TOPS & TIPS TOPS & TIPS FOR …FOR …

PART OF “WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS” WORKSHOP

WE ARE ALL BUSY, AND WE’VE ALL RECEIVED LONG, AMBIGUOUS AND RAMBLING EMAILS. IRONICALLY, MOST OF US HAVE ALSO BEEN GUILTY OF WRITING SUCH VERBOSE EMAIL WHILE REQUESTING FOR SOMEONE ELSE’S TIME AND NERVES.

TO MAKE OBVIOUS WHAT KIND OF E-MAIL WORKS, AND WHICH TO MAKE OBVIOUS WHAT KIND OF E-MAIL WORKS, AND WHICH

DO NOT WORK, WE WILL DISCUSS SOME INTERESTING AND DO NOT WORK, WE WILL DISCUSS SOME INTERESTING AND

USEFUL OBSERVATIONS ON EFFECTIVE EMAIL USEFUL OBSERVATIONS ON EFFECTIVE EMAIL

COMMUNICATION…. PARTICULARLY: COMMUNICATION…. PARTICULARLY:

-WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN EMAILING SOMEONE (THAT WE

DON’T KNOW PERSONALLY)

-HOW TO WRITE HOW TO WRITE EMAIL THAT PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY (WANT ACTUALLY (WANT

TO) READTO) READ

ASSUMPTIONS

•THE RECIPIENT (PERSON YOU ARE EMAILING) POTENTIALLY GETS A LOT OF EMAILS.

•YOU NEED YOU NEED SOMETHING FROM THE RECIPIENT AND PLANPLAN ON PITCHING IT

VIAVIA EMAIL

•YOU EITHER DO NOT KNOW THE RECIPIENT PERSONALLY, OR HE/SHE IS AN ACQUAINTANCE OR BUSINESS PARTY, OR HE/SHE IS A CLOSE FRIEND….

…. AND YOU’RE ASKING FOR AN UNUSUAL REQUEST OR FAVOR.

Before we dive in, let’s

lay out some…

OUR GOAL IS… TO CONSTRUCT EMAILS THAT:

•WILL ACTUALLY BE READ

•WILL ACTUALLY BE UNDERSTOOD

•WILL NOT ANNOY THE RECEIVER

•DOES NOT TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME ON THE RECEIVER’S END.

Gets a lot of email. May receive compliments regularly, if

they are a public figure. Regularly gets asked a standard set of

questions and favors. Does not have a lot of free time. Does not mind helping you, if it is fast.

EMAIL PSYCHOLOGY

GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE SENDER AND RECEIVER SEE THINGS FROM DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT POINTS

OF VIEWS.

!!! AND FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A SENDER, WE OFTEN DO NOT SPEND TIME UNDERSTANDING WHO THE RECEIVER IS AND WHAT THEIR INBOX MIGHT LOOK LIKE!!!

Spends a long time crafting the ‘perfect’ (-ly long) email.

Believes that their request is original, unique, and special.

Believes that they are the first to ask for such favors.

Cannot imagine why anyone would turn them away.

Desires to tell the whole story, explained from every angle, so that the listener can understand their point of view.

NOW, PUTTING OURSELVES IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF A RECEIVER (AND WE HAVE ALL BEEN THERE MANY TIMES). WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH GOING THROUGH AN INBOX

FULL OF EMAIL – COMING BACK FROM A LONG WEEKEND OR VACATION,

WE HAVE SOME NATURAL HABITS THAT ARE WORTH NOTING:

• WE TEND TO ANSWER, OR BE DRAWN TO EMAILS THAT ARE THE FASTEST TO ANSWER OR PROCESS.

* THAT MEANS EMAILS THAT REQUIRE VERY LITTLE WORK OR THOUGHT.

• WHEN WE OPEN AN EMAIL THAT IS VERY LONG, OUR “GUT REACTION” IS TO CLOSE THE EMAIL, OR COME BACK TO IT LATER WHEN WE MIGHT HAVE MORE TIME. * WE MAY FLAG IT FOR LATER

• WHEN WE RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM SOMEONE WANTING SOMETHING FROM US, WANTING US TO BUY SOMETHING, OR WANTING OUR TIME, WE INSTANTLY FEEL GUARDED AND WILL AUTOMATICALLY WANT TO SAY NO, EVEN IF THE ACT WILL BENEFIT US IN REALITY.

