Dominic Willett is a keynote speaker, author and consultant in the subject of strategy. He specializes in competitive analysis and strategic vision.
His website can be viewed at www.buildempires.com and his blog at www.businessatwar.com In the use of e-mail for business communications, it is easy to get lost in the awe of technology. Sometimes our writing loses its effectiveness as we lose focus on how we are actually communicating.
In the use of e-mail for business communications, it is easy to get lost in the awe of technology. Sometimes our writing loses its effectiveness as we lose focus on how we are actually communicating.
In general, you should write and e-mail as you would a formal letter when communicating with business correspondents. Use the following list to help guide you:
? Clarification ? Be precise and clarify your comments, suggestions or questions. Do not use slang or grammar as you might use in the context of a conversation. Conversation does not read well. Keep it short and to the point. If you received an e-mail and are responding, make sure your answers aren?t vague, and answer each question individually.
? Outline ? Use an easy to read format, breaking up separate thoughts into paragraphs. Keep it simple and try to avoid rambling or going off on a tangent.
? Evaluate ? Verify and evaluate your letter before sending. Make sure your e-mail has achieved its goal (explaining about a new product, inviting the client to an open house, etc.) and is an easy read. Check spelling and grammar (we all make mistakes!)
? Signature File ? This is the business card of e-mail communications, and specifically gives the recipient contact information and any other vital data that you wish to send.
Your correspondent may receive just a few or a few hundred e-mails per day. Keeping it concise shows your respect for your recipient?s time and doesn?t confuse them. Take it a step further and when responding to incoming e-mails, be sure to include a copy of their e-mail. This is just one more way to help them understand your answers and remind them of what they were hoping to accomplish by e-mailing you.
Be professional in your e-mail habits and people will want to hear from you more often!
Dominic Willett
Dominic Willett is the lead strategist at Professional Internet Management, www.webdx.com, and can be contacted directly for consultation in e-commerce marketing and practices at the WebDx.com website.