Effective Email

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AAAAA Email

A - Accurate subject line (not outdated, not too general)

A - Action is requested near the beginning (not at the end)

A - Accessible information (not buried in thick paragraphs)

A - Answers reader questions (doesn't leave out essentials)

A - Any attachment is actually attached!

Before clicking SEND, check to be sure your message deserves an AAAAA rating.

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What you did well…

Insert a blank line (carriage return) between all paragraphs;

Create bulleted lists using the colon and bracket characters;

Use bold type, underscores or colors to emphasize text;

Put a note at the top of the email, like this one: “See the answers to your questions below” when answering the questions.

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What you might do better…

Showing politeness (Case 1)

Proofreading before clicking “send” (Case 2)

Paying attention to wording, especially when writing to the customer (Case 3)

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Showing politeness

Greetings before jumping into business; E.g. “How are you doing?”, “How is your cold?” or “Did you have a great vacation?”…

Expressing thanks when replying a mail; E.g. “thanks for your kind reminding”, “thank you for the interest in our product”…

Making a request less offending; E.g. "If you don't mind..." or "If it isn't too much trouble…”

Using “might”, “could/would you please”…instead of “should”, “must”…

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Proofreading

Run the spelling checker and edit the message for grammar and jargon;

Scan whether there are any mistakes or typos that were not caught by the checker;

Make sure that enough information is included;

Ensure the message is targeting the correct recipients.

M istakes…

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Paying attention to wording, especially when writing to the customer

Be professional

Be likable

Be diplomatic

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Tips for getting an prompt email reply

Keeping the message short, well organized, and skimmable.

Making it easy to respond by: Numbering or bulleting the requests

Being precise about what is looked for

Providing links to what readers need

Stating a reasonable deadline

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How to Write an Auto-Reply

Include the date of your return

Let people know of any other reliable and available individuals

Be sure your reply is suitable for different readers

Avoid sharing contact information that you do not want everyone to have

Proofread your message very carefully