Global Business Emails Powerful Business Email Skills for English as a Second Language (ESL) Writers Welcome to the Email Etiquette Workshop. This presentation.

Global Business Emails
Powerful Business Skills for English as a Second Language (ESL) Writers Welcome to the Etiquette Workshop. This presentation was designed in response to the growing popularity of and the subsequent need for information on how to craft appropriate messages, send resumes and cover letters via , communicate with colleagues and classmates, and how to participate in electronic mailing lists. Anyone who uses (regardless of regularity or purpose) will find this workshop to be useful. This presentation includes explanations and activities to include audience participation. Created by Stephanie Williams Hughes with contributions from Angela Laflen. © Purdue University Writing Lab 2001, 2002 Contributions from the following sources: Angell, David, and Heslop, Brent. The Elements of Style: Communicate Effectively via Electronic Mail. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1994. Bailey, Jr., Edward P. The Plain English Approach to Business Writing. New York: University Press, 1990. Caudron, Shari. “Virtual Manners.” Workforce 79.2 (2000): An asterisk (*) along with the authors names are printed on the slides to indicate that the information on the slide was taken from that particular source.

Welcome to Global Business Emails
Professor Dave Jaye Hello and Welcome to Cyber University’s Global Business Writing Class. My Name is Dave Jaye, I am a business Professor at Korea’s Cyber University. I am excited to have you join our Global business class. The purpose of this presentation is to introduce you to the Global Business Writing class. My presentation will take about 5 minutes and there will be time for you to ask questions at the end of this Presentation.

Benefits of Emails Emails break down barriers
eliminates phone tag and charges associated with phone calls Speed of communication 24-7 24 hours a day 7 days a week

Benefits of Emails Email accelerates Team Work
Using you and your co workers can easily work together and collaborate. You can send files with text, graphics, photos and sound. You can keep different people updated on your progress. Engineers can receive constant updates on the progress others are making in related areas which can help him solve his problems.

Benefits of Emails Email keeps businesses in touch with customers
Electronic newsletters, price changes, e auctions, product changes, e shopping, e billing Distance education and training like our class.

Email concerns Lack of Privacy
You can be fired by your company for s and Blogs with unflattering messages about bosses. SPAM: Unsolicited e junk mail. Too much wasted time playing games, reading useless s and surfing the internet.

Why is email etiquette important?
People interact with printed words as though has a personality. That ‘personality’ makes positive and negative impressions upon us. Your document can easily be misinterpreted by your reader, so it is crucial that you follow the basic rules of etiquette to construct an appropriate tone. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: has become very prevalent in most people’s lives and many use it to cheaply and quickly communicate with friends, family, and co-workers. Although this technology is available to everyone, and most people are accustomed to using , people still are not very savvy when it comes to understanding how functions in a relationship both personally and professionally. How we interpret While most people are aware that the computer is not a person and that s do not have a character of their own, many people still react to them as though they do. Readers assign meaning to everything that people write and tend to perceive it as concrete because it is in black and white (or whatever color you may choose). This response, coupled with a lack of nonverbal cues, poses a serious challenge for writers. It is easy for s to be misinterpreted because people write as though they are having a conversation; however, the receiver does not read that way. Ask the audience: How many times have you received an and felt a little put off by the message even though it was from a good friend? Have you ever sent an that upset or confused someone? What was it like to be in that situation and what did you do to clear up the misunderstanding? It is because of these uncomfortable situations that some ground rules on etiquette were established and why writers should be mindful of them.

The elements of email etiquette
General format Writing long messages Attachments The curse of surprises Flaming Delivering information Delivering bad news Electronic Mailing Lists Explanation: This slide provides an overview of the entire workshop. Workshop participants will benefit from information on the general format of writing, content development, and tips on how to use electronic mailing lists.

