Another Handful of Tips 36 –                Emailing

Five of the best tips to write better emails

These days most people are inundated with a flood of emails. If you want your emails to be read and answered follow these simple rules.

1. Start with a meaningful subject line

This will determine whether the email is opened or deleted. Keep it simple and informative.

2. Focus on your message

Be brief and to the point.

Use simple English, short sentences and short paragraphs.

“One topic, one question, one email.”

Avoid attachments.

3. Make your email easy to read

Select fonts and type sizes that are easy to read. Use bold colours. (Light blue letters, for example, are often difficult to see.)

Most people use mobile devices so email should be simple and brief and well set out.

Break your message up for easy of reading. Use indents, bullets and numbers, if appropriate.

4. Proofread before you send

Don’t push that ‘send’ button until you have reread your message. Check your spelling and grammar.

5. Make it easy for the receiver to contact you

Identify yourself clearly.
For business emails, add your name, position, phone number and address.

-Geoffrey Moss

“Make email your servant – NOT your master.”

SOURCE: For more on this topic see; “Persuasive Ways” first published by Moss Associates Ltd, New Zealand and in Chinese by Shanghai People’s Publishing House and as “Secrets of Persuasion” by Cengage Learning Asia. (Available as an e-book from Amazon.com.) Also available as “Getting Your Ideas Across” from Kogan Page, U.K and a Hungarian translation published by Bagolyvar Konyvkiado, Budapest.