Bismarck—Some Great E-Mail Tips—Mistakes NOT To Make

I get a lot of emails every day in my two email accounts.  Some are professional and some are…well, not so much.  It’s fine to send a quick email to a friend with a few mistakes, but mistakes in professional emails can cost you your reputation (and even your job!).  Emails can be as important as the way you dress – they tell others a lot about you.  Every word that you type is making an impression on someone – make sure it’s a positive one!  Since it is 2014 and email is a huge part of how we communicate in our workplaces, as your Bismarck-Mandan Radio Pal, I thought I’d share some advice that always keep in mind when emailing:

1)   Use a greeting or closing: Always open with a greeting when beginning a conversation – otherwise you could come off as cold or demanding.  The same goes for a closing line – adding these small pleasantries gives off a friendly vibe to your clients and coworkers.

2)   Formalities/Informalities: You probably wouldn’t want to address the CEO of your company as “Yo, Jeff!  What up?”  Be sure to match the formality of your email to the person whom you are contacting. When you email a coworker, it’s ok to say “Hey Tom!”  Not so much when emailing a new or potential client.  Follow their lead.  If a new client addresses you as Mr. Hemingway, be sure to address them back with Mr./Ms.

3)   Do not use “To Whom It May Concern:” This greeting is cold, very generic, and shows you haven’t researched the recipient of your email.  Try to research, by Google or other means, whom you need to address.  If you cannot find out, be a bit more specific, such as “To the Hiring Manager.”

4)   Hitting “Reply All” – This can be annoying and embarrassing.  To avoid unnecessary email traffic, respond only to the sender if it only applies to them.  It’s super annoying to receive one-sentence responses from 40 different people if it isn’t relevant.

5)   Never use email for things that should be said face-to-face – Some situations, such as offering criticism, should be said face to face rather than via email.  In email, you don’t have eye contact or body language, so words can be taken the wrong way.  Use good judgment and meet in person for touchy subjects.

Source: Business Insider