“Nailing” e-mailing

Effective e-mailing is an invaluable career tool. In my book “A job, once and for all” I have dedicated a whole section to the “art” of e-mailing. There are very few  professionals who are  proficient at e-mailing, so anyone who really wants to set him/herself apart in the professional world can start just by getting very good at it.

First and foremost, an e-mail should by short and concise. A long e-mail conveys the image of an ineffective communicator who lacks clarity of his/ her personal brand attributes and of someone who does not value and respect the recipient”s time.

Secondly precision: I would suggest re reading your e-mails to make sure that there is a very clear purpose to your e-mail. Try to find out if your e-mail answers the question “what do I want the recipient to keep from my e-mail” . There must be one  strong message in your e-mail to achieve that sort of clarity and precision.

Thirdly it’s not all about us:  it is always good to keep in mind that connecting or bonding with the recipient will increase the effectiveness of our communication. Before sending an e-mail, especially one where you are asking for something, think of the recipient. Are there any issues/needs that you can address or provide an answer to…?

Lastly, practice: effective e-mail writing can be taught and learnt. As with anything else, practice makes perfect. Invest time and effort and make a commitment to follow these steps in every e-mail communication you have, even the ones you sent your friends. You will get amazing at e-mailing before you even notice it! .

Until next week, take good care of your career