Electronic communication is filled with pitfalls. Email lacks the body language of in-person discussions, and even the vocal variety of over-the-phone chats, and so you are at an immediate disadvantage when using email instead of one of these more personal methods to communicate.
Even so, email has become the default method of communication, especially in larger corporations. The reasons for this are many: perceived convenience, the ability to fully write out all your thoughts before they are received, and even fear of having a live conversation. Regardless of the reasons, electronic communication’s prevalence means that it is critical that you learn the most effective ways to use this medium.
Here are some of the most important factors that will allow you to take your electronic communication skills to a whole new level:
- Not too short, not too long
- Keep it formal
- Spelling, grammar and vocabulary are important
- Be specific about what you want
Common advice about email is to keep your notes as short as possible. While this is true to some extent, there is also a problem with overly truncated messages. Generally, these result in an excessive amount of back-and-forth replies between you and the recipient, until you get things clarified. Therefore, while brevity is important, it is equally so to use enough words to fully express yourself. Writing less while expressing more is an advanced skill in general (such as how it can be so much harder to write a short story than a novel), but it is worth pursuing this, to find the sweet spot between rambling on, and leaving the reader with half an argument.
Regardless of how chummy you are with those you communicate with electronically, keep those emails in a formal, professional tone. There are many good reasons for this, including the fact that you never know who that person will forward your email to, and what impression that will leave on the ultimate recipients. Also, keeping a formal tone in your email will help to differentiate between the “sociable, personal you”, and the “business, professional you”. Yes, it is alright to have this kind of split personality in the workplace; in fact, it is vital (but that is a topic for another day).
Spell checkers are an obvious way to help you avoid typos, but they are no silver bullet when it comes to accurate, professional prose. It is astounding how often emails are sent by very senior people with hideous grammar and spelling, as if their position somehow allows them to bypass these rules without consequences. Vocabulary also greatly affects the impression of your electronic communication–while you should not use overly flowery or complicated words, don’t be afraid to use use a slightly less common word if it best describes your thought.
When you are closing off your emails, before “Sincerely”, be sure to be clear about what it is you want. Even if you are only sending the note to let someone know about something, and are not looking for any specific action, tell them so. While what you want is obvious to you, it is common for the recipient of electronic communication to be uncertain about what is expected of them. And this will generally result in either another exchange of emails, or your email simply being read and then deleted. If you want a reply, some information, a report, an update or a phone call, say so, in that many words.