General Format: The Basics
Write a subject line for each new . Try to keep the brief (one screen length). Return s within the same time you would a phone call. Check for punctuation, spelling, and grammatical errors. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: Many complain that writers of do not take the time to be personable. One way to remedy this and extend good will toward the reader is to add a salutation for each new subject. “Dear,” “Hello,” and “Hi” are all acceptable greetings. If a writer is communicating with someone about the same subject (for example, authorization for overtime) then it is considered acceptable to just begin the with the first sentence. *Caudron Length: A number of experts have a wide range of opinions on how lengthy an should be. Some say that it does not matter and others say that an should be as long as the text box without scrolling. Both perspectives appear to be correct. In general s should be short and to the point. However, many companies are moving to paperless memos and other written transactions, thereby requiring that s be longer. This workshop is going to cover how to effectively write a long on slide #11 titled “When Your Message is Long.” Time: It is considered rude not to respond to an as soon as possible. Writers should strive to respond to s as quickly as they would a phone message, which tends to be immediately. If the requires a longer message than the writer is able to provide at that moment, it is considered proper etiquette to let the sender know that the message was received and that the writer is planning to respond as soon as time permits. Grammar and Punctuation: For the professional work world it is imperative that writers use capitalization, grammar, and other traditional ways of writing to include neutral fonts. Plain Text vs. HTML: Not all s are formatted to read html. It is best to send everything in plain text unless the writer knows for certain that the person he or she is writing can read html.

General Format: The Basics
Use Capital Letters when appropriate. Format your for plain text rather than HTML. Use a font that has a professional or neutral look. Many Westerners use Times New Roman 12 point.

General Format: Get English email
For this Business English class and Global Business communications, use Google, Yahoo or Hotmail. Many Korean servers screen out my s as spam. Some of my Korean students messages don’t get to my site.

General Format: Character Spacing
Try to keep your subject line length at 80 characters or less. If your message is likely to be forwarded, keep subject line to 60 characters or less. Set your preferences to automatically wrap outgoing plain text messages. Mouse-click to activate text Alert: People may become confused about how to accomplish this. Most s will generally account for this now. Directions for Netscape users: Click on the “Edit” menu on the task bar. Click on the “preferences” option. Choose the “Mail & Newsgroups” option. Click on the “Messages” option. Look to the right of the menu and focus on the “message wrapping” section. Be sure the number of characters selected for outgoing messages is between characters. Directions for Non-Netscape users: Writers should consult their instructional booklet or click on “help” in their session to determine how to set their preferences. Most s have a preferences option for their . Reminder: If the message is likely to be forwarded it should be less than 60 characters so that it will work with anyone’s software.

General Format: Lists and Bullets
When you are writing directions or want to emphasize important points, number your directions or bullet your main points. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: This is one of many ways to organize information within an document. It’s an effective way to make the information flow more logically and it helps the reader to know the proper order of the information in the in a very clear and concise way. *Angell and Heslop

For example, You should start this project by placing paper materials in the drawer labeled A. Then after you place the paper materials in drawer labeled A, you should then go and click the button labeled green to start the machine. Place the paper in drawer A. Click the green “start” button.

We have to achieve major corporate goals this year. Firstly, to improve customer satisfaction is our goal. Secondly we should empower our employees so they feel ownership and commitment. Improve customer satisfaction. Empower employees.

General Format: Tone Write in a positive tone
“When you complete the report.” instead of “If you complete the report.” Avoid negative words that begin with “un, non, ex” or that end with “less” (useless, non-existent, ex-employee, undecided). Explanation: The main point of this slide is to help participates understand the importance of tone. These are ways to create a document that sounds friendly and “nonverbally” open. While it is important to follow rules of punctuation and grammar in , using contractions can create a conversational style that isn’t intimidating. Remind students that tone is dependent on audience -- an to a co-worker might have a substantially different tone than to a boss. Ask them to think about situations and determine appropriate tones for them. *Angell and Heslop

General Format: Tone Do not use smiles , winks ;), and other
graphical symbols one business letters, only personal letters.

General Format: Tone In every form of business writing your tone is your personality on paper. is a serious business tool. Conduct your academic s to Professors the same formal way of business writing.

General Format: Tone Keep the message short and simple
Use active tone, not passive Select positive words Be courteous, direct, brief You will learn more about tone of English language later.

Best way to deliver the message?
Sometimes you should not write, especially if you are angry or very tired. A phone call or personal visit is sometimes better. Staff meeting for bad news is more humane. Is the reader in a middle of a crisis?

When is it best to deliver message
Some messages are too late. If it is noon and a meeting is at 1pm don’t , phone call people.

When is it best to deliver message
Some messages are sent too early and people will forget or won’t give the issue much consideration.

Delivery Who should receive a copy of this message? Do you send copies because they need to see your paper or because you are Covering Your Anatomy (CYA), defending yourself against future criticism. I warned you. Cover your anatomy.