• WE GO THROUGH EMAIL WHILE ASKING “WHAT’S THE POINT?”

• WE GO THROUGH EMAIL THAT IS PITCHING SOMETHING WHILE ASKING “WHY SHOULD I CARE?”

DIFFERENT PEOPLE – DIFFERENT EMAIL TYPESTYPES…

• SELF FULFILLING EMAIL – THE EMAIL ITSELF IS THE POINT. YOU WANT TO TELL THE RECEIVER SOMETHING, EITHER A COMPLIMENT OR INFORMATION.

NO REPLY IS NECESSARY IN THIS CASE.

• INQUIRIES - YOU NEED SOMETHING FROM THE RECEIVER IN THE FORM OF A REPLY. FOR EXAMPLE, ADVICE, OR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

THE REPLY IS YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME.

• OPEN-ENDED DIALOG – TO KEEP COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN, FOR THE PURPOSE OF SOME FUTURE RESULT OR BENEFIT.

• ACTION EMAILS – THE GOAL IS NOT THE REPLY, BUT SOME ACTION ON THE PART OF THE RECEIVER.

WITH SUCH DIVERGENT PERSPECTIVES, IT’S NO

WONDER RECEIVERS RECEIVE THE KINDS OF EMAIL THAT THEY DO,

AND THAT SENDERS ARE WONDERING WHY THEIR

EMAILS ISN’T EFFECTIVE OR EAGERLY RESPONDED TO.

Sounds complicated? Lets tune-up a

bit!

• 1. THE SUBJECT LINE

ALWAYS HAVE A SUBJECT LINE THAT SUMMARIZES BRIEFLY AND CLEARLY THE CONTENTS OF THE MESSAGE.

FOR EXAMPLE, RE: SUMMARY OF OUR MEETING WITH …ABC… SUPPLIERS.

• 2. SHORT AND SIMPLE SENTENCES

USE SHORT AND EASY SENTENCES. LONG SENTENCES CAN OFTEN BE DIFFICULT TO READ AND UNDERSTAND.

THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE THAT CAN BE MADE IS TO TRANSLATE DIRECTLY FROM OUR OWN LANGUAGE. THIS CAN OFTEN LEAD TO CONFUSING SENTENCES. ALWAYS USE THE KISS TEST – KEEP IT SHORT AND SIMPLE

• 3. THINK OF WHO YOUR READER IS GOING TO BE

- IS IT A COLLEAGUE, A CLIENT OR YOUR BOSS?

- SHOULD THE EMAIL BE INFORMAL OR FORMAL?

* MOST BUSINESS EMAILS THESE DAYS HAVE A NEUTRAL TONE *

- NOTE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INFORMAL AND FORMAL: INFORMAL – THANKS FOR THE EMAIL OF 15 FEBRUARY

FORMAL – THANK YOU FOR YOUR EMAIL RECEIVED 15 FEBRUARY INFORMAL – SORRY, I CAN’T MAKE IT.

FORMAL – I AM AFRAID I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND INFORMAL – COULD YOU…?

FORMAL – I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD….?

SOME EMAILS TO COLLEAGUES CAN BE INFORMAL IF THEY ARE FRIENDS. THIS IS THE STYLE THAT IS CLOSEST TO SPEECH, SO THERE ARE OFTEN EVERYDAY WORDS AND CONVERSATIONAL EXPRESSIONS THAT CAN BE USED. FOR INSTANCE, ‘DON’T FORGET’, ‘CATCH YOU LATER’, ‘CHEERS’.

• 4. BE VERY CAREFUL OF CAPITAL LETTERS, PUNCTUATION, SPELLING AND BASIC GRAMMAR.

• THE READER WILL ALSO ACCEPT BAD GRAMMAR IN INFORMAL EMAILS. HOWEVER, IF THE EMAIL IS GOING TO A CLIENT OR SENIOR COLLEAGUE, BAD GRAMMAR AND AN OVER-FRIENDLY STYLE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE.

• 5. THINK ABOUT HOW DIRECT OR INDIRECT YOU WANT TO BE.

