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The Technical Elements of a Great Email: Email Etiquette Part 2

5/18/2011

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Avoid email confusion by following OPTTRP
We’ve all used acronyms at one point in time to remember bits of information (remember elementary school days when you memorized ROYGBIV to learn the colors of the rainbow?)  Labeling information in an easy-to-remember format does just that—it makes it easier to remember. That’s why OPTTRP (pronounced opt-trap) provides a simple solution to remembering the basic elements any business or work-related email should contain. Sending clear messages requires a clear format and OPTTRP covers all you need to know about writing effective emails that communicate your message clearly.

OP: Organizational Purpose
Aside from last week’s suggestion to always open a work email with a friendly greeting, the next item included in an email should be the organizational purpose. The organizational purpose states what the intentions of the email are and the reasons for writing. The purpose defines the context and explains necessary rationale for any upcoming requests. While it may seem obvious why you are writing the email, it may not be so obvious to the receiver.

If I am emailing a client, for example, I might begin by writing something like “As we discussed earlier on the phone, attached is the contract for our upcoming newsletter project.” While I could assume that my recipient knew the purpose of the email, I’ve eliminated any assumptions by reminding him of our earlier conversation and the ultimate purpose of delivering the contract.

TT: Technical Task
Once the framework has been established, the next article to include in an email is the technical task. This is the action or undertaking you are asking the receiver to complete.

Building off the above example of sending a contract to a client, my technical task is to outline the procedures for signing and returning the contract and ask that the client do so within a reasonable timeframe. Identifying the task explicitly avoids ambiguity and follows a logical approach since I have already set the stage with the organizational purpose.

RP: Rhetorical Purpose
After the technical task has been outlined, ending the email by asserting the rhetorical purpose is often beneficial, especially if the receiver is someone you are newly in contact with. In essence, the rhetorical purpose can serve to recap the organizational purpose or extend beyond that to define long-term goals.

In the sending a contract to a client example, my rhetorical purpose is to create a long-running relationship with that client and to become their go-to writer. Adding a line or two at the end of the email indicating my enthusiasm in working together is one way to define the rhetorical purpose of not only this one specific email, but to many more communication exchanges to come.

Whenever in doubt of how to begin writing a business email, follow the OPTTRP rules and remember each element need not be lengthy—it just needs to communicate clearly your purpose, the task, and the rhetorical outcome of those items.


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Email Etiquette: Part 1

5/10/2011

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Email decorum is slipping away quicker than the English language after the arrival of texting. Last week I received an email from a professional that not only had an address resembling spam (think something along the lines of Misstootsie at aol.com), but the sheer lack of punctuation was appalling. Whether you are in a hurry or sending email through your smart phone, the words you send out into the world are a representation of yourself and some level of mindfulness should prevail before hitting the SEND button.

Professional Address = Success
 While it may be tempting to hold on to that age-old email you’ve had since college, it’s time to let it go. Professional communication should be just that—professional. Use your last name as the email address or your company’s name, but don’t fall victim to the Misstootsie’s of the world, unless you want the receiver to hit DELETE without a second thought.

Greetings are Gold
Even if you are just sending email interoffice, open and close the message with a greeting. If it is a first contact or professional colleague, use a more formal greeting such as “Dear Mr. Smith.” If it is a casual communication between collegial friends, a simple “Hello” is acceptable.  It would be wise to have a standard signature added to your email that includes your name, company, and contact information.

You can think of email greetings in the same way you might a face-to-face conversation. Would you walk up to someone and start speaking midsentence without even so much as a smile and hello?

Capitalize on Punctuation
 Common sense tells us to always capitalize the beginning of a sentence and put a period at the end of one. Even if you are not a grammatical genius, follow at least the basics of sentence structure and punctuation to ensure you deliver your message professionally. An email without any sort of capitalization or sentences strung together without end marks is a sure sign of an “I don’t care enough to even look at what I’m writing” attitude. Is that the kind of message you want to send out?

Save Text Talk for Texting
 Please don’t LOL, G2G, or MOO your recipient. Enough said.
 I admit I do use the occasional :) in my email correspondence, but only with those that I have an established rapport with.

Where do you draw the line with email etiquette? What is acceptable/unacceptable in your business emails?


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Mission Impossible? What Does Your Mission Statement Say About You?

5/2/2011

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Is it time to write your mission statement?
In an ever-competitive business world, how do you stay true to yourself and your company’s purpose?  

While it may once have been seen as fluff to fill brochures and web sites, a company’s mission statement is much more powerful than we give it credit for (and it is definitely not impossible to achieve a mission statement that represents everything you and your business are all about!)

If your business doesn’t currently have a mission statement, consider writing one. The mission should be summarized in approximately one sentence, though some are longer (Joe Boxer’s mission statement for example runs three sentences, but is a bit lengthy).  

The purpose of stating your company’s mission is to explain as succinctly as possible who you are, what you do, and who your target market is. Not only does the mission statement tell potential customers and clients who you are, it also reveals who you are not. 

To see some great examples of mission statements and tips on writing your own, check out this article over at About.com’s Small Business Information site and get started writing yours today.  If your business already has a mission statement, what is it?  Are you satisfied with the content and message of the mission statement?

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