Information Overload Be considerate and send messages only to people who need to receive them. If you send people only the information they need to do their jobs well and don’t contribute to their overload, they will approach your messages with respect. Explanation: Many users of complain a great deal about long address lists because they find it rude. Web and Internet experts tend to agree that scrolling is perceived by users to be an imposition. In other words they generally feel put upon when they are required to scroll too much. It is proper etiquette to minimize required scrolling as much as possible. Suggestions: Rather than typing in numerous addresses in the to: line, create mailing list groups so that there is only one address. It is okay to have three mailing groups included but writers should not include any more than that. How do I set up a list? Many composers have address functions that allow them to set up addresses for groups and individuals. Generally, writers will find these functions in the “address book” component of their . If a writer is sending out lists that have more than twenty people it is a good idea to check with the IT (technology staff) staff in his or her office to assist with setting up group lists.

Your Subject line is Key
The subject line determines if the reader reads your message. If the subject lines doesn’t jump off the screen and shout READ ME!, your message may not get read. Make your subject lines informative, direct and brief.

Telling a story with Email Headlines

The subject line of a letter, memo or message is the most important headline because it gives your reader the big picture. Subject: Sales soar 25% Subject: Yes we can honor your request for 25 SM& cars Subject: HR Staff Meeting 2/15 Room am You subject line can tell the whole story.

Good news subject lines are easy
Subject lines are the main headlines. If your reader doesn’t have time to read your entire message, she can look at the subject line and get all the information they need to know. Subject: Cean Ho, New VP of MIS Subject: Employee annual bonus of 5% salary

There are 80 spaces on the Subject line of your messages. Use the 80 spaces to convey information not: Hello Professor! It’s Me! How are you? This is Kim Better: Homework chapter 3 from Steven Kim

Which would inspire you to read the message? There’s going to be a meeting of MIS MIS Meeting MIS: Urgent Mtg. May/20/2005

There’s going to be a meeting of MI The last word got cut off. Even if the ‘S’ were visible, this subject line doesn’t give much information and wastes words

2. MIS Meeting This line is a little better, no wasted words. But this subject line gives little information and is not compelling.

3. MIS: Urgent Mtg. 5/20 This subject line gives you critical information. You know the meeting is Urgent and the date. However a room number, location and time should be added. 3. MIS: Urgent Mtg. May/20/ :00 Rm 303 HSBC HQ

Subject Line Key Words Using a key word at the beginning of your subject line helps when forwarding a message or trying to locate an old message. IT, HR (Human Resources) Billing, New Products are key words.

Subject Line Key Words People who get lots of messages often look for key words to determine what and when to read s.

Subject Lines can be the message
The staff meeting scheduled for June/2 is being moved to June/3. All other information (time, location and agenda) remains the same. Use the subject line: Staff mtg chg to June/3. All else same-END

You want to remind your team about the kick-off meeting on Friday, April 3, at noon, 4th floor conference room. Use the subject line: Kick-off mtg, Apr/3/05 noon, 4th floor conf rm-End

You’ve attached a 15 page report that outlines the sales forecast for the second quarter. Even though you’re sending an attachment, you use the subject line: Sales to increase 15% Q2, 2005-End The reader doesn’t need to read the report. The reader got the key information

What if your system won’t send a message that doesn’t have a message? Type a single character into the message section. The subject line will let the reader know your message is complete.

Use English not Hangul as your personal header for Global Emails
여현진 RE: syllabus for Fall Business... 안선영 about tomorrow (Sunyoung Ahn) 여 현진 This is Hopper in KHU Some westerner will delete the as spam mail. Most westerners cannot read Hangul and will wait until the end of the day to answer Hangul Prefix.

Use English not Hangul as your personal header for Global Emails
Some Westerners will delete Hangul as spam mail. Most Westerners cannot read Hangul and will wait until the end of the day to answer a Hangul Prefix. Businesses have a choice with whom they do business with. Non Koreans will choose an English message first.

Use an English first name for business
Plus your Korean Last Name. Or English name in quotes “Richard” Shim. If you use just your first initials ‘S.K.” Westerners cannot understand if you are a man or woman. Westerners have trouble pronouncing and remembering Korean names. Some Westerners confuse Korean first and last names. Korean wives don’t have the same family name as their husbands.

