Index
Is e-mail the right choice for your message?
3
Planning effective e-mails
3
Using proper tone in e-mail
4
E-mail construction
4
Subject line
Salutation
First sentence
Body
Closing
Proofread
4
4
5
5
5
5
Signatures
5
Design
6
Attachments
6
Event notification e-mails
6
Meeting requests
7
Voting
7
Categories
8
Category folders in your inbox
8
Quick Steps for easy filing
9
Rules for filing
9
Turning off the “dinger”
9
Time for e-mail
10
Dealing with each e-mail
10
Tasks
10
Staying within 800 MB inbox limit
11
Improving student use of e-mail
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2
writing better e-mails
Is e-mail the right choice for your message?
If your communication cannot be achieved in one e-mail cycle, use the phone or write a high-
content message. (Cavanagh, 2003)
Avoid: - “Can we meet in the next few days?”
- “Sure, what time is good for you?”
- “How about this Thursday at lunch?”
- “No, I’m booked. I have time at 3 p.m.”
- “Sorry, I’m not available then. Would 10 a.m. work?”
- “No, I’m off-campus then. How about next week?”
High-Content message:- “Could we meet in the next few days? I’m open this Thursday or Friday for lunch or in the afternoon.”
- “Sure, I’m not available for lunch either day, but would 2 p.m. on Friday work?”
- “Yes, I’ll see you in your office. Thank you.”
Face-to-face or phone is preferable when:
1.
it’s urgent
2.
the e-mail seems difficult to compose
3.
there is a last-minute change
4.
it’s complex
5.
it’s sensitive
6.
the person works near your office
Planning:
Take time during the planning of your e-mails.
Keep each e-mail to one topic.
Organize your thoughts:
1. What you want the reader to do after reading your e-mail?
2. What the reader needs to know about the subject? (Lamb, 1999)
Know your audience:
1.
Who are they?
2.
How much do they know about the situation?
3.
How much do they need to know?
4.
How do you think he/she will respond?
Visualize yourself in a conversation with your readers and anticipate their questions and needs.
“To” = the recipient who should expect to take action.
“CC” or “BCC” = the recipient will assume no action.
1.
“CC” is a function that is too often abused.
2.
Remember that “CC” and “FYI” e-mails take time for our recipients to read, sometimes up to five minutes each. (Cavanagh, 2003)
3. “Reply All” only if “All” need to know
3
Tone:
“By its very nature, e-mail communication encourages senders to be curt, brief, and sometimes
Inadvertently abrupt.” (Seshandri and Carstenson, 2007)
E-mail tone should not be too casual or too formal. Be confident, courteous, and sincere.
Conflict escalation is more likely in e-mail than face-to-face or phone. (Seshandri and Carstenson, 2007)
(Dumbrava and Koronka, 2008)
Phrases that can come across as angry:
1.
“You don’t understand”
2.
“You state that”
3.
“You forgot to”
4.
“You claim that”
5.
“How dare”
6.
“If you had called”
7.
“You can’t do that”
8.
“From now on”
A slight edit can change how your tone is construed:
Be polite by using words like “please” and “thank you.”
1. Rather than - “I want to meet with you (!)”
Try - “Could we meet (?)” (Cavanagh, 2003)
2.
Rather than - “You didn’t read the instructions carefully, thus your system has shut down.”
Try - “The system may automatically shut down if installation errors occur.”
(Dumbrava and Koronka, 2008)
Avoid using ALL CAPS, bold, and red print in e-mail messages.
E-mail Construction:
Subject line - a vital part to the effectiveness of e-mails, like the headline of a news story
1.
Short
2. Interesting
3.Explain the message
4.Use a verb is action is required
5.
Most important words first
6.
Revise reply subject lines
Examples:
1.
“Pls consider attached budget request”
2. “3 questions about May graduation”
3. “Pls help with student data for 4.4.14 deadline”
Salutation - provides a courteous greeting
1.
“Hello Dr. _______”
2. “Good afternoon Joe,”
3.
“Joe,”
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writing better e-mails
first sentence - follows suit on your subject line with most important info. first
1.If you are requesting action
2.If you want a reply
3.Explain if/why there are attachments
4.
Forecast multiple points, requests, or steps to be taken and number them
BODY - be concise and make every word important
1.Use the inverted pyramid (news) style of writing. Tier info. from most important to least important.
