As a professional, it is always advisable to put your best foot forward. Whether that means taking an extra second to go over your outfit in the mirror or going through an email before clicking the send button, a well-presented front can do wonders for your professional career.
Choosing to be oblivious to certain email mistakes can create a negative impression, making you come across as someone without regard for meticulousness. In extreme cases, mistakes can lead to uncertainty in communication, thereby impeding your career in the case of a resulting issue.
Funny enough, you might be unaware of these mistakes but this article would call your attention to the mistakes that have adorned your past emails.
Errors you should banish from your emails
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A poorly constructed header
Being the first thing the recipient sees when they open their inbox, your email subject should contain words that address them directly and call their attention in spite of the numerous emails that congest their inbox. Today’s average person is bombarded with a slew of information; we are in the information age after all. That is precisely why your subject line should be catchy. You score additional points if you address them by their name. An example of a good heading is “A meeting invite for Mr. John”.
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Overstuffing
An email is supposed to be brief and to the point. Stuffing your email with too much information would make it cluttered and difficult to read. Your recipient may feel overwhelmed by the amount of content and struggle to extract the key message(s).
Attention spans are getting increasingly shorter, if your email contains what would be considered as too much, the recipient may become disengaged.
If the information is too important to downsize, a better approach would be to break it up into email sequences.
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A badly structured email
Imagine you walk into a home and instead of beholding a living area that spills over into a dining and kitchen area; you are presented with an all in one area. The living space, bedroom and kitchen seem to coexist in one place at the same time. That would be absolutely chaotic and confusing. That scenario perfectly represents how your recipients would feel when presented with an email that lacks order and structure.
Use paragraphs and bullet points to break up walls of text to create an easier read. Leave considerable space between paragraphs to enhance readability. You can also highlight important parts of text to draw attention and convey a hint of importance.
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Not explaining attachments
When you attach a document or file without providing any explanation or context, the recipient may not understand why it’s included or how it relates to the email’s content. This lack of clarity can lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the information you’re trying to convey.
In addition, not all recipients may be able to open or view certain file formats. By explaining the attachment, you can inform the recipient about the content and provide alternative options if they are unable to access the attachment.
Some people prefer to leave certain document formats like word documents unopened due to fear of viruses. By outlining the purpose and content of each attachment, no recipient would be willfully left out of the information flow.
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Observing a casual tone
Emails are often used for professional communication, whether it’s within a workplace or in a business setting. Maintaining a professional tone means respecting the formalities and expectations of professional environments. Flouting this rule in favor of a casual tone can come across as disrespectful or overly familiar, particularly when communicating with colleagues, clients, or superiors.
Do away with slang, phrases, cuss words and abbreviations like “what’s up?” “LOL” “WTF” “BTW” and many others. Save that for your WhatsApp texts and Tweets with your friends.
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Neglecting proofreading
No matter how skilled of a writer or human dictionary you are, you’re human, and humans make mistakes. Many grammar and punctuation errors may be oblivious to you at first glance but after a careful proofread, you would begin to see the mistakes. To effectively proofread an email:
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Read aloud to yourself. Hearing the words can help you identify awkward phrasing, repetitive sentences, or grammatical errors that may have been overlooked when reading silently.
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Check that your sentences are concise and that the overall flow of the email makes sense. Look out for any confusing or ambiguous statements that may need clarification.
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Check the email for any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors.
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Verify that any names, dates, or specific details mentioned in the email are accurate. Ensure names are spelt correctly and that dates and other important information are correct.
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Ensure links and documents are correctly attached and functional. Click on the links and open the attachments to confirm that they are working as intended.
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Check the overall formatting and layout of your email. Ensure that paragraphs are properly indented, headings are clear, and bullet points or numbered lists are correctly formatted.
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If you want to cut to the chase, alternatively, you can use an app like Grammarly or the Hemmingway app to proofread. By highlighting parts of your text that need correction, proofreading apps can do the heavy lifting for you.
Conclusion
The emails you send out contribute to shaping your professional image and personal brand. As an extension of your professionalism; they should reflect the excellence you already embody.