How Sloppy Emails Make You Lose Time and Money
In the business world, throughout the week, an average person will receive more emails than they can even count from co-workers, clients or other businesses. When you have emails flying in a million miles a minute, it is essential for you to be able to file through them quickly. If you receive an email that does not have a subject, chances are you will not even open it. If you’re receiving a “sloppy email”, as writer of Work Simply, Carson Tate, would say, you are ultimately wasting your time, losing hours and costing yourself money.
In order to stay organized in the workplace, you must be able to clean up and filter through your inbox. Unclear emails can be extremely frustrating, especially in a time-crunch. Here are a few tips from Tate on how to prevent these emails from reoccurring as well as how to filter through the mess in your inbox.
First, download a free text expander software up such as FastFox for PCs or Text Expander for Mac. These programs allow you to automate your responses to unclear messages so that you can ask for additional information or clarification. By inserting commonly used text with a keyboard shortcut, you will save time by replying within seconds.
When looking at how you write your own emails, take time to craft them in a more organized fashion. Include all necessary information so there is no need for a chain of emails and everything can get done in one shot. To make your emails more effective, always make sure to include: Who, Why, What and How. Make sure you are sending the email to anyone that the information regards upfront so that the email will not need to go the extra step and be forwarded. Make sure you know exactly why you are sending the email to each person so you can include relevant information that each person actually needs to know. At the end of the email, make sure you make it clear how you want each recipient to respond. If you are expecting a response, let them know. If there is a specific deadline, or something that needs to get done, make it clear. This will allow for no questions to be asked and everyone will be on the same page.
Lastly, USE THE SUBJECT LINE! This is absolutely vital when sending an email to, not only a client or co-worker, but anyone you are communicating with. A subject line allows for the recipient to automatically know what the email is regarding without having to actually click on it. This makes it easier for the recipient if they are busy and do not have time to read the entire body of the email upfront. If you are not including a subject line, the recipient may not find it to be important and could just delete it and move on to the next. If the email turns into a chain of other messages, continue to update the subject line to keep the conversation current.
Using all of these tips from Work Simply will allow for you to lead a more organized and professional life while you are communicating. How you present yourself, through your emails, phone calls and other forms of communication, affects your overall professional reputation.
