Are Your Emails Annoying?
No one means to be annoying, well … usually. Work emails are often written in haste and hardly ever proof read. A few little changes can help you be better received.
1. The Subject is the Message
Quick Fix: We all have crazy days at the office, when you just need to touch base with a colleague or direct report without writing a novel. So don’t. Use a one or two-word subject like Meeting or Month-End with a quick line or two in your message:
This approach will always and forever be worth the extra 15 seconds of your time.
2. Highlighting (and Capitalizing and Bolding) Important Details
Quick Fix: Use bold or italicized headings or bullet points to call out the important projects or points you’re making — and keep the formatting to a couple words, not entire paragraphs. If you’re worried your reader might scan through an email and miss urgent items, make sure you’re using an informative email subject, like Projects Due for Approval at End-of-Day. Finally, make sure you keep your emails quick and concise, which will make it more likely that the recipient gets all of the necessary info.
3. Replying All, All the Time
Quick Fix: If you have a suggestion for the sender, email her directly, ideally on a different thread so there’s no risk of accidentally hitting “reply all.” Better yet, pick up the phone! A quick phone call makes it easy to clear up the details — without the risk of offending anyone.
4. Signing Off Without Your Name
Quick Fix: Add Thanks and your name to your branded signature, and set it up to auto-populate your email when you hit send. Signing off in a friendly, professional way will be done every time — without you having to do a thing.
5. Sending Emails That Aren’t Manager-Friendly
Quick Fix: Be the consummate professional and pretend your boss is bcc’d on every email you send. End of story.
(via Mashable)