WHEN YOU RECEIVE A REQUEST , GIVE A TIMEFRAME FOR YOUR RESPONSE .
We can follow these tips and write better email .
1 . When you make a request , give a due date . Don ’ t just write , “ Can you send me an updated budget for this project ?” Instead , let your reader know when you need it .
If you need the budget by Friday , write that . If you ’ d like to have the budget by the end of the day , say so . It ’ s not demanding to let people know when you need a thing . Just be polite and upbeat : “ Can you send me an updated budget for this project ? I ’ d like to receive it by the end of the day , so I can include your requests when I meet with Caroline tomorrow .”
2 . When you receive a request , give a timeframe for your response . Even if the sender didn ’ t give a due date , you should let them know when you can complete the task . Write , “ Working on it , should be done by Tuesday ,” or “ I ’ ll submit the draft agenda by the end of the day on June 6 .”
3 . Mention the attachment and give a few details . Instead of simply writing “ The PPT is attached ,” describe the attachment a bit . You could mention who created the file , why it ’ ll be useful to the person you ’ re emailing , or which sections of the file to focus on .
Remote colleagues need context , so , in this example , you could write , “ I ’ ve attached the PPT Linda created for our quarterly meeting . Take a look at slides 13 and 14 , which have the graphics we were discussing yesterday .”
4 . Schedule your outgoing emails to avoid triggering unintended evening or weekend work . Respect the hours of the conventional workday . It may suit your schedule and metabolism to write an email at 11 pm but schedule it to be sent at 9 am the next day .
One of the challenges of remote work is the blurring of professional and personal lines . Don ’ t make things harder for remote colleagues . Just email them during work hours . Related : respect your colleagues ’ out-ofoffice responses . Don ’ t expect them to reply to your “ Just a quick question …” email when they ’ ve made it clear they ’ re not available .
5 . Always mention when you ’ re available to talk or meet . Write , “ If you want to talk through our options , Wednesday or Friday before noon work best for me .” Yes , your colleagues can look at your calendar to see when you ’ re available , but they can ’ t tell from your calendar when you ’ d prefer to talk . In your emails , let them know what ’ s convenient for you .
... IT ’ S MORE RELIABLE TO USE A WORD THAT INDICATES WHAT THE EMAIL IS , SO YOUR READER CAN REASON- ABLY PREDICT WHAT THEY ’ LL NEED TO DO .
6 . Write in a friendly tone that won ’ t be misinterpreted . Do the extra work . It won ’ t kill you to write a pleasantry like “ How was your weekend ?.” To prevent misunderstandings , use words that identify how you ’ re feeling and how you imagine your reader feels .
Instead of writing , “ How are we going to select speakers for the December webinar ?” write this instead : “ I ’ m concerned that we won ’ t have enough time to select speakers for the December webinar .”
To identify your reader ’ s feelings , write , “ You may be confused about why we changed the deadline for this application …” or “ I hope you ’ re encouraged by the number of people who applied for this job …” Never assume the feelings you intended come through . Email is lousy at offering emotional cues ; 35 years of academic research has proven this .
WRITING WELL
7 . Write a subject line that makes it clear whether you ’ re asking the reader to do something . If you ’ re asking your reader for something , start the subject line with the word “ request .” If you ’ re asking your reader about something , start with “ question .” If you ’ re telling your reader something for the second time , start with “ reminder .” If you want your reader to attend something , start with “ invitation .”
Yes , screaming subject lines like “ AC- TION NEEDED ” or “ RESPONSE NEED- ED ” can work , but it ’ s more reliable to use a word that indicates what the email is , so your reader can reasonably predict what they ’ ll need to do .
When it comes to communicating with colleagues , Slack has picked up … the slack , and email is carrying less of our communication volume . But ask any remote worker whether their inbox is loaded with clear , concise , practical emails . The answer will be “ no .”
We can do better , and we must . When we work remotely , we must do on purpose what often happened by accident when we worked onsite . We must get to know each other , include each other , and help each other work efficiently and happily . We can ’ t write sloppy or oblique emails anymore because they make remote work harder .
E-WRITE ' s Leslie O ' Flahavan helps people write well to customers . She delivers customized training for frontline agents , social media managers , and contact center leaders . She is a problem-solver for all written channels : email , chat , text and social . Leslie is a LinkedIn Learning author of five customer service writing courses . Connect with Leslie on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter .
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