FuseNews_September 2020_ FuseDSM Your Chamber of Commerce Online Publication

BUSINESS EXPERT // ATW TRAINING 6 STEPS FOR EFFECTIVE EMAIL COMMUNICATION // ATW Training It’s no secret that our world is becoming increasingly more digital, especially in the age of 2020. Email is the most utilized form of communication in the workplace. Even with the advent of new workplace communication tools, such as Slack, Jabber, and Teams, email still is the way we communicate at work. And most of us know—email could be used much more effectively! Here are some of our best tips to make your emails stand out and get the response you’re looking for.

Our Friends at ATW Training have compiled a list of 6 simple tips to use email more effectively with your virtual teams, and beyond.

1. Focus the Message of Your EMail The average reader decides what they will do with an email in just 5-10 seconds. What your reader wants to know right away is the answer to these three questions: Why did I get this message? // What do I need to do with it? // How urgent is it?

To get to the point, PAD your subject line and opening paragraph. PAD stands for purpose, action, and deadline.

In both your subject line and opening paragraph, include the: • Purpose—tell your reader why they received the message • Action—tell your reader what they need to do as a result of the email (or, if you’re just sending the message as an FYI, tell the reader!)

• Deadline—tell your reader when you need the action done 2. Respond to EMails within 24 Hours.

This is about your reputation. If you don’t reply to emails in a timely manner, people won’t feel a need to reply to you. You can get a reputation for being careless and disengaged when you don’t respond in a timely manner.