Effective Email
Guidelines
Contents
Email Has Become Ineffective
Poor Usage Examples
Use Smart Subject Lines
Think Before You Click
Write for Action
Reducing the Load
Quality Communications
Recommended Standards
General Tips
Call to Action
Email Has Become Ineffective
Its a double-edged problem
Too many messages are floating around
Half are unnecessary
The other half are ineffective
Fixing the problem lies on our shoulders
Poor Usage Examples
No subject line
Poor Usage
Action required and key points are
hidden in the message
Poor Usage
----- Original Message-----From : Sent : Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PMTo: IMS OperationsSubject : Information
I will be gone all day Tuesday/01-9-01 at an Operations Offsite Staff
Meeting.
I will be accessible via cell or pager listed below-
Thanks
Misusing the global distribution list
Poor Usage
Discussion that could have been done
on the phone
Use Smart Subject Lines
All messages should have clear and
specific Subject Lines that
describes the message content
specifies if there are any actions required
& due dates
mentions clearly who the message is for
Subject Line Template:TAG description [actions] [due date] [(EOM)]
Use Smart Subject Lines
Good Subject Line Examples FYI ONLY: Meeting minutes from 3/14 discussion
WSR: Joe Smith Operations WW17
ARs Included: Minutes from MRC, all ARs due Friday 4/1
DISTRIBUTE: Program POR updated & related information
Bob, Joe: need you at noon meeting Wed w/ your updates
AGENDA: Staff meeting Thurs 3/12 10:00 pm
Mary: I will attend the WW FTF & present summary. (EOM)
Poor Subject Line Examples Weekly Minutes
Here are the URLs
Re: presentation
(blank subject line)
Unrelated subject line sending an email with an old subject line that does not relate to this message
TAG description [action] [due dates] [(EOM)]
Use Smart Subject Lines
If you can type your entire
message in the subject line and
dont need to write anything in
the body of the message - do
so!
Type (EOM) at the end of the
subject line. EOM means end
of message
Think Before You Click
Dont automatically REPLY TO
ALL.
Take one last look at your distribution
list is this email necessary for all
recipients.
Once the email discussion goes
beyond 2-3 replies anyway, its time
to pick up the phone
Write For Action
In the first 1-3 lines of your email,
specify what this email is about.
Does it include action required?
Does it require a reply back by a certain
date?
What information is contained that the
reader will find necessary for their job?
Use the To: and Cc: addresses
appropriately
Reducing the Load
Overloaded system & recipient
Use text messages every time you can Status Reports, Meeting Minutes, Trip
Reports, Simple Proposals
Use formatted documents when necessary Spreadsheets, presentations, formal
documents
Stop replies before they start If a reply is not required, end your message with (Reply Not Necessary)
Quality Communications
Email is not the right communication
tool when quick response is needed
Use email to convey non-sensitive or
non-emotional information
Quality Communications
If an email discussion doesnt
end in 1-2 replies and get the
results that are necessary
STOP
Ask yourself, are you sharing
expertise, or just venting
Constructive confrontation or
disagreements do NOT get
resolved in email
Recommended Standards
Recommended Subject Line Tags: URG - Stop everything, read me
first
HOT - Need immediate attention
RSP - Need you to respond, either way
MTG - New/modified meetings
FWD - Forward to your respective group(s)
HLP - Need information, assistance with a problem
FYI - Just for your information
ACT - Needs action
Recommended Standards
Rules:
No outlook templates or pretty stationary"
when sending/replying messages
Reply to sender only. Only "Reply to All"
when absolutely necessary
PowerPoint Files: Zip all attachments. Large
files; use shared server or websites
When possible, short messages should be
written in the subject line, with the EOM tag
Recommended Standards
Rules:
No discussions in email. When people start
"talking" in email, please stop
Carbon Copy your manager if you really
need to
Do not use UPPER case alphabets unless
using it as a title. This gives a negative
connotation (looks like you are yelling those
words)
General Tips
Use Follow Up Flags.
If you find you are on a distribution list you
dont need to be on
send a note to the originator to be removed.
If you get involved in an email discussion
that you dont need to be in
ask to be taken off the distribution.
While forwarding the message delete the
list of email addresses if not necessary
If you see someone else practicing bad
email etiquette
send a friendly note and ask them to correct it
Incoming Email Tips:
Process your email in batches
Dont overreact to nuance in email
General Tips
General Tips
Font: Use standard font throughout the message
content
Avoid colored fonts in a professional email
Be very specific with the use of bold, italicor underline font style
Keep the size of the font visible and constant
Paragraph and line spacing should be legitimate and visually appealing
Avoid short forms or slang (e.g. u instead of you, y instead of why, r instead of are, etc)
Examples
From: XYZSent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PMTo: ABCSubject: Information
Dear Sir,
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like tomention here that the required action was taken long back andhence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level.With reference to the below mentioned mail, the issue to ahigher level.
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like tomention here that the required action was taken long back andhence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher levelWith reference to the below mentioned mail.
Regards,XYZ
Examples
From: XYZSent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PMTo: ABCSubject: Information
Dear Sir,
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level. With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence therewas no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail.
Regards,XYZ
Examples
From: XYZSent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PMTo: ABCSubject: Information
Dear Sir,
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level. With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and
HENCE THERE WAS NO NEED TO ESCALATE THE ISSUE TO A HIGHER LEVEL WITH REFERENCE TO THE BELOW MENTIONED mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level
action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail.
Regards,XYZ
Examples
From: XYZSent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PMTo: ABCSubject: Information
Dear Sir,
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action wastaken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level. With referenceto the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken longback and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the belowmentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hencethere was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail,I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was noneed to escalate the issue to a higher level
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action wastaken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference tothe below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long backand hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the belowmentioned mail.
Regards,XYZ
Call to Action
Implement these guidelines in
your own email usage
Its got to start with you