Spend Less Time in Your Inbox by Writing Clear and Concise Emails
If you are like other small business owners and entrepreneurs, then you probably spend way too much time sorting and responding to emails at work. But as our primary source of communication in this computer age, do we have much of a choice? That’s where this NYC Professional Office Organizer comes in – your first step to less time in your inbox is to start composing clear and concise emails.
Identify yourself. Though most of the people you correspond with daily will know you, there may be times when you are emailing people you don’t know. Make sure that your email signature includes the pertinent information – your name, contact info (such as your office and cell phone numbers), company name, title, and website. You can get creative here and include your business logo or an image of yourself if you’d like. Check out signature apps like Wise Stamp to help.
Write clear subject lines. You want to alert the receiver to the nature of your message so he/she can prioritize reading the message as needed. Clear, actionable subject lines also help when searching for an email later on. When replying to a message in a thread, remember that you can adjust the subject line as needed each time you reply.
Keep the message focused and specific. Time is precious in the office, and the last thing you want to be doing is wasting time reading long rambling emails or having to reply numerous times to clarify your request. Instead, save everyone’s time by always writing explicit emails.
Use CC and BCC appropriately. Not every person needs to see every response, so only hit “reply all” if everyone needs to see your email. Be mindful of the private information of those you are emailing. If you are sending an email to multiple people who don’t need to have contact with each other, hit BCC to keep their email addresses private.
Take the time to proofread. Spellcheck is a standard feature these days, but it doesn’t catch everything. It’s important to take the time to proofread and check grammar yourself. If you are unsure about how you have worded an important email, ask someone to proofread it for you.
Be professional and think about privacy. The adage that you should never put it in writing if you don’t want others to read it still applies. Your intent may be for the message that is being sent to be kept private. However, once you hit send, that may no longer be possible. Remember to also be tolerant of other people’s possible email missteps. Ask for clarification if you are unsure about their wording or tone of the message. In these cases, have a short conversation in person or via phone to avoid any misunderstanding.
Utilizing these email management tips in your everyday office communication practices will ultimately make projects and tasks run even smoother. If you need more hands-on email management tips and office organizing strategies, reach out to this NYC Professional Office Organizer today.