2. Contents
• Introduction
• Tips for Writing Business E-Mails
• E – Mail Writing Do’s and Don’ts
• Types of E-Mail
• Features of Business E-Mail
• 5 Tips for using Outlook Calendar effectively
• Some Examples
• Summary
3. Introduction
• Writing, just like speaking, is communication.
• In our letters and emails we need to express many things:
Persuasiveness/assertiveness,
Gratitude /Empathy,
Agreement / Dissatisfaction.
• Expressing ourselves well and with the correct level of formality is a
skill.
In e-business, the reputation of a business and its staff often depends on the
kind of business e-mails and other forms of business communication one sends
out. A good email ensures better results, higher reader satisfaction and better
reputation of yours and your company too.
Be simple in content, conversational (easy flow) in tone, respectful in style and
concise too. Good English e-mailing can be easily learnt, like any other language
skill.
4. Tips for Writing Business E-Mails
1. Stop, think then write
Planning the right sentence selection (start to end) will increase your e-mail’s overall
effectiveness/attractiveness.
2. Prevent premature sending
Avoid sending a badly spelled, half written email. Wait until you have written the email
before you key in the recipient’s names.
3. Business greeting
Business greetings enhances your current business relationships, remind old clients
that you exist, show appreciation to supportive clients. Don’t forget to apologize if you
are sending a mistake correction reply, never justify mistakes only rectify them.
4. Be professional
Always stick to professional language.
Avoid using abbreviations or emoticons in business e-mails.
5. Be precise, concise and clear
• Keep it brief
• Use the subject header
• Get to the point, quickly
• Use “urgent” flags sparingly
• Use bullets
5. More Tips for Business E-Mails
6. Tailor emails to your audience
Start email with a hello with the name attached. Personalize always.
7. Most people can’t read minds
Be clear and specific to remove confusions and get a better response too.
8. Keep your cool
Your emotional state can slip into an email without notice, with curt sentences, skipped
pleasantries and blunt asks. Never send a mail with all Capitals. IT IS LIKE SHOUTING
WHILE TALKING. NEVER DO IT!
9. Need to know basis
Don’t cc your managers every time thinking this adds weight to your mails. Do it only when
you really need someone else to step in.
10. Be clean and tidy!
Attachments clog up networks and spread viruses. Paste the salient points into the email
itself. Always open attachments only if you trust the source. Always sign off professionally
Remember to switch on US English checking tool in your MS office (go to ‘Tools’ in menu
bar, select ‘Language’ and then switch on US English
6. Email Writing Do’s
• Do’s
- Write a crisp yet informative subject line
- Put the key point of your message up front
- Make it easy for the reader to reply ‘Yes’ / ‘No’ or give a short answer
- Make it easy to read. Combine ‘Upper’ & ‘Lowercase’, use white space and
legible font
- Use separate paragraphs for different points
- Personalize by using conversational tone
- End well with an appropriate next step
- Review content for grammar, spellings and empathy /style before pressing the
‘Send’ button
- Make yourself look good online because your email can be forwarded to
anyone or everyone else in the world
7. Email Writing Don'ts
Don'ts
- Don't use email if the message needs to be private or secure (check
on the company policy on this)
- Don't forward a message without a brief comment why you're
forwarding it
- Don't overrun emails with smiley faces or other emoticons
- Don't let emotions or offensive language detract from your message
- Don't send without checking for errors (Both grammatical construction
and spelling)
- Don’t use too many negative words
- Don’t use all capitals in your sentence
8. Writing Different Types of Email
• ‘Yes’ Mails
Open with proper business greeting.
Give good news straight away.
Explain good news, clearing up any likely questions.
Close with goodwill statement.
• ‘No’ Mails
Open with neutral ‘Buffer’ statement.
Explain reasoning behind bad news.
Give bad news.
Suggest possible alternatives, if any.
Close with goodwill statement.
• ‘Do’ Mails
Start with attention-getter to grab the reader’s interest eg a direct question.
Present request/proposal, showing likely benefits to reader (FAB).
Use action-getter. Show reader what is to be done next.
Encourage quick compliance by showing benefits of a quick response.
9. ‘Yes’ Email Success-Sample
Subject: Sincere gratitude for helpful gesture
Good day to you Mr/Mrs XYZ,
Thank you for your effort to streamline our project , as its delivered
great outcomes. Your thoughtful gesture saved us 2 days of project
work and enhanced output quality significantly.
