Writing Effective Business Emails

Learn how to build your professional image and increase your productivity through powerful emails.

Last updated 2022-01-10 | 4.1

- Here are some of the things you will learn:
- Why the rules of letter writing don't apply to emails
- How the courts view emails

What you'll learn

Here are some of the things you will learn:

Why the rules of letter writing don't apply to emails

How the courts view emails

How to avoid the 7 deadly sins

What are the 10 pet peeves

How to change the tone

What words burn

what words bless

* Requirements

* none

Description

Sure. Anyone can write an email in the business world today. But can you write ones that increase your chances of a fast response and that build your professional image?

I’ve been conducting business writing workshops in both the private and public sectors for over 15 years, and I’ve listened to the concerns of both senior managers and support staff when it comes to written communications. And the most common complaint today is poorly written emails.

By taking this 90-minute course, you will learn with all sorts of tips for writing powerful, business emails. I’ve divided the course into three sections: What You Should Know About Emails, Writing Style and Tone, and Organization.

Who this course is for:

Anyone who writes emails in the public or private sectors

Course content

5 sections • 14 lectures

Introduction 1 lectures

Course Introduction Preview 04:09

Poorly written emails can get you into trouble in the workplace and can reduce your professional image. This lecture describes how the course is laid out and how it will benefit you.

What You Need to Know About Emails 5 lectures

Test your legal knowledge

Take this quiz and we will review the answers in the next lecture.

Legal Concerns Preview 07:34

Here's where you'll get the answers to the questions on the quiz -- Test Your Legal Knowledge. You'll learn what the courts can require of you in terms of emails and how you and your organization can protect yourselves.

Today's Readers Preview 04:30

Writers are often told to write to their readers. But few writers really understand who their readers are. This lecture will help you grasp the needs of today's readers with regard to emails.

Pet Peves Preview 05:08

Based on a study by J Watson Training, here are the pet peeves of 500 email readers. Do you do any of these things when you write?

Email Set-Up Preview 10:29

Writers quickly fill in the To and Cc lines in emails without thinking if names are placed in the right slots. They often ignore the B cc line, which can be used to organize yourself and to get around privacy issues. This lecture discusses the slots in the email frame and the importance of the greeting line.

Writing Style and Tone 4 lectures

Please Download - 7 Deadly Sins of E-Writing Preview 7 pages

This document provides samples of emails that we will be discussing in the next lecture - The Seven Deadly Sins of E-Writing. Please download the pages so you can easily follow along.

Seven Deadly Sins of E-Writing Preview 11:17

This lecture will help you with the actual writing of your emails. We will discuss the "sins" many writers commit and offer you advice on increasing your professional writing image. If you have downloaded the document in Lecture 6, it will make it easier for you to follow along.

Tone Preview 05:56

When you write an email, you create a tone in the reader's mind. If your tone is dictatorial, you will annoy your reader. On the other hand, if you are too "soft," you will come across as childish. This lecture discusses the three tones of email and shows you how to change them.

Word Choice Preview 11:05

What words help your reader get your message and what words turn them off - why should you avoid cliches - and what words cause confusion. This lecture will provide you with valuable advice in this area.

Organization 3 lectures

Getting Your Emails Read Preview 05:17

Why do receivers not always do what you want? Perhaps, you have not organized your email effectively for today's readers -- skimmers -- or for those who read from Blackberries or iphones. This lecture explains why you can't use the organizational pattern of letters for emails. And you'll learn where you should place your action request.

Subject Lines Preview 09:36

Subject lines help readers prioritize the reading of the messages in their inboxes. How effective are yours? This is where you will learn about the most effective length and how to increase your reader buy in.

Opening Lines Preview 07:20

There are three possible ways to open an email message that will increase your chances of having your email read and acted upon. This lecture provides techniques so you can write more powerful opening lines.

Tip Sheet 1 lectures

Downloadable Summary Handout Preview 2 pages

This handout summarizes the tips in this course. Keep it close by for the next few days as you increase the effectiveness of your email writing. Best wishes. Jane Watson