Dean Wegner provides tips for writing effective emails in 3 or less sentences: 1) Have a meaningful subject line that informs the reader what to expect in the email without being unrelated. 2) Stay focused on one main message per email and begin with the most important points as people often only scan emails. 3) Follow standard rules of capitalization, spelling, and fonts to avoid coming across as unprofessional and ensure the email can be read on all devices.

1. Dean Wegner
WJ Bradley Mortgage Capital Corp
Phone: (602) 432-6388
Fax: (480) 362-1522
dean@teamdean.com
www.teamdean.com
How to Write an Effective Email
In today's world, the ability to write an effective email has never been more
important, especially for business owners and professionals. With this in mind, here
are a few tips for writing more effective emails:
Have a Meaningful Subject Line: This is important for two reasons. First,
anything that appears insignificant could very well get lost in the shuffle. A subject
line needs to contain information that's not only important to the reader but
interesting as well. Secondly, it needs to give the reader an idea of what they can
expect upon opening the email. Having a subject line that's unrelated to the email is
a recipe for miscommunication and possible disaster.
Stay Focused: When a writer strays off topic, so will the reader. Figure out what
your message is and stick to it. If you have several messages, it's actually better to
write several emails. This will ensure that each message has focus, enabling the reader to respond to them (or not) with
equal focus.
Also, always begin your email with your most important points. It's been shown that most people scan emails, losing
interest the further they go.
Play by the Rules: Follow the rules of standard capitalization and spelling. Capitalizing everything is equivalent to
shouting, and using all lower case is amateurish at best. Let's face it. Text messaging has caused many of us to abridge
the spelling of certain words. Writing an email this way, however, will translate into a pedestrian attempt and convey the
wrong message.
Also, avoid using fancy fonts as well as your "Tab" button. Many people's email readers aren't equipped to handle strange
fonts or indentions. Use standard fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial. When you begin a new paragraph, try
skipping a line rather than tabbing over.
Avoid Spamming and Attachments: Everyone has at least one friend who has sent so many frivolous emails that you
no longer even bother to look at his or her messages. Don't become that person. Attachments aren't necessarily a bad
thing; but if you can fit your message within the body of an email, then you should do so. Attachments take time to
download, may carry viruses, and take up space on a recipient's hard drive. In addition, they don't always translate,
especially if the reader is opening the email on a PDA.
Be Nice: Being overly critical in an email or disciplining via email is tacky and can lead to more trouble. If you have bad
news to deliver, it's better to do it in person, or at least over the telephone.
It's also important to keep in mind that email is not always confidential. Once you've put something in writing, it can be
used against you at a later time, potentially even in court!
Proofread, Proofread, Proofread: Regardless of the author, if an email is being sent out on your behalf, it is your
responsibility to proofread it. Not just once, but two or three times.
Call me if you'd like to discuss this or any other topics that might improve our businesses together and help us
be more successful.