Emailing in the business and not so business world
Emailing has certainly become one of the largest means of communication in my life, both personal and professional. The reading from the text was extremely helpful to me. Most importantly the sections about the subject line, the greeting, and the signature. The hardest parts of an email for me have always been the subject and the greeting. Usually my subjects end up too vague and I never know how formal to make my greeting, although I usually play it safe and go more conservative rather than less. So I was relieved when I read that is the proper thing to do. Sometimes it is hard to keep in mind who you are sending the message to when you are writing an email. We are living in a world with text messages, instant messages, and all kinds of other electronic communication and it sometimes tends to make us too informal when writing anything electronic no matter who the audience is. I know personally I have had to stop and really think about my intended recipients at times, and also who else could end up with my email since it is so easy to forward it. It's so easy to forget how a simple email meant for just a few people can snowball into something so much more with just a few clicks.
The one thing that only seems to be touched briefly in the article that I have trouble with occasionally is attachments. I can recall more than one occasion where I spent so much thought on the body of the email and making sure the wording was correct that I forgot the attachment and sent out the email without the file. This is embarrassing as soon as you realize it, and even worse if you have to wait for a response, "Where is the file?". It can look pretty bad depending on who you were supposed to send the file too. A professor once gave me a tip, attach the file before you enter the recipients into the "To:" or "Cc:" area. That way, even if you hit "Send" the email doesn't go anywhere because it doesn't have an address to deliver to. So I always make sure if I have an attachment, the last thing I do is type in the addresses. It saves you from embarrassment here and there.
Comments
Attachments
I've been in several situations with attachment problems. The advice from your professor is great! I am definitely going to start doing that. I'm in a sorority and a president of a club. I've sent e-mails where I said there were attachments but forgot to attach the file. I received over 40 e-mails in one day asking about the attachment that wasn't attached. I've also received e-mails that were supposed to contain attachments but didn't. It is embarrassing if you forget to attach the file but it is also somewhat frustrating if you are expecting an attachment and have to wait for that person to e-mail the attachment again. I think re-reading and checking your work before you send it, step three of the "Ten Habits of Successful Emailers" will help solve the problem of forgetting to attach files as well as the advice from your professor. Thanks for sharing the advice from your professor too!
Re: Attachements
I agree, re-reading would probably help too, but I'd have to admit I've re-read emails and still forgotten the attachement before. That's why I stick with my professor's advice, although I'd say if you do both you're sure not to forget. You brought up a good point with the sorority and the president position in your club. Those are positions where it's a little beyond embarrassing when 40+ people wonder why they do not have an attachement. I'm sure it happens all the time, but I know I'd feel pretty silly. Mistakes happen but it's always good to learn and use tools to avoid making them multiple times.
Reply
I can not count how many times I have forgotten to attach the file to the email! And yes it is embarrassing, you have to go back and admit that you forgot to attach the file and resend it with it attached. It's not so bad if it's not in a professional setting but when it is it is really bad. I have done it many times to friends or people that I am doing projects with but only a couple times at work to customers. It can pretty bad it looks really bad, makes you look stupid especially when you spend so much time working and perfecting the body of the e-mail. That is a very good tip; attach the email before you write it and right at the beginning when you open it! I like that one! I am going to start doing that because I attach files at work on a daily basis.
thanks!!
Thanks for the advice!!!! You have no idea how many times I've done that. it seems so informal and not professional to let the know that you weren't concentrating enough when you were writing the email and forgot to attach the document. Off course, I can't leave aside the uncomfortable moment of writing an ooppps I forgot the attachment sorry....
I've done this not only with professors but with peers at work and even with contacts from other companies. It's a very good idea to leave the e-mail address as the last thing to write in an e-mail.
Proper use of subject and greeting line
I also have had trouble with the subject and greeting lines in an email. In the past I normally leave the subject blank or just type something fast without putting much thought to it. The readings have really taught me the importance of the subject line. I now realize how beneficial it can be, especially if you are reading forty to fifty emails a day like many people do. I also have had some trouble using the proper greeting in my emails. Most of the time I use email to get answers to quick questions and therefore do not include a proper greeting. I now see that I will need to include a greeting in all of my emails even the ones with quick questions. This is just going to have to be a habit I get myself into.
I agree
I completely agree that the reading from the text, especailly the sections about the subject line, the greeting, and the signature was very helpful. I have been having the same uncertainty in the greeting part in email as you've been. As an international student, I also had diffilcuties knowing which components I have to include to make it formal, and this have been all cleared after reading the text. I really liked the several examples on the text which are able to be adopted in real situation. Also, since I am not certain about hence not ready to be sophisticated in writing an email in english, those templates given on the text were very helpful even if it might sound very conservative.
I also have the same exprience as yours about attaching a file. I sometimes be too focused on the grammar and the spell check, and I forget to attach the necessary file stating "Here's my report. Please check the attachment." in the content. I think most people have similar experiences like mine.
I think it is important to be scrupulous but not hastening as writing an email.