how to avoid email errors - easily
Emails are here to stay. Even though more effective tools exist, email has become our default way of sending any message, whether it be controversial, confidential or confrontational.
I have a strong opinion that in those three cases - DON’T!
But more on that in another post.
Here I’d like to show you a quick way to avoid email embarrassment. The embarrassment that comes from pressing send too soon and forgetting something important. Like checking the spelling of a colleague’s name or remembering to add the attachment that was the purpose of the message.
The answer to these and a few other common errors is to change a few of your current habits and craft your email backwards.
Here’s how.
Add the attachment FIRST, before writing the main message. That way you’ll be sure it’s there.
Craft the body of your email. If you have a template for this - use it. If not, I’ll be sharing mine soon.
Add the subject line. Make it brief, pithy and precise. Less than five words if possible. An example might be, not - follow up from meeting but action items from 20/5
Proofread it. You can set your email client to automatically check your message when you hit send, but it can miss things like names, so give it the once over yourself first, or, if it’s extra important, ask a colleague to read it.
Add the address last. This way if you hit send accidentally before you are ready, no problem!
I’ve created a handy one-page Cheat Sheet infographic with these five steps that you can download here.
Click on the image to download your Cheat Sheet.
Got any email horrors you’d like to share? Email me or pop your comments in the box below. I am always collecting doozies to use in my new ebook, Emails with Ease.
