Monday, November 23, 2009

Writing Effective E-mails


Due to the amount of technology now available, most people use e-mail as a main source of communication on a daily basis. E-mail provides the convenience of speed because the message can be delivered by the sender to the receiver in a matter of seconds. Price is another advantage of e-mail. By using e-mail as a method of communication, businesses are able to save money on shipping and mailing fees as well as photo copying and printing costs. E-mail also provides a convenience and organizational factor. E-mail is convenient because it is easier to use than the postal service. E-mail provides organizational tools by assigning a date and time to each email sent and received.

Since e-mail is so important for communication in the workplace, it is necessary for students and current employees to become knowledgeable on how to write an effective e-mail. One of the first steps to writing an effective e-mail is to choose an appropriate e-mail address. If you are going to be presenting people with professional information, you do not want your e-mail address to appear unprofessional. The second step to writing an effective e-mail is to use appropriate subject lines. If you are able to be specific in the subject line of our e-mail, then you are more likely to receive a quick response from your recipient. Before sending any e-mail, please be sure to edit and proofread all messages before sending them. If your e-mail spears to be sloppy and careless, your recipient may believe that you are unprofessional. When you are sending an email, you should be careful not to capitalize unnecessary words or letters because the e-mail may be interpreted by the recipient in a different matter than you originally intended.

On the website, http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/e-text/e-mail.htm, Dennis G. Jerz provides the top ten tips to writing an effective email.
• Write a meaningful subject line
• Keep the message focused and readable
• Avoid attachments
• Identify yourself clearly in the e-mail
• Be kind in your e-mal, never write in anger
• Proofread all e-mails before sending
• Don’t assume that your privacy is protected
• Distinguish the difference between a formal or informal situation
• Respond to all e-mails promptly
• Show respect and restraint

Resources:
Dobrin, Sidney L., Christopher J. Keller, and Christian R. Weisser. Technical Communication in the Twenty-first Century. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2010. Print.


"E-Mail: Ten Tips for Writing It Effectively." Dennis G. Jerz. Web. 24 Nov. 2009. .

2 comments:

  1. I like the image! It really makes the intro stand out. The only think I would like to see changed is the formatting. It pushed all the text to one side.

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  2. Whew....I never realized how technical emails could be! Good tips. I also like the way you bulleted your information, it made it easier to read.

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