There’s a big difference between a well-written email and one that gets an immediate delete. Emails are the electronic equivalent of letters and that’s essential to remember as you sit down to write. If you’re looking to write emails that get attention and responses, stay clear of these 10 email habits that make others hate you.
Sending Emails With No Point.
Don’t just send an email because you can. Send emails only if there is a purpose behind it — you have key information to share, an update or are responding to someone else’s request. If you continually send emails without a point, people will stop reading them. Remember to be respectful of the reader’s time.
Writing an Email in One Paragraph.
If it’s a very short email, then this is OK to do, but if you are writing a lengthy email with more than one point, then include multiple paragraphs. Emails need to be composed like business letters and have clear introductions, middles and conclusions. Writing an email in just one paragraph makes it hard on your reader and doesn’t provide any visual breaks.
Failing to Respond to Emails That Require Replies.
Nothing is more annoying than asking someone a question and never receiving a response. The person clearly wants to know something and by not responding, you are creating confusion and stress, which no one wants or needs. If someone asks you a question and seeks a response via email, please respond. It just takes a minute or two to answer and everyone is happier in the end. If you’re having trouble getting your inbox under control, check out these clever tips.
Not Matching Your Email Content With the Subject Line.
This shows poor writing and organization skills. Let’s say your email subject line says “Project Update,” but then the email’s content doesn’t include anything about that topic, leaving the receiver confused and irritated. If you’re unsure what your subject line should be, wait until you are done writing the rest of the email so you’ll get a better idea of what to write in the subject line.
Leaving the Subject Line Blank.
This annoyance is very close to the previous one. By not providing a subject line, the reader has no idea why you’re emailing and in today’s time-strapped workplace, you’re just going to induce a groan and possibly have your email deleted as they might suspect your email to be spam.
Marking an Email “Urgent” When it’s Not.
Please only red flag an email if it’s truly urgent. Remember the story of the boy who cried wolf? That’s what happens when you continually send emails marked “urgent” that’s really not. Receivers will stop taking you seriously if you continue to write ‘non-urgent emails titled ‘urgent.’
Sending Error-Filled Messages.
Sending an email without running spell check or reading over what you wrote before hitting send is a big mistake. Your emails say a lot about you — if you send emails filled with misspellings, incomplete sentences or bad grammar, you are telling the reader that you don’t care or worse yet, that you’re ignorant.
WRITING IN ALL CAPS.
Avoid this at all costs; using all capital letters sends the message to your reader that you’re angry or screaming at them.
Using Texting Lingo.
Emails are not texts so skip the LOLs, BTWs, and other lingo you use in your text messages. Please remember, emails are in the same communication category as a business letter and childish abbreviations aren’t necessary.
Hitting “Reply All” When it’s Not Needed.
This email habit will not only get people to despise you, it can also get you in a lot of trouble. First, avoid hitting “reply all” if you are only responding to one person, since the unwanted messages clog up readers’ in-boxes and no one likes that. Secondly, by hitting “reply all” when you really should only be responding to one person can get you into trouble if you’re ripping on one of the other people in the email chain. Check out these tips to learn more about who to include and who to leave out in an email chain.
Avoid these habits and you’ll make sure people won’t groan when they see your name in the “From” field when checking their emails.
