Emailing has been a leading form of business communication for years, and it’s far from obsolete. Employers and coworkers still rely on a trustworthy system for sharing and storing important information. You need to stay sharp in order to stand out, so focus on these five email mistakes that you need to avoid.
1) Grammatical errors
How many times have you heard someone complain about the wrong use of your/you’re? Taking the time to use proper grammar makes all the difference in business communication. It shows that you’re paying attention. There are even grammar-correction tools today that assure you will never miss a thing.
2) Reply/reply all
Make sure you’re sending messages to the right people! You don’t want to reply to a personal email from a close friend, only to discover you’ve sent the private conversation to your entire company. Slow down a little and you’ll never make this mistake.
3) Sending too much in one email
Get to the point! If an email needs a lot of explanation, include it in an attached document or even suggest an in-person meeting if the information is crucial. The text body in your email should be concise, so those concerned get important information without having to read unnecessary texts.
4) Emailing when emotions are high
Frustrated with a certain coworker or stressing about a deadline? Take a moment to sit back and breathe. You don’t want to send a heated message that you might regret later. Focus on how you can solve the problem and come up with a constructive way to confront it before touching those keys.
5) Using email when another platform is more appropriate
This ties in with #3. If you need to explain a great deal of information, or if the subject is confidential, holding a phone call or conference meeting is much more appropriate than turning to the computer. Email is useful for a lot of your communication, just make sure to use the right system when sharing information.
