1. Preparing to write an e-mail

2. Using the prefatory elements

3. Beginning the message

4. Organizing the contents

5. Closing the message

6. Considering formality and “netiquette”

7. Revising and editing the message

8. Proofreading the message

1. Increased productivity

2. Strong business relationships

3. Enhanced professional image

4. Better financial results

5. Higher employee satisfaction

1. Learn your organization’s e-mail policy.

2. Display the “you” attitude

(Replace terms that refer to yourself and your company with terms that refer to your audience; empathize with your audience sincerely and genuinely).

3. Know the purpose of your message.

1. “To” line

Verify recipient’s address, for any error will result in failure to reach the recipient.

2. “Cc” line (= courtesy copy) and

“Bcc” line (= blind courtesy copy)

Use these lines thoughtfully and consider your organization’s practice and protocol.

“Subject” line

Provide a subject line that describes the topic and focus of your message.

Be specific and accurate to aid filing and later retrieval.

Keep it short (some e-mail programs only show first 28 characters of subject line).

Capitalize all major words except articles, prepositions, and conjunctions.

Vague:Seminar at 3

Specific:Will Attend 3 p.m. Seminar on Time-management

Vague:Password

Specific:Please Send Password for Customer Survey

Sample Subject lines:

The Salutation:

1. Formal e-mail messages: Ms. Jones, Mr. Adams, Dr. Clark,

2. Less formal e-mails to individuals or small groups inside your organization: Dear Andy, Dear Project Colleagues,

3. Personal note to friend or close colleague: Hi Mike, Hello Jenny, Bill,

Short e-mails: Use top-down order:

1. Present most important material first.

2. Arrange remaining material in descending order of importance.

Complex e-mails:

1. Introductory paragraph: Attract audience’s attention and state purpose.

2. Body paragraphs: › Present information in logical order.

› Keep paragraphs short.

› Use visual markers (e.g. headings, bulleted lists, capital letters).

3. Concluding paragraph: Summarize main points, highlight action required.

Formal closings

Best,

Take care,Best wishes,

Sincerely,

Cordially,

Informal closings

= = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Daniel J. Vasquez

Human Resources Dept.

TechCom Corporation

P.O. Box 5001

Phoenix, Arizona 85004

Phone 602-331-0948 (x 341)

Fax 602-331-0900

www.tcc.com

= = = = = = = = = = = = =

Name and Title

Department or Division

Company Name

Mailing Address

City, State, ZIP

Phone Number

Fax Number

Web Address (URL)

Casual:� Short sentences

� Sentence fragments

� Contractions

� Slang

� Colloquialism

� Abbreviations (e.g. BTW for by the way, THX for thanks)

� Emoticons

� Quotations or aphorisms (e.g. *May the Force be with you.*)

Hi Cindy,

High-five me. Just came back from confab with pinheads. They’re highon our marketing plans. But as you crystal balled it, they want a special for the jumbos. ASAP, they said. Let’s meet, my cell, 10 a.m., Wed.?

TTFN

Brandon

Informal� Well-structured sentences

� Commonly used words

� conversational

Cindy:

The management team has approved our marketing plan. They were most complimentary. But as you predicted, they want a special plan for the large accounts. As they want it as soon as possible, I suggest we get together on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in my office.

Brandon

My appreciationfor your industriousness is herewith extended.

Thank you very much for your hard work.

Dude, you rock!

Too formal Informal Too Informal

� Keep message brief and concise

� Do not write in ALL UPPERCASE nor all lower

case letters

� Verify that your recipient’s software will

accept your attachments

� Do not forward messages without permission

� Do not send or forward SPAM

� Stick to business

� Be courteous

� Do not flame

(use abusive or

offensive

language)

Positive messages

(e.g. inquiry)

� Concise

� Clearly structured

� Visually attractive

Negative messages

(e.g. complaint)

� Brief

� Courteous

� Tactful

Sample Inquiry Email

Sample Negative Email

Sample Negative Email

Weak Version

Revising and Editing E-mails (cont.)

Improved Version

Revising and editing e-mails (cont.)

Weak Version

Revising and editing e-mails (cont.)

Improved Version

Watch for� Spelling

� Grammar

� Punctuation

Try to find the 10 errors in the following

message:

Mr. Goldberg,

Your invitaition to adress the National Association of Small Business

Owners is a most distinct honor to me personally. I am well aware of the

high quality of NASBO and there members.

