Not too long ago, my boss circulated a post about memo writing from Modern Meeting Standard that not only got me hooked on that great blog, but that confirmed what I had always thought about group emails in the office: the longer and more convoluted it is, the less someone is likely to read it.
How ironic, especially given that the people who write the long, convoluted emails think they have something important enough for you to know.
Don’t be the author of emails that make people’s eyes gloss over. That is no fun.
1. Keep it brief.
2. Summarize – not at the end, at the beginning.
3. Ask questions to specific people directly (e.g., “Sharon – Is this what you intended?”)
4. Unless you’re the boss, don’t reply all with a question, especially if you do not know who can provide the answer. It will either (a) go nowhere and produce nothing, or (b) cause significant confusion.
5. Figure it – whatever it is – out, before sending the email and make it clear to the recipients why they are getting it. It can be irritating to receive an email about something and have no idea why you’re getting it or what you’re supposed to do with it.
Together, we can make being on distribution lists bearable!
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Wow! I can’t tell you the number of emailing mistakes I have made over the years. Most notably the time when I was reading an email about an employee that needed to be terminated and by mistake I hit reply all on a group email I had recently sent out announcing the company picnic. Well, long story short, my comments about the employee went out to the entire “Picnic” group list, and yes, that employee was on the picnic email.
I hate group emails! Lol
The dreaded ‘reply to all’, you should always consider at each point of an email chain who actually needs to be in it…
Great tips! Keep the emails short with a clear message. Nobody likes to read big chunks of text, I fully agree with you.
I always find it difficult to tailor a group message perfectly without people losing interest or just not opening it. It’s incredibly important to keep everything of relevance and make sure it pertains ONLY to the people you’re sending it to.
@AJ Aint that the truth! If i get a 5 paragraph email, it usually gets deleted unless its from the boss!
Good blog! I really love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified when a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS which must do the trick! Have a nice day!
I would like to add: ditto for TWEETS! Particularly your last point. Some are so vague, you have no idea what they are talking about.
Brief and concise, that’s the rule of business/office emails. I think you hit it in the head with the points you raised. Sometimes, we omit the most important content of the email due to haste. Editing the draft before sending it will help us find the errors or if there is anything lacking in it.
Sometimes group emails can be dangerous for your business because it can be considered spam or make others annoyed. If everyone listens to these tips, everything will be fine! Good job!
Its actually a skill to send group email… Its not everyone’s cup of tea… This article will be surely helpful for millions of people across the globe!
Nice points.
This what happening in all group mails.
specially i like third point,unnecessarily we receives some email because we were in that list.
Articles like this should be standard reading upon starting work in an office because poorly formatted emails seem to be becoming more commonplace. This post also makes me think of a great book the “Pyramid Principle” by Barbara Minto which discusses structuring communication in an easy to understand way.
It is very important to be specific. In business, time is money. Therefore causing confusion and facilitating unnecessary time spent deciphering a question or need can be viewed as wasting money.
Thanks for your comments!
I know you already mentioned this but, always make sure you know whether or not you are replying all… Sometimes you are trying to reply to just one person in the email and it just sends to everyone, possibly leading to some embarrassment on your part.
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Hi there,
All of your points are very good. It is awful to receive an email that is basically a conversation between 2 or 3 of the listed recipients and they are asking for an answer from you, but you only have half the story. And, the shorter, the sweeter!! I may copy your article to a few people!
I definitely agree with rules 1 and 2. There is nothing worse than receiving an email that is 5 paragraphs long and is not laid out well. In a business setting, being accustomed to the unwritten rules of business writing will make your coworkers appreciate your work that much more!
I am fully agree with you, In office, most of the email are not relevant to the person. Some one receives it because he was added to list.