Clients like you make our work more productive and purposeful and I
sincerely wish that our win-win relationship keeps growing in mutual
value , always. You remain one of the most valuable client, always..
With best wishes.
Regards,
XYZ
10. ‘No’ Email Success-Sample
Subject: Expert Feedback on suggested Process Revamp
Good day to you Mr/Mrs XYZ,
We really appreciate your efforts to study our engagement processes and
share your valuable suggestions. However, after careful analysis by our
operations team and quality head, we’ve concluded that your suggestions will
not deliver the desired result . Our process automation process does not
allow your suggested process change.
‘Partner-in-progress’ is how we view customer engagements, and your
suggestions reinforces this viewpoint at your end too . Hence please keep
sending your valuable feedback as it helps us grow our win-win relationship.
With best wishes.
Regards,
XYZ
11. ‘Do’ Email Success-Sample
Subject: Process revamp intervention & suggestion requested
Good day to you Mr/Mrs XYZ,
You remain our key client and in your success, is our continued success. We
want to enlist your help in revamping our engagement process, as part of our
annual process review. Do let us know if there have been any lapses on our
part and any aspect that you would like to change. The more lucid your
suggestion is, the better it is for us and your operations team too.
‘Your valuable feedback is critical for us, as we always strive to continually
enhance our productive outcomes. We remain invested in our mutual win-
win’s across the entire engagement value-chain. I look forward tour positive
reply.
With best wishes.
Regards,
XYZ
12. Features of Business E-mail
Addresses and personal names
• Use appropriate names to address the recipient. Use people’s names occasionally in
the body text of emails, it makes it more personal
• Formal situations - Use Mr., Ms., Mrs. and last name (mostly for external or new
clients, vendors)
• Informal situations – Use first name only ( mostly for internal purposes)
• Names mentioned in the e-mail should always start in capital letters
• Use a signature at the end of your mails
(Should include – Your name, department, company, address , contact no. etc.)
Subject lines
• ALWAYS include a subject line in your message
• Make the subject line meaningful.
• If you are replying to a message but changing the topic of the conversation, ONLY
THEN change the subject too.
13. More Features of Business E-mail
Message Length
• Try to match your message length to the type of the conversation: if you are only
making a quick query, then keep it short
• In general, keep to the subject as much as possible
• For a long mail, keep to a 25 line message (about one computer screen) if you can
Message Content and Format
• Choose words carefully
• Limit your message to one or two topics
• Keep the paragraphs short. Two-three sentences are best
• Sentences should be 10-15 words long
• Provide breaks between paragraphs
14. Still More Features of Business E-mail
Grammar, Spelling, Word Choice
• Use capitalization and punctuation as you would for any written correspondence
• Always use correct grammar and spelling and check for mistakes accordingly
• Use precise words to ensure clarity
• Always activate the spell – checker for your e-mail program
• Avoid public "flames" - messages sent in anger
• Do not use rude, provocative, overtly direct words or phrases, even to close colleagues
• E-mail, although conversational, does not have the vocal inflection, gestures and facial
expressions of a conversation. Thus facial expressions / tone of voice, do not translate
easily through email.
• Proofread for errors carefully. It is harder to read a computer screen, so proofread with
care.
15. Sample Business E-mail
Replies
• Avoid “RE: Re: Re: original subject line”
• Change the subject line to new topic only if it will make more sense
• Include enough of the original message to provide a context (give a synopsis of the previous
events)
• Include only the minimum you need from the original message
• Use some kind of visual indication to distinguish between text quoted from the original
message and your new text
• Pay careful attention to where your reply is going
Signatures
• Always use a signature if you can: make sure it identifies who you are and includes
alternative means of contacting you (mobile number, VOIP number, fax number is usual)
• Keep your signature short
• While replying to a message don’t use your full signature, instead customize a smaller
signature.
16. Things To Remember
‘Smiley faces’ on email and what it means
• These are never used in business situations, however they may be used in personal
emails to convey emotion and alter the tone of writing
Tone
• Tone affects the reader’s response to what you write.
• Remember your Courtesies!
Example:
We are running a training workshop on written communication for all new employees.
Register your name for inclusion in the program.
Improved Example:
We are running a ‘written communication workshop’.
All new employees are invited to attend the program.
So, send in your names latest by tomorrow, 15th of Dec.
