One Day • Instructor-led
E-mail is more prevalent today than ever before. Its instantaneous nature makes it a convenient, time-saving tool for businesses. However, it is also more important than ever to take the time to write messages that are secure as well as clear and error-free. An emphasis is placed on how to avoid workplace disasters such as lost sales, customer-service nightmares–and in the worst cases, lawsuits and financial losses–triggered by careless or poorly written e-mail.
Course Outline
Lesson 1: Think Before You E-Mail
- Beware Potential Perils
- Deciding When to Use E-Mail
- Addressing Your E-Mail Message
- Replying to E-Mail Messages
- E-Mailing to International Audiences
Lesson 2: Composing Your E-Mail Message
- Collecting Your Thoughts with the Five Ws
- Writing a Subject Line with Real Oomph
- Incorporating a Salutation and Signature
- Grabbing the Reader’s Attention: The Lead
- Organizing with the Inverted Pyramid
- Comparing Chronological Writing
- Getting Started in Three Easy Steps
Lesson 3: Keys to Effective E-Mail
- Striving for Simplicity
- Writing with Power…or Paste?
- Eliminating Mechanical Errors
- Spelling Counts!
- Using the Active Voice
- Avoiding Sexist Language
Lesson 4: Polishing Your Cybermanners
- Setting the Right Tone
- Dodging Conversational Pitfalls
- Watch Your Cyberlanguage
- Extinguishing Flames
- Punctuating with Smileys and Shorthand
- Reviewing Netiquette Guidelines
- Netiquette Guidelines for Managers
Lesson 5: Formatting Your E-Mail Message
- Selecting Format Settings
- Enhancing Readability
- Sending Attachments with Care
- Battling Electronic Viruses
Lesson 6: Managing E-Mail Overload
- Controlling Your In-Box Clutter
- Reducing Spam Intake
- Organization-Wide E-Mail Management
- Devising an E-Mail Policy for Your Organization
- Using a Sample E-Mail Policy as a Guide