Getting back to basics – Emails

Most of us have been using email for many years.  Now that we have access to our emails 24/7, we find ourselves checking them constantly and it’s now expected that we will respond promptly.

For those of us old enough, remember the days of letters and internal memorandums, it was entirely acceptable if you didn’t get a response for a week or two, and somehow we managed.  If it was urgent, we’d pick up the phone.

Feeling the need to respond urgently can cause problems.  So here are some basic business email principles:

• Consider whether an email is appropriate at all, some things are best discussed verbally.
• Slow down.  This helps remove the opportunity for mistakes or sending prematurely.
• Use proper grammar and punctuation.  It is a business communication tool so make sure it also includes your business name, contact details, logo etc.  Your business will be responsible for what is said within the email.
• If the email you received upsets you, walk away and take time to respond.  And be very careful of the ‘forward’ button.
• Always think of emails as if they were written on your business letterhead.

I know it’s not rocket science but sometimes it’s worth getting back to basics to make sure we are always taking a professional approach.