Effective email

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SOFT SKILLS

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SLMtitle.png Writing Effective Emails



SLMinto.png Introduction



e-mail has rapidly become an important medium of official business correspondence. It offers certain advantages; it is fast, is usually free, is accessible from any computer with an internet connection, enables easy sending of large amounts of data, can be easily sent to multiple recepients

A typical professional writes at least a dozen emails everyday. To communicate effectively, you must know how to write a formal business email.



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After reading this chapter, you are expected to learn about:


write effective emails in a formal/business context





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How to write a good email



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Why am I writing this email?


Formal emails are usually written for 3 reasons:


1. to ask for information


2. to give information


3. to get things done


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A Proper Subject line


1. Summarise the core idea of the email


2. Should not be vague or too long


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How long should my email be?


1. Brief and concise.


2. Should contain only essential details.


3. Should fit into a single page view - if the reader needs to scroll, you know you've written too much!


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Language in an email


1. Use simple words and short sentences.


2. Use correct spellings and grammar-there are spell-checkers to help you if you aren't sure.


3. Divide your text into paragraphs or action points.


4. Keep the tone formal - do not write anything you wouldn't put down on paper.


5. Make sure that names are correctly spelled and that proper titles are assigned - people don't like their names being misspelt.

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