How to use e-mail for business
by Andrew on 01/05/08 at 10:32 am
2 comments
As the volume of e-mail floating around the world continues to climb, it’s clear we have a bit of a problem. Phil Barrett writes how we “Can’t communicate, too busy with e-mail“.
He also links to a post by Scott Young, who says it’s important to remember that e-mail is not the only form of communication available today, and it’s definitely not the best for conversations. If you want a two-way dialogue, face-to-face is the ideal, followed by phonecalls and even Instant Messaging.
When you do use e-mail, here is how Scott suggests you do it effectively:
- Use verb-based subject lines. A subject doesn’t need to be a noun. Think of it as a headline instead. Instead of just writing the subject, hint to the other person the point of your email. Example: “I need your contact info” instead of “Contact Information”.
- Bullet points are your friend. Paragraphs that get over 5-6 sentences should be broken up and multiple points should be reduced to bullets.
- Separate out requests from the body of your text. Don’t bury a question within a paragraph of chatting. Put any requests on a separate line so the other person knows what to respond with.
- Know thy point. Don’t write an email unless it has a clear purpose.
Read the full post here, and cut down on e-mail clutter today!
Andrew Smith is the pedantic systems guy behind Live Alchemy, a SA e-commerce company. Andrew writes for Ideate in an attempt to make the world a more efficient place. View more articles by Andrew.
Herman & Yvonne
May 2nd, 2008
Another way to communicate is blogging.
We miss this in both, yours and Phil Barret’s articles.
Enjoy Life
(Life is a Maze)
H&Y
Shane
May 2nd, 2008
@ Herman & Yvonne – this post was about better communication via email, not blogging.