by Krista

It always amazes me whenever I get an email response that is virtually unreadable. It seems that email has become the medium of informal communication even in business settings to people they’ve never had any type of communication with.

Often, respondents fail to use proper capitalization at the beginning of sentences and proper punctuation at the end. But occasionally I’ll receive an email response that fails to use complete sentences and I have to re-read it several times to figure out what exactly they were trying to say.

Good communication skills are a must for business in today’s marketplace, and regardless of if you are writing to clients, vendors, business partners, or co-workers, effective email communication follows many of the standard rules of letter writing. Here are 5 tips to communicate more effectively by email.

1. Don’t assume the recipient understands your internet shorthand. Emails should be short and make their point clearly. Some people are more familiar with Netiquette and NettLingo than others, so write clearly and without jargon.
2. Use complete sentence with proper capitalization and punctuation. Using phrases or half sentences tends to confuse people and makes it more difficult for you to get your message across without misinterpretation.
3. Proofread! Everyone makes the occasional typo, but if your email looks like your 7 year old sent it, you immediately convey that you don’t have the time or courtesy to send a proper response.
4. Think before you hit “send.” Communication issues can arise because email doesn’t convey emotion the way talking to someone in person or on the phone does. Short, curt responses can come across as angry, and sarcasm and irony are easy to miss in written format. Take the time to read your response thoroughly to make sure nothing you’ve said inadvertently reveals impatience, annoyance, or rudeness.
5. ALL CAPS MEANS SHOUTING. Avoid them at all cost. People immediately think you are yelling at them and become offended.

Remember, first impressions matter, and typos, improper grammar and inappropriate wording immediately make you look unprofessional.