PA Training: Business Emails

Email is the most popular form of business communication. Why is email for popular?

It is the fastest means of communication, as it arrives almost instantly. It is extremely efficient, as it has limited associated issues of mail getting lost or damage etc.

However, a PA sends many emails in a day and they often end up lacking the format and structure needed to effectively convey your point. You must remember that in writing you do not have facial expressions or gestures that you can use when face to face with someone, so you must follow more defined rules when sending and composing emails. Do not allow them to become as informal as the spoken word. We have all seen examples of when people misunderstand a point in an email, which can cause a mistake or even a confrontational situation.

1 – Concise writing: The main point of the email need to be conveyed quickly and clearly. Long winded emails are often not read and they can lead to vagueness and misunderstanding. If you have additional details you can indicate that a meeting or follow up discussion would be better face to face. The use of quality attachments in Word can also help.

2 – Structure of the email: This is a business communication and should therefore have the same grammatical structure as a standard business letter. Avoid informal text message items like LOL, IMHO etc, they are unprofessional and not everyone will receive them well. Never use Caps to emphasise points as they can be seen as confrontational to the reader. Likewise smiley faces can be deemed unprofessional in a formal email.

3 – Subject: Be brief and concise in the subject line and ensure that it clearly summarises the point of the letter.

4 – Always use Business English: Avoid using slang word or regional language as your audience will not necessarily be able to understand the email. Keep the language clear and using easy to understand, business English.

5 – Attachments: Attachments need to be noted that they are included. This is because they may be blocked and never be delivered.

6- Use of other IT programmes: Remember that some recipients may not be able to see functions in HTML or Flash. Try to avoid using any programmes that are not universal used or get blocked by email servers.

These are some guiders on how to effectively deliver your message on email and ensure that you never have issues with miscommunication, which can reflect badly on any PA. Remember that often emails that you send out are the main way that you project your images to colleagues and bosses, so be careful when sending them out. It is remarkable how many people are known first by their emails and not face to face in a modern office.