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In the anonymous world of Internet, e-mail is
your face to the world. Your e-mail communication
should inspire confidence in buyer. Internet users
are notorious for deleting mails suspected to
be irrelevant - without reading.
Question - How do you ensure the
recipient not only reads your e-mail but develops
a positive impression about you ?
Though the content or what you
write is the ultimate decider, a lot depends on
format or how you present your content. Here’s
a few Tips on how to make your e-mails more professional
looking
FORMAT
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Make sure the Reply To column
is correct. It is so frustrating to receive
a mail, which can not be answered !
-
Do not cram the To or CC: column
with e-mail addresses. If at all you wish
to mark CC, make sure all recipients have
some kind of relationship and are relevant
in the context. (e.g. addressing a letter
to Head Office of a company with CC: to local
branch office for follow-up)
-
If you wish to address mail
to multiple recipients who have no mutual
relationship (other than known to you or your
potential customer !), use the BCC: column.
-
Do not indulge in mindless mass
mailing, though it seems so easy and convenient
to send thousands of e-mails in no time !!
Do not get misled by numbers alone - quality
is more important here than quantity. Targetted,
specific and individually addressed e-mails
carry much more weight than an anonymous mail.
-
Please make sure your mail has
not only a SUBJECT but is relevant and as
specific as possible (e.g. 'In response to
your enquiry for brass candle stick (July
15)' rather than a vague sounding "Indian
Handicrafts'.
-
Remember - recipients first
look at the subject and then the content.
If your sujbject fails to attract recipient's
attention, chances are the mail will end up
in trash can (ooops ! trash folder)
-
Do you have a signature file
? All e-mail software (Netscape, Eudora etc.)
support a signature file that automatically
gets appended to your letter. The signature
should contain your contact details like telephone,
fax, mailing address, and URL of your Home
Site (if any)
-
The signature should not only
STAND OUT physically, it should contain an
interesting/attention grabbing phrase
The signature file is a great tool
to advertise your web-site, products etc. Remember,
every time you send an e-mail or someone forwards
your message or you post a message at bulletin
board or discussion forum - your message spreads
without any extra effort.
CONTENT
& STYLE
-
Please do not quote sender's
letter completely while responding (unless
the quote is brief or there is a specific
reason). It is positively irritating to receive
a long e-mail full of irrelevant information
from your own mail or previous correspondence.
Use quotes selectively, while responding to
specific question/issues raised by sender.
-
Please make sure that line lengths
are never more than 65 characters. Most e-mail
software automatically wraps long lines, make
sure you have made this option "ON'.
-
Use short sentences in direct
speech, using a conversational style as much
as possible.
-
Use paragraphs to structure
your message appropriately.
-
The length of your e-mail should
be limited to, ideally, half the size of A4
paper. Use hyper links (to your sites) liberally
instead of long write-up on company profile,
history, management... !! If you do not have
web-site, place such information as appendix
at the end of mail.
-
Many users limit the max size
of e-mails to be received. Large e-mails,
in such cases, never reache the recipient.
-
Never attach file attachments
without permission of the recipient. In this
age of countless viruses being carried through
attachments, chances are your e-mail will
have summary execution (deleted without a
second thought !!)
Above all, you must respond to all
e-mails that need to be answered within 24 or
max 48 hours. If requested information can not
be provided within 24 or 48 hours, send an interim
response informing about the delay and how soon
do you expect to provide the requested information.
What's your experience ? I look forward
to your feedback
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