Jan Yager - How to Write an Effective E-mail

How to Write an Effective E-mail*
By Dr. Jan Yager

*(Excerpted, with permission, from Effective Business & Nonfiction Writing by Dr. Jan Yager, 2nd edition, Hannacroix Creek Books, Inc., 2001, available at local or on-line bookstores. All rights reserved. May not be duplicated or published without written permission of the copyright holder, Dr. Jan Yager, jyager@aol.com)

Jan Yager, who has published 20+ books, is a Connecticut-based sociologist, author, workplace and relationship expert who also consults on writing, getting published, and book promotion.

Do not be fooled by the seeming informality of e-mail. An e-mail sent for business purposes is still an example of your business writing. It needs to follow all the guidelines you will learn in this book: correct spelling and grammar, brevity, the right tone and style, accurate facts and outstanding content.
The key to getting your e-mail read may rest on two main factors: what you put in your subject line (this is something you have control over) and if there is "name recognition" of your e-mail address so that opening, and hopefully, answering, your e-mail is a priority. It is therefore in your best interest to get proficient at creating succinct and attention-getting subject lines to increase the likelihood that your e-mail will be opened and read. Try to have a "benefits statement" right in your subject line, without looking too boastful or resorting to hyperbole. For example, keep your subject line focused and clear. Here are some examples:

In terms of your name or return address as a factor in getting your e-mails opened, you might want to consider having an e-mail name and related address that increases the likelihood that your post will be responded to, such as your name@such-and-such company (rather than a more obscure, descriptive e-mail address that disguises your identify).
Once you get someone to open your e-mail, and read it, to create a favorable impression, and response, more than any other kind of business writing, including memos, keep the body of your e-mail short. The style of your e-mail is also crucial to how it is received. (See Chapter 5, pages 69-86, for a discussion of style.) Furthermore, to be polite, you may still need to introduce the e-mail with some kind of appropriate greeting, such as "Dear So and So," and end your e-mail with some kind of action statement about either the desired outcome for this e-mail or necessary information you want to share. Sometimes, however, when reacting to a post, especially if you are part of a list on the Internet, a much shorter, informal e-mail response may be acceptable, such as "Congratulations! Thanks for sharing," if someone has posted a "mini-brag" about an accomplishment to the list and a longer e-mail response is unnecessary.
Here are examples of e-mails used in business relationships to quickly convey information (facts that, in the past, might have been conveyed through a phone call):

Example 1

Dear -----,
Just wanted to let you know that I'm going to a conference in Washington, D.C. from August 5th through 8th.
Kind regards,
---

Example 2

Hi ---,

I will find out if the photo can be scanned here and will let you know if I need it on a disk.

What do you think of titles listed below as a name for the program?
(Titles listed)

Let me know your thoughts:Thanks,

---

Avoid using only capital letters in an e-mail, which is considered "shouting" at your recipient.
Unless you are absolutely certain that your e-mails are secure, you should avoid transmitting confidential information through an e-mail.
Be careful in assuming that the person you send an e-mail to is the one who will be reading it, or responding to it. If you are sending an e-mail to numerous individuals who have no relationship to each other, almost like a form letter, it is more polite to make those recipients "blind copies" so no one is able to see their e-mail address. (By contrast, if you are sending an e-mail that should be copied to others, within a department, or in a supervisory situation, you would want to show that you sent those individuals copies of that e-mail just as you would use "cc" (carbon copy) at the bottom of a more formal business letter.

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