Five Tips for More Effective Email Communication

You’ve been sending emails for years. Why do you need tips on how to better communicate through email? The answer: our world has changed, and we’ve had to adapt. What used to be a quick phone call or a short walk to a coworker’s desk is now an email, and guess what? Your inbox is inundated with many, many more messages and the email fatigue is REAL. 

Here are 5 tips to communicate effectively by email:

1. BE BRIEF.
   When writing an email, keep it short and sweet. Avoid filler words that could take away from your key message points. (How’s this for a ‘brief’ explanation?)
   
   
2. BE DIRECT.
   Make your main point(s) in the very beginning of your message. If you need to provide background or further explanations, do so AFTER you state your key points or questions. This method will help the recipient best understand what you need from them without getting lost in a sea of words.
   
   
3. ORGANIZE YOUR THOUGHTS.
   • Use
   • Bullet
   • Points
     We’re all busy, and admittedly, we might skim an email instead of reading it in its entirety. Organizing your questions or statements in bullet points can help the recipient easily read through your email.
     
     
4. LOOK FOR QUESTION MARKS.
   Communicating effectively is a two-way street. Here’s a tip to respond best to emails: count the question marks in the sender’s message. Does your reply acknowledge all five questions?
   
   Keep in mind that not every sender will end a question with a question mark, but this is a helpful tip to guide your reply. This method can help to eliminate the back-and-forth of “thanks, but did  you see my second question in the email?”
   
   
5. RESPOND WITHIN 24-48 HOURS.
   It’s no secret that when we send an email, we typically expect to hear back the same day. Sometimes, we just don’t have the answer within the same day, and that’s okay! The best way to effectively communicate is to send a brief reply that lets the sender know you’ve received their email and you’re working on finding a solution.
   
   This method may even help to reduce the “did you get my previous email?” emails in your inbox.
   
   BONUS TIP: Share this post with your colleagues and friends so they can communicate effectively with you too!