Many English Names to select
There are formal, informal and baby-Irish-Southern USA versions of the same name of men. An unusual cultural tradition in the Western Christian culture is for fathers to give their oldest sons their identical names!

Many English Names to select
Girls are not usually named after their mother so there are fewer informal versions of the same female name.

Patterns of English Names
David Dave Davy Richard Rich Richy Thomas Tom Tommy Robert Rob Robby Bob Bobby William Will Willy Bill Billy James Jim Jimmy (Jimmy Carter former USA President)

Always use MS Word not Hangul
Hangul has some editing problems and lacks a complete English dictionary. Composing letters and messages on boards is unstable. You may lose a lot of time retyping letters lost with system crashes. It is easier to store and retrieve documents on MS Word than in .

List the Global time and date
Most of Korea’s economy is based on overseas sales. Therefore it is very important to list the location of a due date. The offer is good up to 5pm Friday Sept. 9 Korea time. The offer is good up to 5pm Friday Sept. 9 EST (Eastern Standard Time).

List the Global time and date
Utilize this great free web site: This site is the world time clock and time zones sorted by country and city name.

Write out the full date People can misunderstand urgent deadlines written in an abbreviated form. In order to save space people write April 5, 1999 as 5/4/99. Europeans and Koreans put the day of the week before the month. So the deadline was May 5, not April 4th. Japanese put the year first. It is good business practice to write out the month, date and year always. Your can be forwarded around the world with a click of a button. You can use Apr. for April.

Attachments When you are sending an attachment tell your respondent what the name of the file is, what program it is saved in, and the version of the program. “This file is in MSWord 2000 under the name “LabFile.” Explanation: Attachments can sometimes cause more headaches than help, and it can be difficult for the recipient's) to figure out why they are unable to download an attachment. One way to help is to provide all of the important information about the file so that the recipient can trouble shoot to something more serious if there is a problem other than incompatibility. Also, due to viruses that spread via attachments, it’s important that the recipient know that the sender meant for an attachment to be included with the message, and what kind of attachment it is, since opening unknown attachments could cause serious damage to the recipient’s system and spread viruses further. Always check any attachments you are going to send for viruses, and never open unknown attachments!

Attachments Confirm your reader can receive the file. There are differences in English and Korean operating systems and different program versions. If unsure, send a test file to the reader to check for compatibility.

Read your English Emails out loud
Reading your English s out loud before you send gives you an extra chance to practice English. Your brain will self correct your mispronunciations that it hears. Reading out loud exercises your mouth, tongue and lips in English. Reading a second language out load will not slow down your reading speed that much. Put a blabber mouth photo here.

Before you send that email
Print out a hard copy. Errors in format, type setting, layout and overlays of photos become more apparent. Spend the money and time to print out your documents. Your documents become your face, body and reputation.

Always spell and grammar check another time.

Make a copy of your important incoming and outgoing messages. Students are responsible for keeping copies of all your messages, not the professor. It is so easy to hit the delete key and loose valuable information and time.

Before you send that Email.
Before you press the send button, ask yourself: Is my subject line compelling and revealing? Is my document visually appealing? Have I established the right tone? Have I proof read, proof read, proof read?

Writing a Draft copy It’s vital to always prepare a draft copy of your English before you send a message. Spell and Grammar check must be completed on MS Word. The visual impact of your document must be checked.

Short messages A short message can be delivered on one or two screens. Give your reader the who, what, when, where, why and how on the first screen.

When your message is long
Create an “elevator” summary. Provide a table of contents on the first screen of your . If you require a response from the reader then be sure to request that response in the first paragraph of your . Create headings for each major section. Mouse-click to activate text Elevator Summary: Business experts often refer to this kind of summary either as an elevator summary or an executive summary. Either terminology is correct. An elevator summary is a summary that can be given to a colleague or employer in the short time it takes to get from the ground floor to the third floor on an elevator. It has the bare essentials of the message. *Angell and Heslop Why a summary? We all know what it is like to inundated with , so much so that is difficult to figure out what s have priority over others. If there is a brief summary at the top readers can make a decision about whether to save the for later or finish it at that time. The table of contents: The table of contents is a very friendly gesture toward readers when they are required to read long messages. It allows them to skip to the sections of the that apply to them and avoid those areas that do not. Other explanations: If the reader needs to respond immediately to the then that should be conveyed in the first paragraph; otherwise, that message may be overlooked and the writer will not receive the response as quickly as one is needed.

