Email Still Matters: Five Timeless Email Etiquette Tips

March 22, 2022

E-mail, however,  is still the best bet when it comes to communicating with journalists or relaying important information in the workplace. When people try to schedule a meeting or work on the details of a project chances are it is finalized via email. While text or messaging often kick starts a conversation the meat of that conversation – including deadlines and deliverables – is still handled via email.

With that said it’s crucial to remember some of the ground rules of e-mail, particularly when you are communicating with journalists or to large audiences (say, via internal communications in a compoany). Here are the five things you should always do before you click send. 

1. Check The Name Spelling and Address: Seems easy right? Yet somehow all of us have sent the wrong email to someone or misspelled a name. It’s incredibly embarrassing, especially when the email is sent to a journalist or a colleague. This should be the first thing you do before sending any email: make sure the name is spelled right and the e-mail goes to the right recipient. That great pitch you wrote will crash land if you address Jane as James. If you use software to send pitches or correspondence, take special care to make sure that saving time doesn’t also mean sending e-mails to the wrong person.  
2. Mind Your Attachments: Attachments are an expected part of an email, especially with pitches. But if you weigh your e-mail down with attachments it will be seen as junk and not read. Consider alternatives to attachments, like a link that takes e-mail recipients to a folder with press releases, images, company materials, and more. It reduces clutter and, should someone want to follow up, makes it easy to find assets.
3. Only Copy the Necessary People: E-mails that are sent to a bunch of people are seen as irrelevant or unnecessary. E-mail communication should be pointed, direct, and only include the people that absolutely must see this message. Before you CC someone, make sure they need to receive the e-mail in the first place. 
4. Don’t Include Long Threads: When people get long threads attached to an e-mail they start hankering for the delete button. Have the courtesy and respect to send them a clean, fresh e-mail that doesn’t include the past 50 e-mails sent to others on the same subject.
5. Mind Your Subject Line: A subject line can quickly become a crowded mess that includes the notations FWD and RE: multiple times. Whenever possible, clear out the subject line and start fresh. It increases the chances your email will be read and lets the recipient know it’s not just a junk forward or thoughtless e-mail.

Looking to work with world-class communicators who can sharpen all of your written materials and who communicate with style and purpose?  Get in touch at hello@wearemgp.com

Email Still Matters: Five Timeless Email Etiquette Tips

March 22, 2022

E-mail, however,  is still the best bet when it comes to communicating with journalists or relaying important information in the workplace. When people try to schedule a meeting or work on the details of a project chances are it is finalized via email. While text or messaging often kick starts a conversation the meat of that conversation – including deadlines and deliverables – is still handled via email.

With that said it’s crucial to remember some of the ground rules of e-mail, particularly when you are communicating with journalists or to large audiences (say, via internal communications in a compoany). Here are the five things you should always do before you click send. 

1. Check The Name Spelling and Address: Seems easy right? Yet somehow all of us have sent the wrong email to someone or misspelled a name. It’s incredibly embarrassing, especially when the email is sent to a journalist or a colleague. This should be the first thing you do before sending any email: make sure the name is spelled right and the e-mail goes to the right recipient. That great pitch you wrote will crash land if you address Jane as James. If you use software to send pitches or correspondence, take special care to make sure that saving time doesn’t also mean sending e-mails to the wrong person.  
2. Mind Your Attachments: Attachments are an expected part of an email, especially with pitches. But if you weigh your e-mail down with attachments it will be seen as junk and not read. Consider alternatives to attachments, like a link that takes e-mail recipients to a folder with press releases, images, company materials, and more. It reduces clutter and, should someone want to follow up, makes it easy to find assets.
3. Only Copy the Necessary People: E-mails that are sent to a bunch of people are seen as irrelevant or unnecessary. E-mail communication should be pointed, direct, and only include the people that absolutely must see this message. Before you CC someone, make sure they need to receive the e-mail in the first place. 
4. Don’t Include Long Threads: When people get long threads attached to an e-mail they start hankering for the delete button. Have the courtesy and respect to send them a clean, fresh e-mail that doesn’t include the past 50 e-mails sent to others on the same subject.
5. Mind Your Subject Line: A subject line can quickly become a crowded mess that includes the notations FWD and RE: multiple times. Whenever possible, clear out the subject line and start fresh. It increases the chances your email will be read and lets the recipient know it’s not just a junk forward or thoughtless e-mail.

Looking to work with world-class communicators who can sharpen all of your written materials and who communicate with style and purpose?  Get in touch at hello@wearemgp.com