Small Business

10 Ways to Improve Your E-mail

By Rick Broida

Updated on: January 14, 2008 / 12:01 PM EST / MoneyWatch

E-mail has become the de facto method of communication for most business folks, but that doesn't mean we're always smart about the messages we send. The Bad Language blog offers 10 laws for better e-mail; here's a sampling:

The headline is the email. The subject line should be clear, factual and specific. It should also encourage the reader to open and read the email. Think about the subject lines used by chain emails (see my post: The evil power of chain emails) and spammers - made you look! Don't be afraid to change the title of a long-running discussion thread if the subject matter has moved on. Put the old subject in brackets afterwards for continuity.
Be succinct. Imagine your email was a telegram and that you were paying by the word. Avoid long paragraphs. Consider using one-sentence paragraphs. Keep sentences short. Use bullets for lists. Use subtitles to break up long emails. Use strong active verbs. Let the passive and subjunctive be avoided. Avoid jargon and acronyms.

Lots of good advice here, though the author forgot my favorite tip: "Don't escalate." It's all too easy for misunderstandings to occur via e-mail. If you're on the receiving end of a message that seems brusk or even hostile, it's only natural to get defensive and/or aggressive in your reply. Things can quickly spiral out of control. My advice is to just pick up the phone and communicate the old-fashioned way. Most times you'll find that the sender didn't intend any hostility.

Any e-mail tips of your own to add? Hit the Comments.