Presenting a major paper to this quality group deserves a thorough

effort and its obviously an effort that requires time. Since my time is fully

committed to a writing project for the month’s ahead may I suggest

that you Ms. Paula Perkins of my staff for the speaking opportunity?

Paula is an outstanding speaker and an expert on womens issues in

small business, particularly issues in getting financing thru bank loans

and venture capital. Paula can be reached at pperk@tbs.net.

If I can help you further in your efforts, please e-mail me again. I wish

you good luck with the program.

1. invitation

2. address

3. NASBO and its members (U.S. usage treats company names as singular

nouns.)

Remember to distinguish between “their” (= possessive adjective) and

“there” (adverb indicating location).

Your invitaition to adress the National

Association of Small Business Owners is a most

distinct honor to me personally. I am well

aware of the high quality of NASBO and

there members.

4. Presenting a major paper to this quality group deserves a thorough

effort, and it’s obviously an effort that requires time.

(Use a comma after the first clause in a compound sentence if the clauses are long or if they have different subjects. The second clause is preceded by one of the coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

Do not use commas to join independent clauses without a conjunction.

Doing so produces comma splices.)

5. it’s (= it is)

its (possessive adjective): e.g. a book and its cover

(In more formal e-mails, avoid contractions altogether.)

Presenting a major paper to this quality group deserves a thorough effort and its obviously an effort that requires time.

6. Since my time is fully committed to a writing project, may I ….

(Use a comma to separate the introductory clause from the main clause.)

7. months

(Distinguish between the simple plural *months* and the possessive

case indicated by the apostrophe: e.g. I will see you in a month’s time.)

8. … that you contact Ms. Paul Perkins … (Reading the text aloud will alert you to

missing words.)

Since my time is fully committed to a writing

project for the month’s ahead may I suggest

that you Ms. Paula Perkins of my staff for the

speaking opportunity?

9. women’s issues (Note the possessive case: the issues of women)

Use of apostrophe for possession:

Singular noun: my neighbor’s house; one woman’s house

Regular plural noun: my neighbors’ houses

Irregular plural noun: the women’s houses, the men’s conference, the children’s toys

10. *thru* is too casual. Use traditional spelling.

Paula is an outstanding speaker and an

expert on womens issues in small business,

particularly issues in getting financing thru

bank loans and venture capital.

Proofreading your message (cont.)

Dear Ms. Hinkley:

On March 1, I purchased a pager and signed a contract with Paging South for service for Two years. My pager didn’t actually begin working until March 23. The reason for this delay is because the pager had a technical defect. Paging South sent me a new pager three weeks later. Therefore, I was paying for service I didn’t recieve for three weeks.The local manager Sally Weeks suggested that I contact you for assistance. I’m sure you’ll agree that I shouldn’t have to pay for any service I did not receive.

I’d like to request that you either credit my account for one month’s service or reimburse me for one month’s service.

Please let me know your decision before the next monthly bill arrives on April 10. Thanks for your assistance in resolving this matter.

Sincerely,

Morris Urdang

Proofreading your message (cont.)

Correct: The reason for this delay is that the pager had a technical defect.

(The predicate of the sentence must fit grammatical ly and logically withthe subject. Since “reason” is a noun, the complemen t after the linking verb“is” must be either a noun or a noun clause.)

Dear Ms. Hinkley:

On March 1, I purchased a pager and signed a contract with Paging South for service for two years. My pager didn’t actually begin working until March 23. The reason for this delay is that the pager had a technical defect.

Proofreading your message (cont.)

2. Correct spelling: receive

3. Correct: The local manager, Sally Weeks, suggest ed …

Words or phrases that are inserted in a sentence to provide additional information need to be set off on either side with a comma.

Paging South sent me a new pager three weeks later. Therefore, I was paying for service I didn’t recieve for three weeks. The local manager Sally Weeks suggested that I contact you for assistance. I’m sure you’ll agree that I shouldn’t have to pay for any service I did not recieve.

� Concise: condense information

� Coherent: structure information clearly

� Compelling: use persuasive evidence and word choices

� Civilized: use expected business etiquette

� Correct: follow conventions of high-quality writing, including those of grammar, spelling, etc.