How to write an

effective
e-mail?
What is Email?

TEXT-BASED MAIL SENT VIA THE A PUSH TECHNOLOGY IT IS ONE-TO-MANY AND ALMOST
COMPUTER FROM ONE PERSON FREE
TO ANOTHER
 Selecting Your Audience Correctly

Using distribution Lists

Composing your message

Start each message by stating its
Make the heading meaningful Keep each message short and clear
purpose/context

How to make an Effective Email

 CHANGING THE TOPIC INCLUDING MULTIPLE MISADDRESSED RECIPIENTS DISPLAYING ADDRESSES OF REPLYING VS. FORWARDING
WITHOUT CHANGING THE SUBJECTS RECIPIENTS WHO ARE
SUBJECT STRANGER TO EACH OTHER

Bad habits in writing email

1. Addressing
2. Subject
Structure of
3. Message text E-mail
4. Attachments
5. Signature
 It is the address of the recipient

Use BCC to protect Email

1. Addressing addresses unless everyone know
each other

Maintain address book

 THE TO LINE AND THE SUBJECT LINE ARE INTEGRATED EACH INDIVIDUAL ON THE TO LINE IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR TAKING THE ACTION OUTLINED ON THE SUBJECT
LINE AND THE MESSAGE RELATES DIRECTLY TO THEM

The To: line

 No action or response is
expected of individuals on the
Cc line. The recipient needs only
to read or file the message
The Cc : line
The individuals whose work is
indirectly affected by the
communication should be
included on the CC line
 Use Bcc line sparingly It is the best not to use Bcc line to
escalate matters
There is always a chance that individual on the
Bcc line could hit “reply all” and unintentionally
reveal that the matter was escalated

The Bcc: line

PRECISE HEADLINE FOR MAKES EASIER TO AVOID SENDING EMAIL
THE MESSAGE HANDLE OF E-MAIL WITH NO SUBJECT

2. SUBJECT
 Hi

Questions

Meeting

One more thing….

Some thoughts

Ineffective subject lines

 Party planning meeting rescheduled for 3pm

Help: I can’t find the draft for the Smith Paper

Reminder: peer-review articles due tomorrow

Effective subject lines

 Keep the message focused and readable

Keep it short

Brevity and clarity

Use paragraphs

Avoid fancy typefaces

3. MESSAGE TEXT
Message Text

Write in standard professional English with capitalization and

Write in correct spelling

Quote back Quote back using contexts

Identify Identify yourself clearly to cold contact

Good sample
of e-mail
Bad sample of e-mail
Cut and paste Cut and paste relevant parts of attachment into text of Email.

Use URL links instead

Use • Upload attachments to website and cite URL

Compress large attachments and send attachments only when they are
Compress absolutely necessary.

4. ATTACHMENTS
 Use an appropriate signature

Brief (4-5 lines)

Informative
5. E-MAIL
• Provide all contact information
SIGNATURE
Professional

• Do not include pictures, quotes, animation

• Whenever a piece of contact information
changes, make sure your signature updated
accordingly
 Questions
and
Comments?