• IN SOME CULTURES IT IS COMMON PRACTICE TO BE VERY DIRECT IN EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE. HOWEVER, THIS CAN CAUSE A PROBLEM IF YOU’RE WRITING TO SOMEONE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND IN A LANGUAGE THAT IS NOT YOURS. THEY MIGHT FIND YOUR DIRECTNESS RUDE AND EVEN SOMETIMES OFFENSIVE.

• CONSIDER THESE APPROACHES:

DIRECT – I NEED THIS IN HALF AN HOUR.INDIRECT AND POLITE – WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO HAVE THIS IN THE NEXT HALF AN HOUR?

DIRECT – THERE WILL BE A DELAYINDIRECT – I’M AFRAID THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT DELAY.

DIRECT – IT’S A BAD IDEAINDIRECT – TO BE HONEST, I’M NOT SURE IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

• BY ADJUSTING YOUR “TONE”, YOU ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET A MORE POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM YOUR READER.

• 6. BE POSITIVE!

LOOK AT THESE WORDS: HELPFUL, GOOD QUESTION, HELPFUL, GOOD QUESTION,

AGREED, TOGETHER, USEFUL, I’D BE DELIGHTED, MUTUAL, AGREED, TOGETHER, USEFUL, I’D BE DELIGHTED, MUTUAL,

OPPORTUNITY.OPPORTUNITY.

NOW LOOK AT THESE: BUSY, CRISIS, FAILURE, FORGET IT, BUSY, CRISIS, FAILURE, FORGET IT,

I CAN’T, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE, WASTE, HARDI CAN’T, IT’S IMPOSSIBLE, WASTE, HARD

THE WORDS YOU USE SHOW YOUR ATTITUDE TO LIFE AND YOUR WORK, SO THE WORDS YOU USE SHOW YOUR ATTITUDE TO LIFE AND YOUR WORK, SO CHOOSE CHOOSE YOUR WORDS YOUR WORDS

WISELYWISELY..

7. GET FEEDBACK.

• TRY AND GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THE EMAILS THAT YOU WRITE IN REAL LIFE. THIS COULD BE FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW WHOSE “OTHER” LANGUAGE IS NOT WORSE THAN YOURS.

• STUDY THE LANGUAGE IN THE EMAILS YOU RECEIVE. IF IT IS A WELL-WRITTEN EMAIL, LOOK CAREFULLY AT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE USED.

• START YOUR OWN PHRASE BOOK AND BUILD A BANK OF PHRASES FROM THE ONES YOU RECEIVE AND THINK WOULD BE USEFUL IN THE FUTURE. (WING-WING )

VERB- to provide, supply, rig out, furnish, outfit,

typically something to be

done in a professional

capacity.

HOW TO…?

• 1. DETERMINE YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME DETERMINE YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME

• TOPS MOST PEOPLE KNOW ROUGHLY WHAT THEY WANT, BUT DO

NOT TAKE THE TIME TO CLEARLY THINK IT THROUGH. THIS IS HOW WE END UP WITH AMBIGUOUS OR RAMBLING EMAIL. WITHOUT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR DESIRED END RESULTS, OUR THOUGHTS ARE DISORGANIZED AND WE CAN EASILY CONFUSE THE RECEIVER.

• TIPS THE CLEARER YOUR INTENTION IS, THE MORE FOCUSED YOU

WILL BE,

THE BETTER YOU CAN CATER () EMAIL FOR THE INTENDED RESULT, THE MORE LIKELY YOU WILL GET YOUR DESIRED OUTCOME.

2. QUICKLY ANSWER “WHAT’S THE POINT?”

TOPSTOPS PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW “WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM ME?”

TIPS TIPS ANSWER THIS QUESTION QUICKLY. SKIP LONG INTRODUCTIONS,

BACKGROUNDS, COMPLIMENTS AND DETAILS.

JUMP TO THE POINT. STATE IT CLEARLY USING MINIMAL WORDS.STATE IT CLEARLY USING MINIMAL WORDS.

IF ACTION IS NEEDED, MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT THE DESIRED ACTION IS

FROM THE RECIPIENT. (NOTE – NOT EXPECTED – DESIRED!!!)

IF NO ACTION OR REPLY IS EXPECTED, SAY THAT “NO REPLY NECESSARY.”

IT’LL BE LIKE MUSIC TO THEIR EARS AND THEY WILL BE HAPPY TO DO WHAT YOU DESIRED FROM THEM.

