Have you ever sent an email, only to realize afterward that you misspelled a word or used poor grammar? Unfortunately, there’s no rewind when it comes to sending an email, so it’s important that you get it right the first time. What follows are four great tips that you can use to insure that you send a professional email every time:
- Double Check Your Email
In order to send an email without mistakes, the best thing to do is double-check your efforts.
Areas in an email to double-check include:
Recipients – is everyone that needs to be included in the email, included in the right field (To/Cc/Bcc)? It’s not uncommon to forget to click “Reply All” when responding to an email that was sent with multiple recipients.
Tone – is the message in the email written in a positive and professional tone? Be careful when it comes to tone. Remind yourself of how you’d like to be talked to. Do not reprimand your customers!
Spelling, Grammar & Mechanics – Check your spelling (most email platforms include a built-in spell check function. Did you use proper grammar (conjunctions, prepositions, etc) and include the right punctuation (periods, commas, question marks, etc)?
Attachments – Did you mention an attachment in the message and actually attach it? It’s not uncommon to forget that second part! No one wants to receive a second email apology, e.g. “I’m so sorry that I forgot to attach the document in the previous email. Here it is.”
- Save Important Emails to Folders
Whenever I receive an important email from a client, the first thing I do after responding to it is move the email to a specific folder. For instance, if it’s a client I deal with on a regular basis, I have a folder named after the client, i.e. emails from SGHS are moved to my “SGHS” folder. Folders make it easier to categorize important messages, while also keeping your inbox clean and without clutter.
- DO NOT Use Emoticons & Emojis
Have you ever received an email from a colleague or client with emoticons or emojis in the message? Probably not, and neither have I. Why is this? Because it’s unprofessional. If you like to send emoticons and emojis, make sure you do so only in personal messages, not messages to clients or customers. Even if you are really happy, a smiley emoticon sent to a client is sending the wrong message.
- Use a Professional Signature
Just like emoticons, avoid playful nicknames and usernames in your signature. Keep your signature professional by including your full name, role or position, company and additional contact info (e.g. phone number). Some might even include an inspiring quote from a influential philosopher or entrepreneur.
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That’s it! You’ve now learned great tips that you can use to insure that you send professional emails every time.
Want to learn more? Check out my course Business ESL: Administrative Tasks for Virtual Assistants.