Is Your Email Communicating the Correct Message?

I’m sure some of us start the day with a morning jog or a cup of coffee, but one of the first things we do when we get to work is check our email. This appears to be an important step in setting the tone for the rest of the day.

Despite the fact that email has become an integral part of most people’s lives, it is sometimes the most misunderstood form of communication. When you speak to someone face-to-face, different parts of your brain separate into words and’melody’ to understand intonation, mood, emotion, and so on.

However, your brain cannot do the same when reading words on a screen because the underlying messages are frequently lost or misinterpreted. This is why, whether you’re writing for personal or professional reasons, it’s critical to consider both the words you use and how those words may be interpreted by the reader.

The more emails you send, the wiser you will hopefully become, and you will be able to chart your own progress. Reflecting on what worked well and what didn’t will help you understand how to best express your ideas so that the reader understands and gets the best results.

Various ways of saying the same thing

Our brains naturally register words and phrases differently, which may set off emotional triggers in the reader. This is why writing in a business context necessitates careful thought and effort, lest the words we choose send the wrong signals and messages.

Here are some examples of how to send various messages:

“I’m currently overburdened. I’m unable to speak.”

vs.

“I’m sorry, but I’m currently unavailable. Could we talk instead tomorrow morning?”

“That draft proposal is extremely perplexing. Let’s talk about it and figure it out.”

vs.

“I’d like to ask you a few questions about your draft. When can we talk about it?”

Productivity is fueled by positivity.

Negative words and undertones may leave a sour taste in the minds of your readers, which may take some time to remove. Changing your writing habits and style will take time and effort, but the benefits and rewards will be enormous once you’ve learned some key rules and tools. You’ll save time, you’ll save your reader’s time, your reader will understand and you’ll get the right response, and, perhaps most importantly, you’ll reduce all the ’email ping-pong’ that is currently taking place in many mailboxes! Yes, you understand what I mean!

Good writing distinguishes you.

Learning more about good business writing will help you stand out, make a good impression, complete tasks efficiently, and build a strong business. It will also make you an invaluable asset in any workplace. And the best time to begin is right now!