3. STATE BENEFITS CLEARLY

TOPSTOPS SAY WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY, AND MOVE ON. IF YOUR BIG IDEA ISN’T IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH, MOVE IT THERE. IF YOU CAN’T FIND IT, REWRITE THE MAIL !!!

TIPSTIPS MAKE SURE IT INCLUDES MANY CLEARLY STATED, EASILY UNDERSTOOD “BENEFITS” FOR THE RECEIVER.

TOPSTOPS MANY EMAILS FOCUS SOLELY ON THE SENDER AND WHY THE ACTION WILL BENEFIT THE SENDER. IF YOU DON’T PRESENT INCENTIVES, OR THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, THE RECEIVER WILL

SAY NO – RESULTING IN A WASTE OF TIME FOR BOTH.

TIPS TIPS MAKE SURE THE INCENTIVES ARE REALISTIC, THE EXCHANGE IS FAIR, AND THERE TRULY ARE BENEFITS TO

THE RECEIVER.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE CONTACTING SOMEONE. PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES,

“WOULD YOU ACT ON WHAT IS REQUIRED FROM YOU IN THE MAIL?”

KISS = Keep it simple, stupid (I didn’t come up with this )

4. REMEMBER TO KISS

TOPS TOPS WHEN WE SEND OUT A LONG EMAIL ASKING FOR SOMETHING FROM THE RECEIVER (TIME,

FAVOR, RESPONSE, ETC), WE ARE ESSENTIALLY SAYING “I DO NOT RESPECT YOUR TIME.” “I DO NOT RESPECT YOUR TIME.”

TIPS TIPS SHOW THEM YOU APPRECIATE THEIR TIME, BY MAKING EMAIL SHORT, AND SIMPLE TO

ANSWER.

USING AS FEW WORDS AS POSSIBLE, INTRODUCE WHO YOU ARE, CONTEXT IF NECESSARY, AND WHY YOU ARE EMAILING, GO STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.

TOPSTOPS BEING BRIEF DOESN’T MEAN WE HAVE TO BE BORING.

TIPS TIPS WE CAN BE CREATIVE WITH OUR WORDING, ADD A DASH OF PERSONALITY WHERE YOU SEE

FIT, BUT STILL BE BRIEF.

TOPS TOPS INSTEAD OF MENTIONING “THE CURRENT SITUATION”

TIPS TIPS EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, WHETHER IT’S LOW COMPANY MORALE, OR ANY FURTHER

INVESTIGATION.

MORE TIPS TO KISS…

• USE SIMPLE, CLEAR, PRECISE LANGUAGE AND FOLLOW A FEW OTHER BASIC WRITING RULES THAT’S HOW YOU BECOME A BETTER COMMUNICATOR AND YOU WILL IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS MANNERS.

• DO NOT USE BIG $10 WORDS BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SOUND INTELLIGENT. INSTEAD, YOU WILL END UP SOUNDING LIKE YOU ARE TRYING TOO HARD.

• USE SHORT, DECLARATIVE SENTENCES. NEVER USE A LONG WORD WHERE A SHORT ONE WILL DO. (NO NEED TO WRITE “UTILIZE” WHEN “USE” WORKS JUST AS WELL.) BE RUTHLESS ABOUT SELF-EDITING, IF YOU DON’T NEED A WORD, CUT IT.

• NEVER USE A FOREIGN PHRASE, A SCIENTIFIC WORD, OR ANY KIND OF JARGON IF YOU CAN THINK OF AN ENGLISH EQUIVALENT. REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES YOUR MANAGERS ASK YOU

TO “CIRCLE BACK,” OR “MOVE THE NEEDLE FORWARD,” TAKE A STANCE AGAINST PAINFUL BUSINESS JARGON. THESE EXPRESSIONS MAY SOUND IMPORTANT TO YOU, BUT THEY MAKE NO SENSE TO OTHERS.

