Effective digital communication: fine tuning email

Recently, while watching a movie, sitting on a couch, misplaced for renovation purposes, I sat at an angle that distorted the television’s picture. When the scenes turned dark--it was a thriller--I could only see the shadows of the actors moving across the screen. Their surroundings were not clear, scene details were obscure, but what was most frustrating was I could not read facial expressions.

And yet, so much of our day is spent operating without those cues. Business interaction is ever changing with more and more available digital options that replace face to face communication. And with every message, we take the chance, if it is not written clearly, of leaving the wrong impression.

Email, in particular, is part of our everyday communication, inside and outside the office. The in-your-face flashing beacons of email alerts and smartphone “dings” encourage prompt response, but do not replace those facial expression cues from which we often decide our next move.

The following are some reminders of effective email communication.

• Use a descriptive subject line. Like anything we read in a newspaper, magazine, or press release, the key to catching attention is a descriptive heading. In the subject heading, position your email as something that can be taken care of, or confirmed, quickly.

• Ditch emotion. If the subject matter of your email has the potential to be sensitive or interpreted the wrong way, table it until it can be discussed in person, or pick up the phone.

• Keep it skinny. Liken your emails to a website page that you would consider reading. Lengthy paragraphs are a daunting read, and details get missed. Like a good website page, use 1-2 sentence paragraphs and bullets, and bold what is important. Only include the information you really need to send. Put your contact information in a signature at the end of every email, so that it doesn’t have to be in the body of your message.

• Consider your culture. Can you incorporate humour? Are being recorded, or held accountable for every word you say?

• Be professional. Seems obvious, but the informal nature of email can lead us to get sloppy. Tone, especially, is set by your choice of words and whether or not you spell them correctly. Email is not as formal as a written letter, however, still more formal than conversation, texting and tweeting.

Less and less we pick up the phone or pay someone a visit if a business transaction can happen over email. It has become a tool that we cannot live without, no doubt, but sometimes it’s just easier if you have a clear line of sight.