MAIL MANAGEMENT

WHY EMAIL ETIQUETTE IS IMPORTANT Professionalism Efficiency Protection from liability

Professionalism

Efficiency

Protection from liability

F OCUS O N 8 C’ S Clarity Conciseness Correctness Completeness Consideration Courtesy Construction Common Tips

Clarity

Conciseness

Correctness

Completeness

Consideration

Courtesy

Construction

Common Tips

CLARITY - ENHANCES READABILITY Shorten Sentences by creating one idea per sentence Shorten Sentences by turning nouns into verbs Include examples and other visual aids when desirable

Shorten Sentences by creating one idea per

sentence

Shorten Sentences by turning nouns into verbs

Include examples and other visual aids when

desirable

CLARITY The Fog Factor This factor tells you whether your writing is ‘ communicating’ or is it ‘foggy’ i.e. confusing. How to calculate Fog Factor Take a typical sample of about 100 to 200 words of your writing. Count the number of sentences. Count all the long words with 3 or more syllables, excluding proper nouns. Then apply the fog factor: Divide the number of long words by the number of sentences. Clear writing has a factor of less than 3. Above 3 is “Distinctly Foggy”.

The Fog Factor

This factor tells you whether your writing is

‘ communicating’ or is it ‘foggy’ i.e. confusing.

How to calculate Fog Factor

Take a typical sample of about 100 to 200 words of your

writing. Count the number of sentences. Count all the

long words with 3 or more syllables, excluding proper

nouns.

Then apply the fog factor:

Divide the number of long words by the number of sentences.

Clear writing has a factor of less than 3.

Above 3 is “Distinctly Foggy”.

CONCISENESS – GET TO THE POINT The KISS rule Avoid repetition Remove redundancies

The KISS rule

Avoid repetition

Remove redundancies

A LEAVE APPLICATION Dear Sir, My mother-in-law has expired and I m responsible for it. Please grant me ten days leave. Regards, N Narayan

Dear Sir,

My mother-in-law has expired and I m responsible

for it. Please grant me ten days leave.

Regards,

N Narayan

CORRECTNESS The Magic of Spells Write Right Without Punctuation, its difficult to read Plz Don’t Abbrvt Do not write in CAPITALS Font Size & Font Colour Verb Usage

The Magic of Spells

Write Right

Without Punctuation, its difficult to read

Plz Don’t Abbrvt

Do not write in CAPITALS

Font Size & Font Colour

Verb Usage

COMPLETENESS Answer all questions asked Check for the Five W’s - Who, What, When, Why, Where Use Facts & figures

Answer all questions asked

Check for the Five W’s - Who, What, When, Why, Where

Use Facts & figures

CONSIDERATION Use the YOU attitude Don’t use that TONE with me Be Gender - Neutral

Use the YOU attitude

Don’t use that TONE with me

Be Gender - Neutral

COURTESY Mind your P’s & Q’s Do not be over Courteous and Lame Omit expressions that irritate, or belittle Apologize only when necessary Like an arrow shot from a bow

Mind your P’s & Q’s

Do not be over Courteous and Lame

Omit expressions that irritate, or belittle

Apologize only when necessary

Like an arrow shot from a bow

POOR USAGE EXAMPLES No subject line

CONSTRUCTION Use a Descriptive & Catchy Subject Line Greet Right Keep a Pyramid Structure Always Use your Signature

Use a Descriptive & Catchy Subject Line

Greet Right

Keep a Pyramid Structure

Always Use your Signature

CONSTRUCTION The Hot Potato Closing The hot potato or action item closing technique is a means of ending a letter with a clear understanding of what the next step is. While concluding your email; Mention clearly of your availability Give the reader a clear Dead Line

The Hot Potato Closing

The hot potato or action item closing technique is

a means of ending a letter with a clear

understanding of what the next step is.

While concluding your email;

Mention clearly of your availability

Give the reader a clear Dead Line

A CANDIDATE’S APPLICATION Dear Sir, This has reference to your advertisement calling for a typist and an accountant – Male or Female…As I m both for the past several years and I can handle both; I m applying for the post. Thanks & Regards, Ankit Agarwal

Dear Sir,

This has reference to your advertisement calling for a typist

and an accountant – Male or Female…As I m both for the

past several years and I can handle both; I m applying for

the post.

Thanks & Regards,

Ankit Agarwal

COMMON TIPS Be very specific with the use of bold, italic or underline font style Paragraph and line spacing should be legitimate and visually appealing Read the email thrice before you send it Reply with original message only Use proper structure & layout. If multiple questions are asked in a mail, reply just beneath the right question and try to distinguish with font color Don’t just forward a message, mention the course of action

Be very specific with the use of bold, italic or underline font style

Paragraph and line spacing should be legitimate and visually appealing

Read the email thrice before you send it

Reply with original message only

Use proper structure & layout. If multiple questions are asked in a mail, reply just beneath the right question and try to distinguish with font color

Don’t just forward a message, mention the course of action

COMMON TIPS Request delivery and Read Receipts Use Follow Up Flags. Use CC: field sparingly Use the Bcc: field while you do not want all addressee to know who all are being mailed the same matter When in Bcc, do not reply. They are sensitive mails Zip all Attachments. Large files use shared server or websites

Request delivery and Read Receipts

Use Follow Up Flags.

Use CC: field sparingly

Use the Bcc: field while you do not want all addressee to know who all are being mailed the same matter

When in Bcc, do not reply. They are sensitive mails

Zip all Attachments. Large files use shared server or websites

COMMON TIPS Don't reply to an email message when angry, as you may regret it later. Once the message has been sent, you will not be able to recover it Avoid religious, libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist, communal or obscene remarks Do not use email to discuss confidential information Do not use Jargons unless you know its meaning If an email discussion doesn’t end in 1-2 replies and get the results that are necessary – STOP

Don't reply to an email message when angry, as you may regret it later. Once the message has been sent, you will not be able to recover it

Avoid religious, libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist, communal or obscene remarks

Do not use email to discuss confidential information

Do not use Jargons unless you know its meaning

If an email discussion doesn’t end in 1-2 replies and get the results that are necessary – STOP

POOR USAGE EXAMPLES Discussion that could have been done on the phone

TOWARDS A HELPFUL POSITIVE IMAGE Positive language will more likely elicit cooperation rather than argument or confrontation Negative: “We regret to inform you that we cannot process your application, since you have neglected to provide sufficient information. Please complete ALL sections of the attached form and return it to us. Positive: “Congratulations on your decision to start a new business. To process your application we need some additional information. If you return the attached form, with highlighted areas, filled in, we will be able to process your application immediately. We wish you success in your new endeavour.”

Positive language will more likely elicit cooperation

rather than argument or confrontation

Negative: “We regret to inform you that we cannot

process your application, since you have neglected to

provide sufficient information. Please complete ALL

sections of the attached form and return it to us.

Positive: “Congratulations on your decision to start

a new business. To process your application we need some

additional information. If you return the attached form,

with highlighted areas, filled in, we will be able to process

your application immediately. We wish you success in

your new endeavour.”

REMEMBER DON’T ALWAYS USE OUTLOOK – Just because email is easier, pick up the phone or meet in person. Don’t hide behind your computer monitor! Constructive confrontation or disagreements do NOT get resolved in email

DON’T ALWAYS USE OUTLOOK – Just because email is easier, pick up the phone or meet in person. Don’t hide behind your computer monitor!

Constructive confrontation or disagreements do NOT get resolved in email

Thank You