Email Archives

Do You Give Readers the “Why” They Need?

The other night I was traveling from Boston to my home, Seattle. When I arrived at my connection city, Denver, at 7:15 p.m. I received this text message: Your Flight ___ on August 6 from DEN now departs at 11:55 p.m. We’re sorry for the… continue reading

T-F Test on Formatting Business Letters and Emails

The standards of writing change. What was once correct in business messages now comes across as old-fashioned–or does it? Take this true-false test to check your knowledge of basic formatting standards for business letters and emails. Note: The questions and answers apply to business writing… continue reading

Be Nice and Make Less Work for Your Reader

The other day at my health club I asked an employee what time the bank parking lot was available for club members' use. I knew I could use the bank lot when the bank closed, but I wasn't sure what time that was. The employee… continue reading

What’s Wrong With This Complimentary Close?

Today I received an unsolicited email with this as the close: Can you identify what’s wrong with it? Think about what you would change before scrolling down to my ideas. — I’d change several things. But what’s definitely wrong is the capitalization. Only the first word… continue reading

A woman giving a thumbs up and the words "Positive Language"

Is Your Writing Too Abrupt?

You work against deadlines. Often you have to write quickly, even when the message is complex and somewhat delicate. It’s not surprising that you occasionally come across as abrupt when you thought you were being efficient. This problem is especially true in email. For the… continue reading

Do You Write Lazy Emails?

Marketing expert Marcia Yudkin, author of No-Hype Copywriting: The Keys to Lively, Appealing, and Truthful Sales Writing, wrote her weekly email on a topic dear to my heart: lazy emails. With her permission, I quote her message in its entirety. Do You Write Lazy… continue reading

Ignore or Acknowledge a Brief Apology?

This interesting question arrived in my email this morning: I am a recent college graduate who regularly communicates with managers over email. At least once a week I receive an email with the opener “I apologize for the delay in replying,” followed by an explanation… continue reading

How to Be Assertive, Not Pushy

If you write to customers, clients, employees, or almost anyone on the job, you have times when you need to assert yourself. You have to disagree, delegate, instruct, remind, and say no—in each situation coming across as clear and forceful without pushing into rudeness. The… continue reading

Preserve Your Relationships, Even in Sticky Situations

If you are human, you face situations during your workday that require you to write under pressure. Maybe you have to respond to an angry employee’s email. Maybe you seriously disagree with a coworker and need to put your reasons in writing. Or you may… continue reading

How Thinking Small Can Improve Your Writing

On the job, we strive to think big. We try to see the big picture and the long view. But thinking big can weaken our writing. This post explains how to avoid that problem. Yes, big ideas are important. Organizations thrive because of their vision… continue reading