Executive Assistant's Corner: 10 Points to Remember When Sending Emails and Replying

Email is the preferred mode of communication these days. If it's not really urgent, why send an sms or call? You can just send a mail and the recipients can read it when it's convenient for them.

80% of my work is done in Outlook. Yup, as soon as I wake up, the first thing I do is check my emails. It's a ghastly habit, I know, but I don't feel at peace until I've cleaned out my Inbox. I'm so linked to my mails that you can reach me there faster than on Viber or Sms! More than a hundred emails pass through my Inbox on a bad day - all addressed to me. By the time I'm halfway through reading them, I'm practically a zombie.

As assistants, we deal with people every day through email. Some we know, most we don't - well, not personally. They're like email buddies. The question I want to ask you today is... Are you email savvy? Are you representing yourself and your office in the best possible way?

Believe it or not, there is also such a thing as email etiquette. I once worked with an EA who looked like she didn't know a thing about proper emailing. (She's the bad example of an EA in my other articles. I'll make her famous one day!) Anyway, she addressed her directors in her email as "Hey Guys!" and had really poor grammar. People circulated her mails and made fun of it behind her back.

How can you avoid this happening to you? Sure it sounds cruel being ridiculed that way, but we're fair game. Remember, your email represents you and the Office you serve. There are high expectations.

So... you may want to remember these points before hitting the SEND button...

The Subject is Important, really it is....

Choose a subject that will give the recipient an idea of what the email is about. Don't write subjects that only makes sense to you. Make it helpful, especially if you know that the recipients receive tons of mail on their Inbox. Use words like; For Your Review, For Your Information, For Approval, Memorandum, Update, Invitation, Urgent, and etc.

You've probably received unsolicited Marketing emails in your Inbox. They may be spammers but they sure know how to choose a killer subject!
Get to the Point

It's not a love letter where you can ramble on using flowery words. After the pleasantries of "Good Day!" or "Hope this email finds you well", you can state the purpose of your email right away. "I'd like to ask you..", "Can you please...". Some leave the main purpose at the end of the mail and give a background first. I think it's better the other way around.

Ex. "Can you please review the blah blah blah.... Just to give you a quick background..." This puts the message in the proper context. The action required comes before the reason for the request.
Proofread Spelling and Grammar

We send emails on our mobile phones and a few wrong spellings can be forgiven. The keyboard is just too small! However, if you are emailing someone important, take the time to review what you've written. If you're writing the person for the first time, do several passes before hitting SEND. Just like a handshake, the first email can leave a lasting impression.

If you're chummy with the recipient then it's ok to use abbreviations like LOL, ROFL, IKR and slangs like Coolness! Yo!... but for business emails, try to be formal and correct. When in doubt, copy the content in a WORD document and click Review then Spelling and Grammar. There are other proofreading tools on the Internet that you can use.
Use the Recipient's Preferred Name

When someone replies to my email and addresses me as Cherry Ann, I get really irritated. It's ok to address someone using their full name if they didn't indicate what they want to be called. But if they leave a name before their email signature block, it means that they want to be called by that name! I make it a point to check for this when I reply, so as not to offend anyone.

If they signed their mail with "Sincerely, Superman", by golly, I will reply with "Dear Superman"... :)
Avoid large attachments

If the content of the attachment can be pasted in the email body, choose this option. Most people access their emails via their mobile phones and large attachments can be an inconvenience. Information should be readily available in the email body. If the attachment is really necessary, use sharing apps and share the link. The receivers can view the file at their leisure.
The To and CC field

The people that you're addressing should be in the TO field. Often, a response is needed from these recipients. Those in the CC field are being copied only as an FYI and are not required to respond. In a perfect world, that is how it would be done. But most people just paste the names wherever.
Adding Multiple Recipients

Unless it's an announcement, include only recipients who are relevant to the topic of the email. I receive a lot of email where everyone is copied and it only says Thank You! Ok, we get it. You're grateful and you want the person to know it - but do you really have to copy everyone else? Just thank the person directly.

I think there's a misconception that if the original sender copies certain people, you should also reply copying everybody. This is wrong. Copy only those who need to read your reply. If they're no longer relevant to your reply, please loop them out. For example, you emailed me requesting for someone's approval, once I send the approval, what you do with that approval is no longer my concern. Please loop me out. I'd be eternally grateful! :)

What if the email was sent to you only? Can you copy other people on your reply? This is a little sensitive and is dependent on what the email is about. Once, I sent an email to somebody in confidence and the recipient replied copying several people. I never took that person into my confidence again. Use your best judgement. The same rule applies when forwarding emails.
Make it Easy to Read

Some "experts" say that you shouldn't format an email - meaning, it should look like a letter. I don't agree with this. I think that if you are including a lot of information, you should make it easy for the reader to absorb it. Highlight headings if there are several and summarize information using bullet points. Show the readers what info they should focus on.
Your Email Signature

When do you need to include your full email signature block?

I read a funny post about email signatures. The writer said that from your email address and display name on the email, the recipient already knows who you are, so email signatures are really not required. But in business emails, the signature block indicates which company you represent and what your role is in the company.

You can include your full email signature with logo, disclaimers and all on your first email or reply. On the subsequent emails, you can remove it altogether or just add 3 signature lines. They already know who they're talking to.

What should be in your signature block?

Most companies have a prescribed template that you should follow for uniformity. Signatures should have your contact details, position, company logo and a sort of disclaimer. QUOTES are really tasteless in business emails (although I used to have one before!)

"To err is human, to forgive is divine.." or some other wise sayings. These are statements and you might risk offending someone. If you need to make statements, use social media, not your business mails.
Choose Your Words and Punctuation

Keep business emails straightforward. Don't use capital letters as this is construed as SHOUTING! Punctuation marks are ways of conveying emotion. Use it wisely and only when really required. If you're really angry with the person you're emailing, talk to them directly and don't use this medium.

Trying to be funny in an email might be taken as sarcasm since the readers cannot see your face when you wrote it. So many misinterpretations can happen, that's why it's better to be simple and to the point.