2. Contents
Email Has Become Ineffective
Poor Usage Examples
Use Smart Subject Lines
Think Before You Click
Write for Action
Reducing the Load
Quality Communications
Recommended Standards
General Tips
Call to Action
3. Email Has Become Ineffective
It’s a double-edged problem
Too many messages are floating
around
Half are unnecessary
The other half are ineffective
Fixing the problem lies on our
shoulders
6. Poor Usage
-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PM
To: IMS Operations
Subject: Information
I will be gone all day Tuesday/01-9-01 at an Operations Offsite Staff
Meeting.
I will be accessible via cell or pager listed below-
Thanks
Misusing the global distribution list
8. Use Smart Subject Lines
All messages should have clear and
specific “Subject Lines” that
describes the message content
specifies if there are any actions required
& due dates
mentions clearly who the message is for
Subject Line Template:
TAG description [actions] [due date] [(EOM)]
9. Use Smart Subject Lines
Good Subject Line Examples
FYI ONLY: Meeting minutes from 3/14 discussion
WSR: Joe Smith – Operations WW17
ARs Included: Minutes from MRC, all ARs due Friday 4/1
DISTRIBUTE: Program POR updated & related information
Bob, Joe: need you at noon meeting Wed w/ your updates
AGENDA: Staff meeting Thurs 3/12 10:00 pm
Mary: I will attend the WW FTF & present summary. (EOM)
Poor Subject Line Examples
Weekly Minutes
Here are the URLs
Re: presentation
(blank subject line)
Unrelated subject line – sending an email with an old subject
line that does not relate to this message
TAG description [action] [due dates] [(EOM)]
10. Use Smart Subject Lines
If you can type your entire
message in the subject line and
don’t need to write anything in
the body of the message - do
so!
Type (EOM) at the end of the
subject line. EOM means “end
of message”
11. Think Before You Click
Don’t automatically “REPLY TO ALL”.
Take one last look at your distribution
list – is this email necessary for all
recipients.
Once the email discussion goes
beyond 2-3 replies anyway, it’s time
to pick up the phone
12. Write For Action
In the first 1-3 lines of your email,
specify what this email is about.
Does it include action required?
Does it require a reply back by a certain
date?
What information is contained that the
reader will find necessary for their job?
Use the To: and Cc: addresses
appropriately
13. Reducing the Load
Overloaded – system & recipient
Use text messages every time you
can
Status Reports, Meeting Minutes, Trip
Reports, Simple Proposals
Use formatted documents when
necessary
Spreadsheets, presentations, formal
documents
Stop replies before they start
If a reply is not required, end your
message with “(Reply Not Necessary)”
14. Quality Communications
Email is not the right communication
tool when “quick response” is needed
Use email to convey non-sensitive or
non-emotional information
15. Quality Communications
If an email discussion doesn’t
end in 1-2 replies and get the
results that are necessary –
STOP
Ask yourself, are you sharing
expertise, or just venting
Constructive confrontation or
disagreements do NOT get
resolved in email
16. Recommended Standards
Recommended Subject Line Tags:
URG - Stop everything, read me
first
HOT - Need immediate attention
RSP - Need you to respond,
either way
MTG - New/modified meetings
FWD - Forward to your respective
group(s)
HLP - Need information,
assistance with a problem
FYI - Just for your information
ACT - Needs action
17. Recommended Standards
Rules:
No outlook templates or “pretty stationary"
when sending/replying messages
Reply to sender only. Only "Reply to All"
when absolutely necessary
PowerPoint Files: Zip all attachments. Large
files; use shared server or websites
When possible, short messages should be
written in the subject line, with the EOM tag
18. Recommended Standards
Rules:
No discussions in email. When people start
"talking" in email, please stop
Carbon Copy your manager if you really
need to
Do not use UPPER case alphabets unless
using it as a title. This gives a negative
connotation (looks like you are yelling those
words)
19. General Tips
Use Follow Up Flags.
If you find you are on a distribution list you
don’t need to be on
send a note to the originator to be removed.
If you get involved in an email discussion
that you don’t need to be in
ask to be taken off the distribution.
While forwarding the message delete the
list of email addresses if not necessary
If you see someone else practicing bad
email etiquette
send a friendly note and ask them to correct it
20. Incoming Email Tips:
Process your email in batches
Don’t overreact to nuance in email
General Tips
21. General Tips
Font:
Use standard font throughout the message
content
Avoid colored fonts in a professional email
Be very specific with the use of bold, italic
or underline font style
Keep the size of the font visible and
constant
Paragraph and line spacing should be
legitimate and visually appealing
Avoid short forms or slang (e.g. ‘u’ instead of
‘you’, ‘y’ instead of ‘why’, ‘r’ instead of ‘are’,
etc)
22. Examples
From: XYZ
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PM
To: ABC
Subject: Information
Dear Sir,
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to
mention here that the required action was taken long back and
hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level.
With reference to the below mentioned mail, the issue to a
higher level.
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to
mention here that the required action was taken long back and
hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level
With reference to the below mentioned mail.
Regards,
XYZ
23. Examples
From: XYZ
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PM
To: ABC
Subject: Information
Dear Sir,
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the
required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the
issue to a higher level. With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to
mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no
need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned
mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and
hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the
below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was
taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the
required action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the
issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to
mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there
was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below
mentioned mail.
Regards,
XYZ
24. Examples
From: XYZ
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PM
To: ABC
Subject: Information
Dear Sir,
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here
that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no need
to escalate the issue to a higher level. With reference to the below mentioned
mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and
hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the
below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action
was taken long back and
HENCE THERE WAS NO NEED TO ESCALATE THE ISSUE TO A HIGHER
LEVEL WITH REFERENCE TO THE BELOW MENTIONED mail, I would like
to mention here that the required action was taken long back and
hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level
action was taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the
issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail.
Regards,
XYZ
25. Examples
From: XYZ
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 5:46 PM
To: ABC
Subject: Information
Dear Sir,
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was
taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level. With reference
to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long
back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below
mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence
there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below mentioned mail,
I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back and hence there was no
need to escalate the issue to a higher level
With reference to the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was
taken long back and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to
the below mentioned mail, I would like to mention here that the required action was taken long back
and hence there was no need to escalate the issue to a higher level With reference to the below
mentioned mail.
Regards,
XYZ
26. Call to Action
Implement these guidelines in
your own email usage
It’s got to start with you
Take this presentation to your
staff and request that they
implement the guidelines