Page 107 - How to write effective business English your guide to excellent professional communication by Fiona Talbot

96 How to Write Effective Business English

awards they had won? No, it wasn’t. The interest for me was to
check on the ‘important’ social media updates. But good for them,
they got the reputational message across that they had won awards!
Always think of meaningful subject headings for your readers.
‘Update on Project A at end of week 30’ is going to be a better
heading than simply ‘Project A’. In subsequent e-mails refresh the
headings, so messages always reflect the current picture wherever
possible. How helpful is that heading about week 30 when you’re
actually discussing progress at week 40?

Regularly refresh e-mails

I’ve discussed problems that can arise from multilingual e-mail
threads. Let me just reinforce the message now: try to get into the
habit of stopping e-mail threads, maybe after the third message.
Start a new e-mail and if you need to carry information over, just
recap the key points.

Before you send

● ● Re-read your e-mail and check that your communication in
English is correct on every level.

● ● Make sure it doesn’t include previous e-mail threads that may
not be appropriate to forward on to the new reader(s).

● ● Have you included any attachments? Are they in English too?
● ● If you have copied somebody in, have you explained why?
● ● Is the subject heading good?
● ● Is the e-mail easy to read (font style and size, etc)?

After sending

Check after the event (a day, two days, a week?) that you have
achieved the outcome you want. Check that the English you have
written has worked for your needs.