• AVOID OVERUSING EXCLAMATION POINTS, REGARDLESS OF HOW ENERGIZED OR FRIENDLY YOU MIGHT FEEL. CHOOSE PROFESSIONAL SIGN-OFFS LIKE “BEST” AND “REGARDS” OVER THE TOO-CUTE “XOXO” OR JUST

TIPS ON GRAMMAR KISS…

• WHENEVER POSSIBLE, USE ACTIVE VERBS INSTEAD OF PASSIVE VERBS. ACTIVE VERBS HELP TO ENERGIZE YOUR PROSE. INSTEAD OF WRITING “THE MEETING WAS LED BY TOM,” WRITE: “TOM LED

THE MEETING.”

• USE A STRAIGHTFORWARD SENTENCE STRUCTURE – SUBJECT, VERB, OBJECT (ALSO KNOWS AS SUBJECT – VERB AGREEMENT) – THAT PEOPLE CAN READ QUICKLY.

• MATCH YOUR SUBJECT TO YOUR PRONOUN AND VERB – SOUNDS OBVIOUS, BUT MOST OFTEN PEOPLE IS GETTING IT WRONG – THE NUMBER OF THE SUBJECT (SINGULAR OR PLURAL) DETERMINES

THE NUMBER OF THE VERB.

• USE A SINGULAR VERB FORM AND PRONOUN AFTER – NOBODY, SOMEONE, EVERYBODY, NEITHER, EVERYONE, EACH, EITHER.

• LIMIT THE USE OF ADVERBS, USE A STRONG VERB INSTEAD OF A WEAK VERB.

INSTEAD OF WRITING “ORDERS GREW QUICKLY,” TRY “ORDERS ACCELERATED.”

• KNOW WHEN TO USE “THAT” AND “WHICH” –

• THAT – INTRODUCES ESSENTIAL INFORMATION IN WHAT IS CALLED A “RESTRICTIVE CLAUSE”

• WHICH – INTRODUCES EXTRA INFORMATION IN A “NONRESTRICTIVE CLAUSE”

5. SAVE THE WHOLE STORY – STICK TO THE FACTS.

TOPS TOPS PEOPLE TEND TO SAY TOO MUCH IN EMAIL. WE FEEL COMPELLED TO DESCRIBE ALL

THE DETAILS AND DISCLOSE THE WHOLE OF OUR EXISTENCE SO THAT THE RECEIVER CAN UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PICTURE.

TIPSTIPS UNLESS YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS PERSON WELL, THEY REALLY DON’T CARE.

UNLESS ASKED, YOU DON’T NEED TO OVERLY ELABORATE ANYTHING.

SIMPLY STICK TO THE FACTS – IT’LL HELP YOU KEEP YOUR MESSAGE SHORT.

6. PRETEND FACE-TO-FACE INTRO

TOPS TOPS IF YOU HAVEN’T MET SOMEONE OR THIS ONE IS A BUSINESS PARTY, WOULD YOU

OPEN YOUR MOUTH FIRST AND GIVE THEM A RAMBLING STORY ABOUT YOUR LIFE? PROBABLY NOT. TYPICALLY, WE CLOSE OUR MOUTH AFTER A QUICK INTRO.

TIPS TIPS IN EMAIL, STOPPING TALKING IS EQUIVALENT TO HITTING THE SEND BUTTON.

TREATING EMAIL INTRODUCTIONS AS IF YOU ARE MEETING THEM IN PERSON IS ANOTHER TRICK TO KEEPING MESSAGES SHORT.

7. THE TEXT MESSAGE TRICK

TOPS TOPS WHEN WE ARE ON MOBILE DEVICES LIKE THE BLACKBERRY OR OUR CELL PHONES,

WE LACK THE FLUIDITY OF THE COMPUTER KEYBOARD, AND AS SUCH, WE GET TO THE POINT REALLY FAST.

TIPS TIPS NOW, PRETEND YOU’RE ON A MOBILE DEVICE, WHAT WOULD YOUR MESSAGE BE

NOW? SHORT SENTENCES,

CLEAR VERBS,

STRAIGHT TO THE POINT,

NOT DETAILED, BUT STILL EXPLANATORY ENOUGH,

NO EXCESSIVE COMPLIMENTS,

ENOUGH PERSONAL AND PERSONABLE,

EASY TO BE FOUND.

8. HOW DO I LOOK? • USE SIMPLE ENGLISH

• FONT MATTERS

• FORMATTING MATTERS

• ASK MINIMIZED QUESTIONS

• DO I TRIM MY WORDS?

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING.

GLORIA