Top 10 email tips
Top 10 email tips
November 01, 2004: There is no doubt that email has some wonderful benefits-it is fast, convenient, is a great way to keep in touch, allows large volumes of information to be transmitted, and can reach many people anywhere in the world-all with the click of a button.
Email was originally introduced into the workplace as a productivity tool. But unfortunately, it has become misused and abused. And we're not talking about spam here. We're talking about something as fundamental as the work habits and practices used by people when they manage their email.
Communication is the lifeblood of an organisation. Why then is there generally no 'how-to guide' or training provided by a company when its employees are first let loose with such an important communication tool as email?
The result of this oversight is that people have developed poor work habits that are sloppy and unproductive, and with the potential to damage the bottom line, image and reputation of the company.
How email savvy are you? Here is a list of the top 10 email tips and tricks that will instantly improve your productivity with e-mail. A lot of these tips are common-sense, but unfortunately common sense is not all that common these days!
1. Stop getting interrupted!
Are you getting notified via a prominent sound and/or a dialog box each time new emails arrive in your inbox? Do you check your mailbox with each notification? If so, then do you realise that if you receive 50 new emails per day, you are allowing yourself to be interrupted up to 50 times per day? That's a lot of interruptions.
You're probably wondering: "But, what if I miss an urgent e-mail?" Well, if an item is that urgent, someone will surely call you on either your office telephone or mobile phone, or even page you over the Public Address system. When you look back on all your past emails, how many have been that earth-shattering, warranting that you drop what you were doing to read the new email?
If you want to use your time and energy productively, then aim to reduce unnecessary interruptions and distractions as much as possible. Turn the notification settings off! So you are fully focused on your high priority tasks.
In Microsoft Outlook-On the Tools menu, click Options. Click Email Options, and then click Advanced Email Options. Under the section: When new items arrive in my inbox, unclick the relevant settings!
2. Work on YOUR schedule!
The problem with email is that because this communication medium is so fast, a lot of people think that they must respond immediately, and, in turn, have been conditioned to expect an immediate response from their emails.
Remember to respond on your schedule, so that you are in control of your email, rather than your email being in control over you!
3. Know when to email!
Although we live in an electronic age, do not be tempted to use email for every communication. Always think to yourself: "What is the most appropriate communication channel for the information that I need to convey?"
For example, if something is urgent or highly confidential, use the phone or meet face-to-face. When an issue is complex, and involves a lot of back and forth discussions, ditch the email in favour of a meeting or telephone call. The issue can often be resolved in minutes, rather than involving a protracted email discussion, requiring the sending of many emails to many people.
4. Cut the glut!
Too many people these days are suffering from the stress and wasted time of email information overload. They are on the receiving end of a lot of emails that are not relevant and important to their overall job responsibilities.
This problem stems in large part from distribution lists that are poorly managed within the company.
From your point of view, try to control the situation to the best of your ability:-
• Ask to be removed from any distribution lists that you would prefer not to be on
• Unsubscribe from any mailing lists or newsletters in which you have no interest
• Be proactive-Try to effect change within your organisation, suggesting that the corporate email policy be reviewed and improved!
5. F.A.R.T. your emails goodbye!
Are you suffering from email constipation? This condition is defined as an inbox that is clogged with hundreds of emails.
Remember the acronym F.A.R.T. (it's hard to forget!!).
If you F.A.R.T. away each email, not only will your inbox stay lean, but any important emails requiring your action, will not fall through the inbox cracks.
You either F(ile) an email away in one of your folders, A(ct) on the email, R(efer) the email to someone else, or T(rash) the email.
It only takes a couple of moments to apply one of the above actions to each email, and what a difference it will make to your life! Especially, when you need to retrieve one of your emails in the future.
6. Write a killer subject line!
Think carefully about your subject line. If you want your email to be read, it needs to stand out from all the other emails in your reader's inbox. Busy people are attracted to captivating subject lines. Write a subject line that sells-it needs to be highly meaningful, relevant and compelling. For example: "Please attend Sales Meeting Today at 4 pm." is much better than: "Meeting". Instead of a generic subject line of "Hi" or "Hello", try to write something that informs the reader why you are writing.
Not only that, but a meaningful subject line is useful when both you and your reader need to subsequently retrieve old emails from your archived emails. You will know the nature of the message at a glance, simply because the subject line is meaningful.
7. Attach first.
It is quite common, not to mention deceptively easy, to forget to attach any relevant documents to an email.
Say you had to submit (by email) an important proposal for a 1 million dollar contract. You write a persuasive cover letter, and then send the email. Two hours later your prospective client rings to tell you that you forgot to attach the proposal document, and to please send it now. How do you feel?
Your image, credibility, and attention to detail have all been put into question-just from this simple oversight.
When an attachment forms an important part of your message, it is a great habit to attach any document(s) first. Then, go ahead and write the cover email.
8. Triple-check the address!
According to The Internet and Email in the Workplace survey conducted by Australian email filtering company, SurfControl, one in five workers admits to sending e-mails to the wrong person! And to make matters worse, 25 percent of all accidental emails contains confidential information!
The motto is this: Be extra careful when addressing your email, especially when some email addresses look very similar.
9. Enter the address last!
Have you ever been in the middle of writing an important email, and by mistake, prematurely sent the email in an incomplete state? How embarrassing!
There is an easy way to avoid this faux-pas:-
• If you are composing the message from scratch, initially leave the address blank. Go ahead and write your message. When you have finished writing the body of the message, only then should you complete the address, and send.
• If replying to a message, cut the address out of the address line, and paste into the first line of the body of the email. Then, when you have finished writing the body of the message, paste the address back into the address line, and send.
10. Watch how you say it!
Every email that you write reflects directly on the quality of your work, and the overall professionalism of both you and your company.
Pay special attention to your tone, spelling and grammar, and the accuracy of what you are saying. Also endeavour to get straight to the point, and to write succinctly.If necessary, save the email as a draft, print it out, and review the contents on paper, before you send it.
Susan Silberberg is a business consultant for TimeSavvy Consulting (www.timesavvy.com.au), a company which offers advice on creating, publishing and publicising web content.
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