Page 114 - How to write effective business English your guide to excellent professional communication by Fiona Talbot

E-mail and instant messaging 103

● ● Have you made the e-mail subject heading relevant so people
want to/know they must read it?

● ● In exchanges, have you refreshed your headings (if appropri ate)
and updated details that have changed?

● ● Did you get to the point in accessible language so readers know
where you are leading?

● ● Did you systematically read and cover the points in the e-mail or
message to which you are replying?

● ● Is embedding responses appropriate for your community or
does it generate confusion?

● ● Have you done a spellcheck and grammar check on your e-mails,
using the correct variety of English?

● ● Have you overreacted? If you are not prepared to say your
message face to face or let it be seen by others, you should not
send it.
● ● If you can see that someone is typing a response, do you wait for
it to arrive before firing off another instant message in the
conversation?

● ● Would it be a problem for you or your organization if this e-mail
or message is forwarded in its entirety to other people without
your knowledge? Don’t forget that all written messages can be
used in an audit trail.

● ● Are you sending the attachments you promised?
● ● If you are copying someone in, have you explained why?
● ● Have you developed the right rapport with your readers and
met their business and cultural expectations?

● ● Have you set (and are you remembering to update) your IM
status?

● ● Check whether messaging mode is migrating into your other
more formal business communication and what guidelines you
may need to have in place to uphold quality and values.
● ● Are you keeping up to date on changing language and punctua-
tion in business writing today?