2. Short sentences and short paragraphs.
3. Structure for readability
a.
White space
b.Bullet points
c.
Headers
d.
Paragraph breaks
closing - be polite and thank them in advance when appropriate
1.“Regards,”
2.
“Cheers,”
3.
“Sincerely,”
proofread - read to see if every word has a necessary function or if it can be cut (Lamb, 1999)
1.Use a simple word if it works
2.Don’t hit “Send” if:
a.
You are angry or emotional
b. You would feel uncomfortable with your coworkers, boss, or a reporter reading it
3. Lastly, fill in the “To” box. By doing this as the final step, you avoid sending premature e-mails.
Signatures:
Signatures can be created for various types of e-mails, but should be easily legible and should
include all pertinent contact information
1.
You can hyperlink items in your signature by clicking the hyperlink icon in the signature edit box
a. hyperlink your name to your online SAU directory page
b. hyperlink to SAU’s homepage or your departmental page
2. Avoid inserting images, such as the SAU logo or Mulerider, as they show as attachments
Creating or editing signatures
“File” >> “Options” >> “Mail” >>
“Create or modify signatures for messages.”
You can make multiple types of signatures, even some that include text you commonly have to e-mail.
For instance, some have a “directions”
signature with directions to their office.
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Design:
Structure for readability
1.Use white space
2. Use bullet points
3. Use headers
4.Use an easily legible font, avoiding scripts.
4. Use paragraph breaks
Avoid decorative backgrounds for work e-mails
Attachments:
Only send attachments is they are necessary, because they add to recipient’s time investment and to their inbox data size.
1.
Give attachments appropriate file names: “2014 SAU Stater Cover Proof.jpg”
2.
Mention the attachment and briefly describe it in the first sentence of your e-mail
3.Limiting attachment size is important. Keeping total attachments less than 2 MB is preferred.
4. Send multiple attachments:
a. Put files into one folder
b. Right click folder >> “Send to” >> “Compressed (zipped) folder” >>
5. Send large files using an online file sharing service, such as “Hightail.com”
Event Notification E-mails:
Answer the following questions as clearly and quickly as possible:
1.What? 3.Where?
2.
When?4.
Why?
Attachments/graphics are usually not necessary, but if using them use guidelines above.
Avoid using graphics without text. Text is always needed because some e-mail programs do not
automatically download attachments or inserted graphics.
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writing better e-mails
Meeting Requests:
Calendar meeting requests are the best way for organizers to schedule meetings.
In Outlook Calendar, click “New Appointment” in the top left
Click “Invite Attendees”
Attendees e-mails
(or names on SAU network)
Subject
Location
Date and time
Event details
Attachments can also be
included by dragging files into the body of the meeting request
Voting options via Outlook e-mail:
You can poll recipients easily using e-voting.
In a new message, click “Options” tab >>
“Use Voting Buttons”
You can choose between
1. “Approve; Reject”
2. “Yes; No”
3. “Yes; No; Maybe”
4. “Custom;”
It is very important that you use the subject line and the opening of your e-mail message to ask recipients to recognize and use the voting capability.
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Inbox Management
The Inbox:
The goal should be to see the bottom of your inbox without scrolling.
Inbox is not:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A to-do list
A tickler file that reminds you of work
A calendar with meeting notices and reminders
A database with addresses and phone numbers
A filing system for unfinished projects
Start by categorizing your work.
Click “Categorize” >> “New” >> Name it and select a color
The great thing about Categories is they work across all of Oulook with e-mail, Tasks, and Calendar organizing.
Create Inbox folders.
An advantage to having e-mails
in folders under your Inbox
is that you can access these
e-mails from off campus.
A disadvantage is that all
e-mails in these new Inbox
folders will count toward your
800 MB e-mail account limit.
Right click your “Inbox” folder and create a
new file folder for each of your Categories.
Put numbers in front of your
Categories and Folders to list
them in priority order rather
than alphabetically.
iPhone screenshot
of Inbox folders
Category folders in my Inbox
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Inbox Management
Set up Quick Steps to quickly file Category e-mails:
You can establish Quick Steps to make filing e-mails quick and easy with one click. 1. Click the small icon at the bottom right of the Quick Steps block in your Outlook window.