Elevator Summary An elevator summary should have all the main components of the including purpose, scope, methods, results, conclusions, findings, next steps, recommendations etc. “Our profit margin for the last quarter went down 5%. As a result I am proposing budget adjustment for the following areas…” Elevator summary activated by mouse-click, table of contents loads automatically Sample: This slide shows examples of the elevator summary and the table of contents. *Angell and Heslop

Table of Contents for long emails
“This contains A. Budget projections for the last quarter B. Actual performance for the last quarter C. Adjustment proposal D. Projected profitability”

Delivering Information About Meetings, Orientations, Processes
Include an elevator summary and table of contents with headings. Provide as much information as possible. Offer the reader an opportunity to receive the information via postal mail or fax if the is too confusing. Explanation: Many companies, in an effort to save on paper, are sending vital information through about their conferences, corporate orientations, and new policies and procedures. Most likely, new employees will be easily frustrated and confused, so providing information about orientations should be detailed and organized. The more information that is included in the the less likely the composer will have to fax or mail a document. The same is true for meetings and for policy changes.

‘Good News’ letters are easy
Subject lines are the main headlines. If your reader doesn’t have time to read your entire message, she can look at the subject line and get all the information they need to know. Subject: Cean Ho, New VP of MIS Subject: Employee annual bonus of 5% salary

Include supporting materials
To support the subject line including who, what, when, where and how. Try answering the questions in the order that your reader would most likely ask the questions.

Delivering Bad News Create a buffer Explain the decision
Avoid blaming statements. Avoid hedging words or words that sound ambiguous. End on a friendly, positive note. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: There is a myth that continues to circulate that the more a person stalls in getting bad news out the better the recipient will feel about it because he or she will be prepared. THIS IS NOT TRUE. In fact, stalling or beating around the bush only leads to reader frustration and may not serve the messenger well if he or she is writing the to their boss. It is better to deliver bad news up front in the elevator summary.

Delivering Bad News Avoid blaming:
“Please understand that the unions, weather, currency, raw materials caused us problems. But what can I do to help?” Avoid hedging. Examples of hedging are: Intents and purposes Possibly, most likely Perhaps, maybe Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: This slide provides examples of poor choices for prioritizing information and shows ways to construct messages that are not blaming or ambiguous. The term “weasel words” was coined by Angell and Heslop to describe words that appear cowardly, ambiguous, or indirect in an effort to ward off or stall potentially negative repercussions.

Sequencing for Bad news
Your intention is to keep your customer happy while sending unfavorable information. Remember that you are trying to persuade the reader that your news is fair, even though contrary to her request. Be diplomatic with your words

Diplomatic vs. Rude headlines
Diplomatic Headlines: Where to find Information “The warranty is good for 30 days. However, on page 2 of the instructions you received…” Impolite Headlines: The warranty expired “If you had read the instructions that came in your package, you would have noticed that our warranty is only good for 30 days.

Avoid mentioning company rules: Company policies won’t calm down the reader. Customer benefit reasons will help. In order to keep health insurance premiums down for all customers, we cannot fund cosmetic surgery at this time.

Diplomatic headline: Timing is Everything “Thank you for giving us a chance to consider a loan to finance your proposed home purchase. We regret, however, that we are unable to grant you a loan at this time. Perhaps at a later date…” Rude Headline: Company Policy “It’s against company policy to grant loans to people in your income bracket.

Planning a Bad News letter
Begin with a buffer: We agree with you. Thank you for bringing this to our attention You have an excellent record We’re happy to grant part of your request

2. Explain the decision This is how we may help you With your best interests in mind Won’t you accept this as a substitute? May we offer a suggestion?

3. End on a Friendly, Positive Note You’re a valued customer Won’t you try (possibly a sales promotion item) We look forward to being of help next time.

Positive Spin Bad news Headlines
You’re a valued customer thank them for their business Mention the strength of your company Decisions aren’t always easy We’d love to say “Yes” However… Keeping your costs down Offer to be of help in the future

Writing a complaint

Writing a complaint You should briefly state the history of the problem to provide context for your reader. Explain the attempts you made previously to resolve the problem. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: When writing a complaint via the writer should provide a very clear picture for the recipient mainly because there is a tremendous amount of room for misinterpretation or misunderstanding. It is important that the writer provide a context and state clearly what the problem is and how he or she would like to see the problem resolved. Reminder: Remind the participants that if the problem is urgent, they should indicate that in their elevator summary and let the recipient know they need a response as soon as possible.

