The Top Twelve E-Mail Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your Career
by Lydia Ramsey
You return to your office from an afternoon meeting and decide to check
e-mail. An hour later, having downloaded your messages, selecting those you
should read, deleting the ones that look like junk, crafting replies to the most
important ones, filing others that you want to work on later, you wonder where
your day went. It was like that when you arrived at work this morning, and
tomorrow promises to be no different.
What is this e-mail explosion? Was there a point in time when the entire
world decided to use the Internet as their business communication tool of
choice? Are there rules for managing these messages and being a professional and
polite user of electronic mail? There are, but not everyone has gotten the word.
Your e-mail is as much a part of your professional image as the clothes you
wear, the postal letters you write (assuming you still do), the greeting on your
voice mail and the handshake you offer. If you want to impress on every front
and build positive business relationships, pay attention to your e-mail and
steer clear of these top twelve e-mail mistakes:
1. Omitting the Subject Line
We are way past the time when we didn’t realize the significance of the
subject line. It makes no sense to send a message that reads “no subject” and
seems to be about nothing. Given the huge volume of e-mail that each person
receives, the subject header is essential if you want your message read any time
soon. The subject line has become the hook
2. Not Making Your Subject Line Meaningful
Your header should be pertinent to your message, not just “Hi” or “Hello.”
The recipient is going to decide the order in which he reads e-mail based on who
sent it and what it is about. Your e-mail will have lots of competition.
3. Failing to Change the Header to Correspond with the Subject
For example, if you are writing your web publisher, your first header may be
“Web site content.” However, as your site develops and you send more
information, label each message for what it is, “contact info,” “graphics,” or
“home page.” Don’t just hit “reply” every time. Changing the header will allow
your publisher to find a specific document in his message folder without having
to search every one you sent. If you change the subject all together, start a
new message.
4. Not Personalizing Your Message to the Recipient
E-mail is informal but it still needs a greeting. Begin with “Dear Mr.
Broome,” “Dear Jim,” “Hello Jim,” or just “Jim.” Failure to put in the person’s
name can make you and your e-mail seem cold.
5. Not Accounting for Tone
When you communicate with another person face to face, 93% of the message is
non-verbal. E-mail has no body language. The reader cannot see your face or hear
your tone of voice so chose your words carefully and thoughtfully. Put yourself
in the other person’s place and think how your words may come across in
Cyberspace.
6. Forgetting to Check for Spelling and Grammar
In the early days of e-mail, someone created the notion that this form of
communication did not have to be letter perfect. Wrong. It does. It is a
representation of you. If you don’t check to be sure e-mail is correct, people
will question the caliber of other work you do. Use proper capitalization and
punctuation, and always check your spelling. Remember that your spellchecker
will catch misspelled words, but not misused ones. It cannot tell whether you
meant to say “from” or “form,” “for” or “fro”, “he” or “the.”
7. Writing the Great American Novel
E-mail is meant to be brief. Keep your message short. Use only a few
paragraphs and a few sentences per paragraph. People skim their e-mail so a long
missive is wasted. If you find yourself writing an overly long message, pick up
the phone or call a meeting.
8. Forwarding E-Mail Without Permission
Most everyone is guilty of this one, but think about it. If the message was sent
to you and only you, why would you take responsibility for passing it on? Too
often confidential information has gone global because of someone’s lack of
judgment. Unless you are asked or request permission, do not forward anything
that was sent just to you.
9. Thinking that No One Else Will Ever See Your Email
Once it has left your mailbox, you have no idea where your e-mail will end up.
Don’t use the Internet to send anything that you couldn’t stand to see on a
billboard on your way to work the next day. Use other means to communicate
personal or sensitive information.
10. Leaving Off Your Signature
Always close with your name, even though it is included at the top of the
e-mail, and add contact information such as your phone, fax and street address.
The recipient may want to call you to talk further or send you documents that
cannot be e-mailed. Creating a formal signature block with all that data is the
most professional approach.
11. Expecting an Instant Response
Not everyone is sitting in front of the computer with e-mail turned on. The
beauty of Internet communication is that it is convenient. It is not an
interruption. People can check their messages when it suits them, not you. If
your communication is so important that you need to hear back right away, use
the phone.
12. Completing the "TO" Line First
The name or address of the person to whom you are writing is actually the last
piece of information you should enter. Check everything else over carefully
first. Proof for grammar, punctuation, spelling and clarity. Did you say what
needed to be said? How was your “tone of voice”? If you were the least bit
emotional when you wrote the e-mail, did you let it sit for a period of time?
Did you include the attachment you wanted to send? If you enter the recipient’s
name first, a mere slip of the finger can send a message before its’ time. You
can never take it back.
E-mail makes everything easier and faster including making a powerful
business impression and establishing positive professional relationships. The
businessperson who uses the technology effectively and appropriately will see
the results of that effort reflected in the bottom line.
 Lydia
Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, professional speaker, corporate trainer
and author of
MANNERS THAT SELL – ADDING THE POLISH THAT BUILDS PROFITS. She has been
quoted or featured in The Wall Street Journal, Investors’ Business Daily,
Cosmopolitan and Woman’s Day. For more information about her
programs, products and services, e-mail her at
lydia@mannersthatsell.com or
visit her web site:
www.mannersthatsell.com
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