17. Using Microsoft Outlook Calendar
1. To set a meeting, check for availability and accordingly block the
calendars of the required persons
2. While blocking a room for a meeting, make sure you go to scheduling
tab, and change it to resource room or equipment
3. Make sure to click the checkbox for reminders for your meetings, in
case of recurring reminders go to recurrence and suit it according to
your needs
4. In case you forgot to add an attendee for a meeting, make sure to
send an update only to the added or incase of deletion, make sure you
only send it to the deleted candidate
5. In case of a cancellation, make sure you send the cancellation to all
attendees and free their calendars
18. Example (A badly crafted one!)
A short example which should clearly be avoided!
Hey,
How’s it gng dude?
You know how on August 1st we guys had a meeting where we
discussed the proposed venture capital funding of XYZ Inc. I've done
the paperwork 4 the next round and ws thinkin why don’t u luk it
over??? Let’s do it today at 3PM.
Blocking ur calendar.
Margaret,
AA Inc.
400 Minuteman Road, Andover, MA 01810
Desk: 978-692-785
Fax: 978-567-456
Email: mjone@navisit.com
Website: www.navisit.com
LIVE LIFE QUEENSIZE!!!!!!!!!!! VICTORY FOR ALL!!!!!!!!
19. Example (A good one!)
A short example of a correct booking email
Hello Ted,
How are you doing?
I'm sure you recall the August 1st meeting where we discussed the
proposed venture capital funding of XYZ Inc. I've finished the
paperwork for the next round and would like to ask you to look it over.
Could we get together today at 3PM?
Just let me know whether this time is convenient and I can book you
calendar accordingly.
Regards,
Margaret
Finance Department
Navisit
400 Minuteman Road, Andov,
Mobile: 978-682-830
20. Commonly Used Acronyms
EOM End of Message
RR Response required
AR Action Required
ATTACH Contains attachment
PERS Personal
CONT Continued
MEET Meeting
MINUTES / MOM Message contains minutes of meeting
LOL Laugh out Loud
PFA Please find attached
FYI For your information
FYA For your action
Always avoid them in formal business communications
21. Managing your Inbox well
• Is it possible to clear out your e-mail inbox—and keep it optimally clear—daily?
Yes. But you must be willing to change your behavior, says Michael C. Hyatt, author and president of Thomas
Nelson Publishers, who recently wrote about taking control of his own inbox.
“Making the investment is well worth the effort,” he says. “When you are not on top of your e-mail, you feel out of
control. It can also torpedo your career, since people tend to associate responsiveness with competence. Therefore,
becoming an e-mail ninja is an essential survival skill.”
•
1. Make it your goal to process every message—which isn’t the same as answering every message—and empty
your inbox every day.
2. Read each message once, answering this question quickly: “Am I being asked to do something?” If so, there are
only three possible actions:
• Do: Take action on the task now. Follow the two-minute rule: If you can do what is being requested in less than two
minutes, do it immediately. “This gets stuff off your to-do list before it ever gets on it,” says Hyatt.
• Delegate: Pass the task along to the person best equipped to handle it.
• Defer: Consciously decide you will do the task later. Either add the task to your to-do list or schedule an appointment
with yourself to complete it.
• If the action is not actionable or you’ve already acted on it, you have these two options.
Delete: Determine whether you’ll need the information later. If not, delete it.
File: Think you might need the information later? File it. And this is where Hyatt offers his most important piece of
advice: Put everything in one folder called “Processed Mail.”
• When you set up more complicated filing systems, he insists, it can lead to procrastination. Example: You may
become bogged down in deciding whether to file a message under “Frank” because he sent it you, or “XYZ Project”
since that was the subject. And what if the e-mail covers more than one subject?
Forget all that. Let your search program find messages when you need them, since most programs search for words
within the subject line or body text. It’s well worth the time saved in filing.
• 3. Use keyboard shortcuts. Nearly every mouse action has a keyboard equivalent. “My personal goal is to never
use the mouse,” Hyatt says. “Every time I do, I must take my hands off the keyboard. It doesn’t sound like that would
cost you much time, but it adds up.”
• 4. Let e-mail rules filter the low-priority stuff. “If you haven’t discovered e-mail rules,you’re missing a great
timesaver,” Hyatt says. Example: He set up a rule that moves “cc’d” e-mail to a lower-priority “CC Mail” folder.
22. Summary
• Be precise and concise
• Use personal pronouns wherever possible (Eg: We, You, Us etc..)
• Always check your grammar and spelling
• Always start and finish emails with thank you where appropriate
• Always end the mail on a goodwill note
23. Critical!
You are as good as others think of you
(which depends on such actions as email)
and not what you think of yourself!
