E-Mail Communication Skills Training

1. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Diana O’Keeffe Designing Learning Environments Dr. Smith

2. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Improve your writing skills Think about e-mails that you receive. • How many times have you read and re-read an email to find the point? • Did the sentences have complete thoughts? • Did the content contain paragraph after paragraph so you closed the e-mail without reading due to time constraints? • How often do you receive a response to your e-mail asking for clarification?

3. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Writing refresh • Write e-mails in present tense • Easier for the receiver to read • Sentences have a noun and a verb • Re-word fragmented sentences • Place subject at the beginning of the sentence • Reader may not finish reading the sentence to the end

4. E-Mail Communication Skills Training • E-mail should be formally written in the workplace, informal for friends and family. • Informal email in the workplace may make you look unprofessional. • Content should be to the point and concise. • The reason for the e-mail may get lost if too lengthy. Your message may be overlooked. • Develop your own natural style of writing. • Try not to imitate others.

5. E-Mail Communications Skills Training Incorrect Subject: meeting Hi Claire, Bought Joe the booklets that were needed at meeting. Tnks, Lisa Correct Subject: Marketing booklets Claire, I gave Joe the marketing booklets for today’s meeting at 3pm. Thank you, Lisa Link to business samples http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/EmailCommunication.htm

6. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Assessment • Create two e-mails that show correct sentence structure. • Write both a formal and informal e-mail. • Construct an e-mail that has important information asking the receiver to respond.

7. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Does your e-mail PASS? • Purpose • Why are you sending the e-mail? • Action • What would you like the receiver to do? • Support • Have you included attachments if needed? • Summary • Is the subject line a summary of the e-mail? Use this link for the article on PASS - http://workawesome.com/communication/effective-email-communication/

8. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Avoid Common Errors • Assuming that the receiver knows acronyms-lol – laugh out loud or lots of love? The receiver will be deciding. • Try using bullet points instead of lengthy paragraphs for quicker reading. • Include contact information • Check for spelling errors and wrong words – spell check does not know which word you meant, only you do. • Writing or responding while angry – could be forwarded to management. BTW – by the way BRB – be right back 1. 2. 3. Mark Jones, Marketing Division Phone – 612.555.4309 E-mail – Mjones@company.com Affect/Effect Their/There Why aren’t you done yet??!!!

9. E-Mail Communications Skills Training HI BEN, ARE YOU READY? LET’S GO! KERI Tone is up to the receiver. ALL CAPS could mean pay attention or shouting. Sarcasm or humor may be taken seriously. Check attachments to make sure that they open Give the CC person a reason as to why they are copied. Do not expect responses immediately.

10. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Disadvantages of using e-mail E-mail tends to be informal Anyone can send an email to anyone Information overload E-mail is not private Data or personal information may not be secure Subject: fwd: Tomorrow Hi everyone, Check this out! Tim Subject: Tomorrow Hi Tim, Calling in sick tomorrow so I can go to the game. I’ll be missing the meeting. Thanks, Ethan

11. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Assessment • Create emails that are free of errors, using attachments. • Suggest other pitfalls that could be added to the list.

12. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Managing Your Inbox • Open and read e-mails daily • Respond in a timely fashion • Scan subject lines for e-mails which you are waiting for a response. • Ask to be taken off distribution lists to stop unnecessary information • Try not to hit reply to all as others may think you are soliciting a response • Try to phone if the email conversation is not getting anything accomplished.

13. E-Mail Communication Skills Training Assessment Add to the managing emails tip list based on the previous modules or experience.

14. E-Mail Communications Skills Training Any topic you would like to review further? Thank you for attending