Write Better E-mails
Are you losing business because your e-mails come across as unprofessional? Here are some tips to overcome that issue.
1. Focus on the subject line.
- Make it compelling, especially if you’re sending something to someone who doesn’t know you.
- Change it when the subject changes.
- Don’t use free, really, very, guarantee and opportunity.
2. Use a salutation.
- “Hi Jenna” will suffice.
- An alternative is using the person’s name in the first sentence: “Thanks for your help, Gabe.”
3. Make sure the copy reads well.
- Proof for typos.
- Get to the point right away.
4. Make sure the copy looks inviting.
- Break up long paragraphs.
- Edit, edit, edit if it gets lengthy.
5. Close it professionally.
- Use best regards, sincerely, thank you or something more “you.”
- Don’t use informal closings like “later” and “XOXO.”
6. Include a signature that contains at least:
- Your full name
- Your company name (if applicable)
- Your phone number(s)
- Your website
- Your e-mail address
7. Follow these general tips.
- Don’t send attachments to anyone you don’t know; they may not be opened due to virus concerns.
- Be a good communicator and respond to e-mails when necessary, e.g., “Thanks, Cubbie. It was sweet of you to snuggle extra long with me on Valentine’s Day,” or even just, “Thanks.”
- Don’t say anything in an e-mail you wouldn’t want made public.
Remember, e-mails are “real writing,” especially when they’re used for business purposes.
Homonym Alert
There are any number of words that sound alike but have different meanings. For instance, it wouldn’t make sense to brows through a gallery of different eyebrow styles, would it? What about browse brows? That would be correct.
Unnecessary Verbiage
Can you figure out what these sets of words have in common?
- gather and gather together
- started and first started
- two-week trip and two-week long trip
In all three cases, the former is a better option, as the latter contains unnecessary words that do nothing but take up space.