This article is another one from the archives of NOWAYWINS' hard drive that has been burning a hole there for some time. In this case, the material comes from a memo circulated at his place of employment and cannot be otherwise attributed. However, we note it to be a message whose time has come. I know I make some of the errors it is discussing.

E-mails are becoming the preferred way of communicating. The downside to e-mail is that they can cause misunderstandings, hurt feelings or even lawsuits if used inappropriately.

A list of Do’s and Don’ts should help you with the creation of e-mail messages.

Do's:

• Make sure you've got the right address. It's very easy to e-mail the wrong person. When forwarding messages, make sure sensitive information is not included by accident.
• Get to the point. Define the purpose of the e-mail in the first paragraph. Too often, the point of the message - what the reader should do next - is written last instead of first.
• Hook the reader with your subject line. Dull or unimportant-sounding messages often get ignored. (But be accurate: never lie about the content of a message to make it appear more exciting.) Include deadlines in the subject line as well as the message body.
• Be courteous. E-mails can come across as harsh and demanding. Warm up by using "please" and "thank you." Instead of making demands, explain why you need something done. Greet the reader by name (but never use "Dear"), and close with an informal "Thank you", "Regards", or "Cheerio."
• Use clear and concise language. Poor writing makes you look unprofessional. Misunderstandings can arise from jargon or incorrect spelling, grammar or structure. Always proofread messages before pressing "send".
• Encourage the reader to buy in. If you want a person to do something, first tell them what's in it for them. Employ empathy or establish common ground with them. Tip: The sooner you get the word "you" into the message, the sooner the reader will pay attention.
• Keep messages short. Paragraphs should be less than five lines and messages should be no more than three page-scrolls long. Use numbered lists when possible.
• Be aware of legal issues. You could be sued over defamation, misstatements, privacy and disclosure issues, copyright infringement, inadvertent formation of contracts and negligent transmission of a virus.

Don'ts

• Don't write chronologically. If an e-mail starts with a time frame (e.g. "Last week..." or "Yesterday..."), it's probably a "bedtime story" - guaranteed to lose the attention of busy readers. Write the most important point first and follow with supporting information.
• Don't send attachments without considering the reader. Many attachments take a long time to download or can't be opened by recipients. Plus, virus protection programs don't cover attachments.
• Don't use humor. It doesn't always come across as intended.
• Don't leave out key information. To avoid a flood of requests for more info, provide all the details the reader needs to take action. For example, meeting announcements should include the date, time, place, topic, how to prepare and what to bring.
• Don’t use all capitals in your message. Using capitals can be taken as yelling and most people react negatively to that. Use capitals only to emphasis a point.
• Don’t assume confidentiality. Others may be able to read your message either over your shoulder or from the printer.

Other points that you should keep in mind when generating an e-mail message. These points are critical at home as well.

• Copyright laws and license restrictions apply in e-mail
• Keep paragraphs short and to the point
• Using spacing between paragraphs makes a message easier to read
• Include a description of message contents in the subject line
• Never assume confidentiality of messages
• Never include anything in e-mail that you would not want to see on the front page of the local newspaper
• Never use abusive or objectionable language, bitmaps, or photo scans

Other Articles This Issue:

Article: Forward This To All Your Friends

Article: CheetaChat Review by AngelPie_Mouse

Article: Firewall Protection by NOWAYWINS

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