonstop since we received it. Everyone in my group is very upset about it.

Sincerely,

Gertrude, your ERA RFA

What would you do differently?Subject: Budget justification

Dear Professor Puff,As part of the closeout process for the ABC project, 75% of your effort was not met as proposed.  

I need this justification ASAP that I may submit it to OSR.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you so much for your work on this.

Patrick Johnson, your ERA RFA

What about this one?Good Morning Team,

 

Please plan on attending Monday's Empowerment Series class: The Power of You: Writing Effective Emails which will be held in 305 Huang from 9:30-11.  Tasty breakfast offerings will be served at 9:15.

 

As so much of our communication with our customers, faculty, FAs, central offices etc, occurs through email, the more adept we are at communicating via this medium the more effective and efficient we can be in our RFA role.

 

Best to all,

Francoise Dupree

Meet…

Audrey Jones Professor Heinz Wolff

#1. Audrey sends an email to her team.

Subject: Responsible Person

Hi,

Please list responsible person ASAP so, I can email payroll suspense reports to DMs. I just checked and list not updated. Thanks.

Audrey Jones

#2. Audrey sends an email to her team.

Subject: ABC Report

Dearest Team,

In regards to our discuss with the payroll certification reports, if there appears to be an error on an XYZ report, please contact Jane. The issue may be an error we can resolve internally before we turn to the eCert people. When contacting her please explain the nature of the error? Is data based such as an employee showing having have been paid from a PTA which he/she was not or a dollar amount attributed to a particular PTA incorrect, or is it more format based e.g. an incorrect task manager, award name etc.?

 

Thank you, if you have inquiries please don’t hesitate to ask me.

Audrey Jones

#3 - Audrey sends an email to Heinz.Subject: Mann Foundation

Dear Heinz,

I’m Audrey, research finance administrator for Professor Hugh Higgins and his colleagues Dr. Paul Po. I will assist them in the submission of the sub contract portion for the Mann foundation. I would like to find out if there are particular process and procedures your institution requires for the sub contract? In Addition, can you please confirm who will be our prime sponsor for this proposal. Is it University of East or West Foundation? Thank you and looking forward to work with you.

Fondest regards,

Amy Reynolds

#4 - Audrey sends an email to her team.

Subject: Meeting

Hello Team,

I wanted to remind you about the Team Meeting today at 10am.  Please come to room 202. Let me know if you have questions.

Thank you,

Audrey Jones

#5 - Audrey sends an email to Heinz.Subject: AY14 Offset

Hi Heinz!

 

In order to complete the set-up process of your AY14 offset, your approval is needed.  You should have received an email generated by the system with a link to approve the Bonita form after it was entered last week.

 

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Audrey JonesResearch and Financial AdministratorEngineering Research Administration

School of Engineering, Stanford University

Huang Building, Rm 227

Stanford, CA 94305-9025

Ph: (650) 724-9999

#6 - Audrey sends an email to a DM.

Subject: meeting today?

Dear Veronica,

Just checking, what time are we supposed to meet today.

 

Please let me know if you need further assistance or require additional information.

Sincerely yours,

Audrey JonesResearch and Financial AdministratorEngineering Research Administration

School of Engineering, Stanford University

Huang Building, Rm 227

Stanford, CA 94305-9025

Ph: (650) 724-9999

#7 - Audrey sends an email to Heinz.Subject: AY14 Offset

Dear Heinz,

 

In order to complete the set-up process of your AY14 offset, your approval is needed.  You should have received an email generated by the system with a link to approved the Bonita form after it was entered last week.

 

Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Audrey JonesResearch and Financial AdministratorEngineering Research Administration

School of Engineering, Stanford University

Huang Building, Rm 227

Stanford, CA 94305-9025

Ph: (650) 724-9999

#8 - Audrey sends an email to Harvard.

Subject: Contract 444444000-321, Open Invoice 99945-012

Dear Sophie,

While reviewing the outstanding invoice reference above it appears that there are LDA’s that needs PI approved justification before we can process the payment. The adjustment looks ok however the adjustments were created at the end of the project period and the total adjustment amount represents 50% of the total amount of the invoice. I will appreciate it if you can provide the LDA justification approved by Prof. Song that explains why the adjustments are necessary. I will review the justification once submitted and will process the payment if everything is ok.

Audrey JonesResearch and Financial AdministratorEngineering Research Administration

School of Engineering, Stanford University

Huang Building, Rm 227

Stanford, CA 94305-9025

Ph: (650) 724-9999

Review of Our Learning Objectives

Can you now….

Identify the four types of email?

Compose clear, concise and responsive emails?

Remember, writing is revision and revision takes practice…you can only get better from here!

Any suggestions?

Next Steps…• In the next day or two, you will receive an email

message containing:

a.) a feedback form link and b.) a quiz!

• To receive credit for this class, you’ll need to complete both the quiz and feedback form within 7 days.

Thanks for attending!

Coming soon…

• A Budget Excel-abration!: Level IINovember 18, 9:30-11AM

• Finding the Leader in YouNovember 25, 9:30-11AM