Email Message Style: It’s A Good Thing

Email etiquette is a bridge between what you have to say and what’s important to the reader. So, if you’re wondering how to write then I can assure you etiquette is a good place to start.

The look & feel (or email style), of your email message is polish to your content. It’s similar to the importance of a well structured business letter. In many cases email etiquette is the difference between you getting the respect you deserve, your email message getting read, and your information being understood… or Not!

Example: How motivated are you to read an email that looks like this?

Nobody wants to try to understand the copy in a brick.

Style can make – or break your email message and your reputation.

Whether it’s a business letter or a business email, good structure helps your audience read quickly and understand the information you want them to know - a benefit to you and to them. The look and feel of your message will also determine if your message will be taken seriously.

Since it’s estimated that 90% of business communication is via email, how your message is packaged will have tremendous impact on your professional success.

Example: In one hand I have a perfectly square, polished silver box with an embossed Mercedes-Benz logo. In the other hand I have a wrinkled brown paper bag rolled at the top. They both contain a message. Which package are you motivated to open? Which do you think has the most valuable message?

The business value of email etiquette is experienced in a number of ways, but to succeed your email message first has to be read. To be read you have to be respected.

Are you ready to empower the way you communicate with your clients, suppliers and co-workers? Everyone can win!

Etiquette Rules: Consider a few of my favourite:

1. Value your Values
   Employees should know without hesitation the corporate and department values. They should also know how to use these values to differentiate the company every time they email or speak with clients, suppliers or their co-workers.
2. Subject Line Sliders
   Subject lines are a primary resource to determine if your email will be read now, later or never. They are also the first opportunity for you to make an impression. If you leave the subject line blank – or use a universal word like ‘Meeting’, you risk being overlooked.
3. Serial Cc’ers
   Coworkers Cc’ing each other is an epidemic. In an office of 10 employees, if all the staff Cc the boss an extra 10 times a day, that’s an extra 100 email the boss has to sort through… consider the opportunity lost in that time.
4. Capital Catastrophes
   Every office seems to have one employee that uses ALL CAPS WHEN WRITING EMAILS! This is perceived as aggressive. Conversely, young employees tend to write emails in lower case with little or no punctuation. Proper sentence case should always be used in business communication to promote a professional image.

My next blog post will be titled: Top 10 Email Etiquette Tips & Team Training. It will have 16 email etiquette Do’s and Don’ts.

Conclusion:

• Don’t put your personal and business relationships at risk because of the email you or your employees send.
• Learn to identify your communication problems, solve them and then provide ongoing feedback and motivation.

Bruce Mayhew Consulting’s Effective Business Email Writing Training is designed for business professionals who are looking for a cost-effective way to learn how to write an email message. Our training solutions focus in three strategic areas that help you differentiate yourself and be more successful:

1. Structure Of Your Message
2. Content Within Your Message
3. Sell / Market Yourself and Your Organization within every email

Imagine work being easier. Imagine work being more productive.

Happy communicating.

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If you enjoyed this post we think you’ll like: Email Writing Training, Be Amazing At Work, Measure Training Effectiveness and Good Email Bad Email.

Bruce Mayhew Consulting facilitates business writing, email writing and email etiquette courses.

Give us a call at 416 617 0462. We’ll listen.

www.brucemayhewconsulting.com