The Right Way to Write an Email and Improve your Image

The Right way to Write an Email and Improve your Image

Posted by Justin in Business, Consulting, Culture, Education, Life, Management. Tagged: Business. No Comments | Edit

Writing an email in business is more than a skill, it is an art of sorts. There are a variety of factors that you have to consider when trying to communicate your message to your clients and colleagues. For instance, a single email can be interpreted in a variety of tones. This being the case, including a joke within an email is not a good idea. The point here is that YOU may know what you meant, but the receiver may read it an entire different way.

A good rule of thumb when writing emails is to be conservative. I have found in my career that I never have to worry about how a message will be received if I just stick to the point, avoid jokes, and use proper grammar. Avoid using the creative language and complex structured sentences. Remember that the average reading level of American parents is 8th grade. My guess is that the average is likely higher for business professionals, but keeping it simple will ensure your message is not lost.

Writing a poor email is a red flag for amateurism in the business world. As a new hire, you should be extremely aware of what you are writing and how it will be read. The last thing you want to happen is for your grammatical error email to be forwarded to a middle or high-level executive. Well written emails are just as important as dressing for success. Just like you would not wear sweatpants to the office, you should not write casual emails containing slang or other informal acronyms (i.e. “LoL”).

Writing an email does not have to be stressful. In fact, you will be fine if you follow these five rules:

1. Do not use jokes in emails, this includes smiley faces and “haha”
2. Do not use CAPS (except for acronyms) or excessive punctuation!!!!!!!
3. Each sentence should contain a maximum of two points. This will help avoid run-on sentences
4. Emails should never exceed 250 words
5. Use Spell Check and Grammar Check before Sending!

Follow these rules and your online image will remain in tact with your employees and clients.