With more and more businesses using virtual and temporary offices, email has become the primary form of professional communication. Whether between co-workers or with a potential prospect, your emails should always be professional and concise. With many of us constantly on-the-go, it’s easy to shoot someone a quick email from your mobile sans proofreading. So here are a few reminders to ensure that your emails remain polished and pithy:
• Spell AND use words correctly: If you use a word in the wrong context, it can lead to a misunderstanding of the information conveyed. Furthermore it goes without explaining that a misspelled word is an instant no-no. Even if your finger accidentally slipped to the next key, at the end of the day it makes you look careless and informal.
• Use proper grammar: This goes hand-in-hand with spelling correctly. When your grammar is incorrect, your message will bottom-line be unclear or worse, unprofessional. You wouldn’t want important information to be misunderstood because of a misplaced comma.
• Write in complete sentences: When you’re rushing a response, it’s easy to type out information as if you were speaking. However, this is a big faux pas when it comes to professional writing. Just think if you’re in too much of a rush to write full sentences, then your recipient might be in too much of a rush to take the time to decode your email.
• Use paragraphs: This tip is crucial when you’re sending an email pertaining to multiple topics. Regardless if the message is short or long, you should always make it clear when you’re changing subjects by starting a new paragraph. Not only does it help you as the writer to keep your own thoughts clear, but it also helps the other person know exactly what you’re referring to.
• Finally, proofread EVERYTHING: Before you hit the send button always proofread for spelling, grammar, and syntax-related errors. Also proofreading for content will prevent you from having to bombard someone with multiple emails because you forgot key pieces of information.
These reminders may seem like common sense to many, but they’re in fact some of the most overlooked details. AdvantEdge Business Centers as a result even offers proof-reading/typing services to our clients. The workplace is a formal and professional setting and using these pointers will ultimately ensure that your emails remain appropriate for business communication.
