Emailing Effectively

Want to Gain Respect? Write Respectfully

Phrases to avoid in business emails

We’ve all been on the receiving end of emails that make us feel condescended to or disrespected, and it’s never a pleasant experience. What’s unfortunate is that the writers of such emails may not have intended any harm. They might have thought they were being direct and straightforward, or perhaps they were in a hurry and didn’t consider the impact of their words and punctuation choices. They might have even thought they were being respectful.

To prevent being the source of someone else’s online suffering, we must be careful with our language choices. Writing messages with a demeaning or passive-aggressive subtext is counterproductive to achieving success.

To retain the goodwill of your readers, steer clear of these phrases:

5 Ways to Cut Through the Noise and Write to Distracted Readers

Write to Distracted Readers

Interruptions plague today’s business readers more than ever before. Between notifications, emails, text messages, voicemails, and physical interruptions, most people find it challenging to sit down and read through a written message. Research indicates that our brains carom off in another direction about every 44 to 50 seconds when we are engaged with a screen.

Yet as business writers, we want our readers to read through our messages and comprehend them. An important project may depend on everyone reading a report. A major sale may hinge on the prospect reading our proposal.

To defeat digital distraction, we need to understand it and work around it when we write.

Does Every Email Need a Subject Line? Yes, Every Reader Appreciates a Heads-Up About the Content of Your Email

hook reader's attention

Your subject line is your opportunity to hook the reader’s attention. If you are a marketer, you are forcefully aware of the subject line’s power. According to HubSpot Research, 65 percent of surveyed marketers say that subject lines have the greatest impact on open rates. For morale’s sake, for courtesy’s sake, and for the practical benefits that come from including a subject line in every email — not just the ones whose open rates we are measuring — it pays to always include a subject line.

Hey! Can I Start my Emails with Hey?

To make a professional impression, avoid starting emails with Hey. While some readers find it breezy and casual, others find it disrespectful or immature. Why risk it?

How to Avoid Writing Toxic Emails That Put Your Employees Down

avoid writing toxic emails

We can’t control when others might write these kinds of emails, but we can control whether we write them. In our email training, we advise business people to follow the “You Idiot!” Rule. If you read an email that you’ve written aloud and find that you can naturally add the words “You idiot!” to the message, do not send the email.

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