Tips for Better E-Mail, Part 13: Copy Prudently

Many people do not always need updates about every business issue. Keep them in the loop only if your message serves their business purposes. Transmit group messages sensibly. For instance, use the blind copy feature when transmitting group messages to spare your readers the wasted time of scrolling past the entire list of recipients. And don’t copy everyone!


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Tips for Better E-Mail, Part 12: Attach with Care

Attaching lengthy unsolicited documents can frustrate your readers by requiring them to print numerous pages—many of which they might not need. Use non-electronic means of transmitting lengthy documents when the situation calls for it. Attach documents thoughtfully.


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Tips for Better E-Mail, Part 11: Act Maturely

In case you haven’t already heard …

WRITING IN ALL UPPER-CASE LETTERS LIKE THIS IS UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD AS SHOUTING.

writing in all lower-case letters, as in, "i will see ricardo ramirez next july in philadelphia at the american suppliers conference," implies that the writer is rushed or sloppy.

Prove your reader awareness by applying the standards of capitalization when writing e-mails that you think might be read across or outside your organization.


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Tips for Better E-Mail, Part 10: Do It Now

Reading e-mail and saving it for a later response is not a bad thing—unless you find yourself doing it constantly. Handle whatever e-mail you can only once. Each time you return to an e-mail doubles your time on it. Read, reply, file, done.

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Tips for Better E-Mail, Part 9: Update Those Files

If you find yourself searching endlessly for e-mails, chances are your filing system needs updating. Create a filing system with specific folder names. The longer you create a history, the larger those email folders become. So plan for the growth. Examples:

• Instead of Security, use Security-IT, Security-Building, etc.
• Instead of Security-IT, use Security-IT-Policy, Security-IT-Compliance, Security-IT-Passwords, etc.
• Instead of Security-IT-Passwords, use Security-IT-Passwords-Auditing, Security-IT-Passwords-Staff, Security-IT-Passwords-Training, etc.

To purchase your copy of The Art of On-the-Job Writing by Philip Vassallo, click here: https://www.firstbooks.com/product_info.php?cPath=14&products_id=144