Three Tips for Writing Good Emails
George Bernard Shaw has been quoted as having said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”. I couldn’t agree more.
When we feel deeply about what we are talking about or an argument we want to win, we can get caught up so deeply in our messaging that we forget that no matter how eloquent or strongly we make our case, if it is not heard well or in the manner intended, we have not communicated effectively.
In the age of tweets, whatsapp and viral videos, business communication has morphed from the days of faxes and emails into the short messaging that exists across various platforms today. Further, we now have AI deeply embedded across social media to the point where predictions can be made around our behaviour and words. These apps are now able to suggest, quite effectively I may add, our responses to an ongoing conversation.
LinkedIn is a clear example of this. In the messaging section, there are small text boxes that appear above your message box that help you craft your message or respond to the messages that have come in. Whether it’s a simple thank you or some positive feedback (“that would be great”,“awesome”), these proposed auto-replies can be a real boon to us, as we go about our busy day.
That said, there’s no getting around the fact that email is still very much relevant in business communication today, despite the proliferation of other communication tools that have surfaced.
Messaging is a critical tool in how we are perceived as well as how effective we are at communicating our objectives and getting things done. I’ve come to regard these three tips below are the cornerstone for creating good emails.
First, make sure your subject heading is meaningful. This can easily be forgotten when many people are copied on an ongoing email discussion. As the conversation morphs, the subject heading that still remains unchanged can affect how people read the emails. An effective subject heading I believe delves right into the topic discussed or can outline the outcome. It speaks clearly to the topic.
Second, one of the biggest lessons I have learnt in communicating well is to get to the point quickly. In the past, I employed the technique of telling a story ie building up to the point I want to make. I thought this was more effective in helping me build my case and truth, it worked for me. It spoke to how I would want to receive a message.
Over time, I’ve come to realise that it works only half of the time. If your reader is willing to read your material all the way to the end, you might be effective. But if your reader is not interested in slogging through all the words, is preoccupied or just does not have the time, you’ve lost them even before you’ve started. So, one of the biggest shifts in how I communicate now is ensuring that I get to the point in the first few lines. From there, I then build a case for what I speak about. The reader does not have to go through all the material to get to what you’re really saying or presume anything.
The thing that has kept me on this is the understanding that my reader is not me. He or she is not in my position, undergoing all the things I am experiencing nor thinking as I do. He or she is in their position and very much caught up with that. If you keep that in mind, you’ll consider how best to position what you have to say so that it factors in the perspective and emotion of the reader.
Finally, tweak as you go. This is a simple rule which simply means pay attention to what you are doing. Be mindful of the responses you get to your messages. Are they received as they are intended to? Is there any confusion or misunderstanding? Review the communication line by line to see where things may have gone wrong so you learn as you go.
Keeping your reader in mind at all times is a fairly challenging thing to do. It is so much easier to look at things from our perspective but the rewards are there for those who can make that shift.
Editor and Programme Director at VerticalDistinct.com, a media and learning organisation, Rowena Morais focuses on curated learning, communication and content. An editor, LinkedIn profile writer, and most recently, a TEDx speaker, she supports Human Resource and Technology professionals in their career development through articles, podcasts, interviews and a range of internationally accredited, in-demand technical and professional courses offered throughout Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Tweeting at @rowenamorais, she is a ghostwriter and can be found at rowenamorais.com. Rowena runs monthly meetups for Thrive Kuala Lumpur, a networking and support group for career women. For more info, visit meetup.com/Thrive-Kuala-Lumpur