E-Mail: Formatting and spacing make a difference
E-Mail: Formatting and spacing make a difference
It is all too easy to mix important points with extra information. This can make your communication confusing to the reader. Separating the content and questions, rather than having it all roll together makes a big difference in the individual's ability to process what you are saying.
Let's go with an example:
Option One - Content together
Subject: [blank]
Hi Joe -
I hope that your trip to Japan was successful. When would you like the finished analysis report? I'm almost done with the base, but need to work in some details on the intro. I know that you sent me the information a week or so ago, but is it still valid after your trip to Japan, or are there changes? Oh and I found a great marketing tool that I will send you soon too. About the design... do you want me to send it directly to the designer, or do you want to do that part yourself?
Thanks
Bill
Option Two - Content Broken Out
Note the use of numbers too. It makes it easy for someone to respond when you number.
Subject: Please Reply by 07/10/2008 - 3 Questions & Update
Hi Joe -
I hope that your trip to Japan was successful. I look forward to hearing about it. I'm almost done with the base, but need to work in some details on the intro. I also found a great marketing tool that I will send you later today. I have a few questions for you:
1. When would you like the finished analysis report?
2. Is the information you provided for analysis still current?
3. Do you want to review the document prior to going to designer, or should I send it directly to them?
Thanks
Bill
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill -
The trip went well. We will review in the status meeting this week.
1. 07/22/2008
2. Yes
3. No/Yes
Joe
Which One Do You Think Works?
When you look at the two different choices for communication, which one do you think is easier to read and respond to?
What Do You Do?
What do you do to make your communication clear? How do you like to receive information in your inbox? Share your thoughts with the group! Comment in the comment section at the bottom of this posting on my blog.
EMail Formatting and spacing make a difference - To learn more about this author, visit Stephanie Calahan's Website.
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When you are writing your emails, are you considering the reader's ease of reading? Think about the types of emails that you respond to quickly vs. the kind you put off until later. Are there any commonalities to the ease of reading? I bet in many instances there are.
It is all too easy to mix important points with extra information. This can make your communication confusing to the reader. Separating the content and questions, rather than having it all roll together makes a big difference in the individual's ability to process what you are saying.
Let's go with an example:
Option One - Content together
Subject: [blank]
Hi Joe -
I hope that your trip to Japan was successful. When would you like the finished analysis report? I'm almost done with the base, but need to work in some details on the intro. I know that you sent me the information a week or so ago, but is it still valid after your trip to Japan, or are there changes? Oh and I found a great marketing tool that I will send you soon too. About the design... do you want me to send it directly to the designer, or do you want to do that part yourself?
Thanks
Bill
Option Two - Content Broken Out
Note the use of numbers too. It makes it easy for someone to respond when you number.
Subject: Please Reply by 07/10/2008 - 3 Questions & Update
Hi Joe -
I hope that your trip to Japan was successful. I look forward to hearing about it. I'm almost done with the base, but need to work in some details on the intro. I also found a great marketing tool that I will send you later today. I have a few questions for you:
1. When would you like the finished analysis report?
2. Is the information you provided for analysis still current?
3. Do you want to review the document prior to going to designer, or should I send it directly to them?
Thanks
Bill
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bill -
The trip went well. We will review in the status meeting this week.
1. 07/22/2008
2. Yes
3. No/Yes
Joe
Which One Do You Think Works?
When you look at the two different choices for communication, which one do you think is easier to read and respond to?
What Do You Do?
What do you do to make your communication clear? How do you like to receive information in your inbox? Share your thoughts with the group! Comment in the comment section at the bottom of this posting on my blog.
EMail Formatting and spacing make a difference - To learn more about this author, visit Stephanie Calahan's Website.
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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