Today’s post is by our receptionist extraordinaire, Meghan Margulies.
Most likely, emails will be your first interaction with potential clients, so you want to make a great first impression. It’s been estimated that we spend at least 2 hours reading and responding to emails a day! Emailing has become part of our daily ritual, whether you work in an office or not. The emails we send to friends are not the same as professional emails. So, next time you write an email, keep these tips in mind so your reader will take you seriously:
- ALWAYS check your Spelling and Grammar – If you want to be professional, then sound professional! This part is easy, especially when misspelled words are underlined in red! Take the time to read over your email, before you send it and make sure nothing is misspelled, you have the correct punctuation marks, and the correct words are capitalized.
- NEVER use text-speak – it is never okay to write LOL, PLZ, ROFL, etc. in a professional email – period. Avoid using slang words, as well.
- ALWAYS set up auto-signature – make sure your clients know how to reach you, especially if replying from a mobile device.
- NEVER forget the subject line – depending on your audience, you may need to put “Reply Requested.” Subject line should relate to email.
- Keep it short and consolidated – Begin the email with your request, “I’m writing to let you know that…” (busy people skim the first line or two and decide its importance). Also, if you have multiple topics to discuss, put them all in one email.
- Respond in a timely manner – you should respond to emails within the same business day. If you don’t have all the answers, send an email explaining your delay.
Professional emails with improper grammar will weaken your clout, because your readers will focus more on the mistakes than the actual message, which may inadvertently send them to a competing company!