2. Click the “New” dropdown
menu.
3. 4. Name your new Quick Step.
Use the first dropdown menu
to select the folder you want
the e-mail to be filed into.
5. The next dropdown menu is for
selecting the corresponding
Category.
Set up Rules to automatically file specific incoming e-mails:
You can create Rules to auto-file incoming e-mails that do not need immediate attention. 1. Click “Rules” >>
Click “Create Rule”
2. If you are creating a rule
for e-mail you have
selected, check the
“From...” box >> check the “Move the item to folder” >>
click “Select Folder...” and choose the appropriate
Category folder.
You may also click “Advanced Options” for additional choices.
Schedule time with your inbox:
Turn off the “dinger.”
Your productivity is greatly
reduced if you respond to e-mails as they arrive or too often throughout the day. Turn off any noise and visual alerts for new e-mails to reduce the urge to check e-mail too often.
Click on the “File” tab >> click “Options” >> click “Mail” >> under “Message arrival,” uncheck all the boxes to
disable all alerts.
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Peak times for e-mail.
Studies show that there are four peak times for workers checking e-mail:
1. First thing in the morning
2. Before lunch
3. After lunch
4. End of the day
(Jackson et al., 2003)
There is no one rule, you should decide what times are best for you to work with your e-mail.
Deal with each e-mail immediately:
1. Just do it if it takes less than two minutes to complete.
(ie - answer a quick question or e-mail a document)
2. File it quickly with Categories and Quick Steps.
3. Delete it.
4. Schedule it by simply click and dragging the e-mail to the “Calendar” tab, then updating the “Subject” and “Location,” “Start time,” and “End time” as needed.
5. Create a new Task for requests that will take more than two minutes to complete. Simply click and drag the e-mail to the “Tasks” tab.
Task options:
1. Categorize
2. “Assign Task” to a fellow worker
3. Reword the “Subject” for better
filing
4. Set a “Due date” to determine where the task is originally placed in your To-Do List
5. Add notes for yourself/others
6. A great function is the ability to
reopen the Task at any time and add additional e-mails pertaining to it, more notes, documents or other attachments. When you are ready to do the Task, all the e-mails and information is together in one place.
10
Inbox Management
Keeping your inbox size within 800 MB limit:
Remember maintenance musts:
Archive or delete “Sent Items” folder
1. 2. In your “Deleted Items” folder, select all e-mails and permanently delete them
3. Use Archive folders outside of your inbox for extended storage
Creating a new Archive:
1. 2. Click on the “File” tab
Click on the “Account Settings” button >>
Click “Account Settings” from dropdown menu
3. In the Account Settings dialogue box, click on the
second tab, “Data Files.”
4. Click “Add...”
5. Give your Archive a name and save it
on a network drive (ie. - your Z drive)
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Managing student e-mail use
Be understanding of student e-mail misuse
Student e-mail misuse may stem from the following issues:
Seemingly “erased boundaries that traditionally kept students at a healthy distance”
1. 2. A more relaxed attitude of this generation toward stylistics
An influence of modern technology’s communication characteristics, such as texting and social media
3. 4. Students’ lack of understanding about e-mail etiquette and a lack of training
(Biesenbach-Lucas., 2007)
Consider e-mail guidelines
Establishing verbal and/or written guidelines about e-mail use improve their use of this medium
An example from “Inside Higher Education” (2006) of a faculty guideline used in a course syllabus:
“When you send e-mail messages to me this term, I will expect you to have ‘proofed’ it for spelling, grammatical accuracy, for use of vocabulary, and for composition. If your message does not pass my ‘test’ in all four respects, it will be returned to you with a message stating, ‘This message is inappropriate for review. Please revise it...’”
Although this example may be a little harsh, guidelines could include:
1. Expectations about message tone and format (students should show appropriate
respect to professors no matter the form of communication)
2. A realistic timeframe the students can expect a reply, remembering that e-mail is an
asynchronous form of communication (immediate replies should not be expected)
3. The types of issues that can be handled via e-mail (basic inquiries, scheduling a meeting, etc.) versus issues that should still be handled with an office visit
The “E-MAIL Best Practices for a Brighter Outlook” guidebook was produced by Aaron Street, SAU assistant dean for
integrated marketing and media relations in Spring 2014.
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