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Is email the right way to send this information?• Written form is preferable over a meeting or phone call in this situation.• The message is not too personal or confi dential.
Before writing, I asked myself:• What do the readers already know?• Why are they receiving the email?• What do they need to do after reading the email?• Is a formal or informal style preferred?
Did I keep it simple?• I used clear, simple language.• I aimed for an average of 15-20 words per sentence.• I chose active voice over passive voice.
Did I put the main message fi rst?• I kept the inverted pyramid (below) in mind while organizing content.• The message gets the reader’s attention quickly.
Is there a great subject line?• The subject is clear and descriptive.• The subject line is not confusing to the reader
Do my emotions show in my writing?• The message is neutral and does not show anger, sadness, or disappointment.• The tone of the message does not show the reader what type of day I am having.
Did I give the email the same attention I would give a letter?• Punctuation and grammar are correct.• There are few abbreviations and/or acronyms.• I checked my grammar using the 5-column system.
Are the dates and times understandable to all?• The date is written with the month spelled out to avoid confusion (i.e. 10 June 2009 or June 10, 2009)• Times are written as follows: 5:00 am or 13:00 (hours) or 2:00 pm.• When using the 12-hour clock, I used the abbreviation AM (also am or a.m.) for the morning, and PM (also pm or p.m.) for times after noon.
Is the email professional?• I know that my email could be forwarded to unknown or unintended readers.• The email is not unnecessarily long.• I double checked the spelling of all names.
Did I clarify the attachments?• It is clear what action the reader should take.• If the attachment is long or complex, I summarized the main points in my email.• If necessary, I let the recipients know which software and version was used to create the fi le.• I did attach all necessary fi les.
WRITING EMAILS – EMAILS SCHREIBENWRITING SUCCESSFUL AND EFFECTIVE EMAILS – ERFOLGREICHE UND EFFEKTIVE EMAILS SCHREIBENHere is a checklist for writing emails in an effective and professional manner.
Tel: 089 /41 200 660www.lbt-languages.de
Is email the right way to send this information?
When constructing your message keep in mind the inverted pyramid. It is used by journalists as a way of capturing the reader’s attention and also making the entire story easier to read. This is done through putting the most important information fi rst, thus giving the reader a context for the details to come.
Most important information
Next most important information
next most important
least
DO answer all questions asked in the previous email. This way, you will avoid further questions about what was not answered.
DON’T use abbreviations or acronyms that won’t be recognized by the reader. In sending business emails, it is better to attempt to avoid them completely. Some examples to avoid are: FYI, LOL, BTW, TTFN, L8R, VM, :-).
DO include the message thread. When businesses receive a lot of emails, it is possible that they won’t remember to which email you are responding. Hit “reply” instead of “new message” when you respond to an email, and double check that at least the message you are responding to is included.
DON’T WRITE IN ALL CAPS. IT GIVES THE READER THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ARE YELLING. It is much more polite to write an email with proper capitalization. If necessary, or if a word needs to be emphasized, you can capitalize SOME words in an email. Avoid overusing the caps-lock key.
DO double check that the attachments have been attached to the email. It is very frustrating to have to send another email, or to have to read a separate email, when the attachments are missing from the fi rst.
DO proofread your email before you send it.
GREETINGSFormal:
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss SmithDear SirsDear Madame(s) and Sir(s)Dear All,To whom it may concern
Informal:Hi MaryHello, JohnHello, All,Hello, Everybody,Robert, (no greeting)
WRITING SUCCESSFUL AND EFFECTIVE EMAILS – ERFOLGREICHE UND EFFEKTIVE EMAILS SCHREIBENDo’s, Don’ts and tips to writing great emails.
OPENING EMAILS
Formal: Thank you for your last email concerning... I am writing in connection with… I am interested in receiving information about… Your name was given to me by… With reference to your phone call today…
CLOSING EMAILS
Formal:I look forward to your reply. I look forward to seeing you next Tuesday.If you require any further information, feel free to contact me. I would appreciate your immediate attention to/on/regarding this matter. Please contact us again if there are any problems.
WRITING EMAILS – EMAILS SCHREIBEN
CLOSINGSFormal:
Sincerely,Regards,Yours Truly,
Informal:Thanks,Later,
Tel: 089 /41 200 660www.lbt-languages.de
SIGNATURES (example) John Johnson
PresidentJohnson CompanyTel: [email protected]
Informal:Thanks for your last email…I’m writing about…Can you tell me a little more about….I got your name from…To respond to your phone call earlier,…
Informal:I can’t wait to hear from you.See you next Tuesday.If you need more information, let me know.Please take care of this immediately.Let us know if you have any problems.
