How many e-mails have you answered today alone? As the business world becomes increasingly focused on electronic communication, most business professionals find themselves dedicating more time to e-mail and less to phone and in-person conversations. Although e-mail may seem like a less demanding way of interacting, there are still rules of etiquette that should be followed to maintain a professional image. Last week we covered some basic techniques for professional e-mail etiquette. Today, we conclude with the second part on professional e-mail strategies:
Formal Grammar: For one reason or another, people often feel that it is acceptable to write more casually in an e-mail than they would in a traditional written letter. However, using improper grammar, fragmented sentences or incorrect punctuation can make you appear unprofessional or devalue your message. Make sure to speak as formally in an e-mail as you would in any other business interaction, and make sure that you proofread before pressing send.
Use Reply All Sparingly: Most people are already overwhelmed by the amount of e-mail they receive on a day-to-day basis. So there are few things more annoying than having e-mails that don’t actually pertain to you added to the deluge clogging up your inbox. When replying to an e-mail, carefully consider whether or not your reply is important to everyone on the e-mail or only the original sender before choosing “reply” or “reply all.”
Never-ending Chains: Know when to end an e-mail chain and start a new one. Often in the course of replying back and forth, the topic of an e-mail chain can change drastically. Having separate e-mail chains for different topics can make finding archived e-mails and locating information much easier.
If you want to sharpen your communication skills and polish your speech, you might benefit from the services of a corporate communications coach. Let our team of corporate speech-language pathologists help you reach your professional potential through strong communication. Give us a call at 212-308-7725 or visit us on the web at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com. Don’t live in NYC? No problem! Our services are Skype ready, so CSS can help you improve your communication from anywhere in the world.