Writing a complaint Show why it is critical for the problem to be resolved by your reader. Offer suggestions on ways you think it can be resolved or how you are willing to help in the matter.

Writing a complaint Briefly state the history:
“The current way we calculate hours worked does not include week days after 6pm and weekend work.” Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: These are the first two steps one can take in writing a complaint. It is important for the writer to provide a context for his or her audience and to show the audience that he or she has taken all the necessary and required steps to resolve it. When a person takes the time to show that she or he is contributing to the solution the message takes on a positive tone that is generally received with greater ease and optimism by the audience.

Writing a complaint Show attempts made by you thus far to resolve the issue: “I have offered two alternatives for compensatory time off and flex time working but both have been rejected by the executive board.”

Writing a complaint Show why it is important for your reader to get involved: “This is a problem for two reasons. First, I am concerned that the high level of employees quitting is robbing us of key talent decreases morale and productivity. Second, there have been a number of complaints from our customers about inexperienced case works, which weakens customer loyalty.” Explanation: Everyone does not agrees on what is considered to be a “problem.” When writers clearly state what they perceive to be troublesome it reduces the possibility of disagreement between them and their audience. Labeling something as a “problem” is not sufficient enough to motivate others to act. The problem must be clearly defined in a way that can foster solutions.

Writing a complaint Ask for help and offer a resolution:
“Please let me know what other options I may have overlooked. I am willing to meet with the department head and the executive board to seek out a solution that is fair to the members and is good for the business of the organization. ” Explanation: Most often when people receive complaints the natural reaction is to ask “so how does this involve me?” It is vital that writers prescribe courses of action to motivate their audience. First, writers should concede that they may have overlooked an option; perhaps there are other ways to resolve the problem without calling meetings and sending out intimidating memos. Second, writers should show how they are willing to participate in the solution by suggesting their willingness to meet with a third party, the party in question, or others. This shows that writers have good will toward the organization.

Do not take your reader by surprise or press them to the wall
Do not wait until the end of the day to introduce a problem or concern via memo or . Avoid writing a litany of concerns that you have been harboring for a long period of time. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: One of the quickest ways to frustrate someone is to surprise him or her by either copying a complaint to both him or her and their boss (skipping over the chain of command) or waiting until the end of the day to introduce a problem. This is likely to compromise the complaint’s effectiveness and alienate the writer from his or her audience. Once the audience is alienated, co-workers and employers may not express any empathy toward the writer, his or her concerns may not be addressed in a timely manner, the message may be ignored, or the writer may receive a flippant . Rather than take readers by surprise writers should address concerns as soon as possible and with as much decorum and diplomacy as possible.

Don’t send an email if you are upset
Always give yourself a day to cool down. Sometimes it is helpful to write a negative letter and then just throw it away. Remember when you send an , it lasts forever and you cannot get the back.

Taking Professors By Surprise
Communicate with your professors and class president via . Complaints about grades and projects should generally be discussed in person. Post your concerns or questions in a timely manner in both Korean and English. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: Professors and TAs find themselves inundated with from their department and from their students. Students who are exercising appropriate netiquette understand that they should respect the boundaries set by their teachers. Some professors will tell the students how often they check their and let them know the best way a student can communicate with them outside of the classroom. If they do not, it is acceptable to approach the teacher and clarify that point. Some students will choose as a forum for venting their frustrations about the class as a way to avoid speaking directly with the professor. In certain cases this may be acceptable if written with propriety. It is expected that some students are shy. However, it is critical to follow the steps laid out in this presentation on writing sensitive documents. Also, students in the audience should be reminded that they need to contact their teachers as soon as they have a concern, not later. Reminder: It is important to remind the participants of the workshop that they should always consider their situation and the relationship they have with their instructor or professor. There are always exceptions to the rules as some professors prefer to deal with and others not. Students should consider writing an generalizing their concerns and then if need be, make an appointment to see the professor.

Taking Professors By Surprise
There will be time for mid course corrections after the midterm. We will schedule a class meeting in September and before the Final Exam. Maintain class deadlines.

Any strong objections to using your emails in class discussions?
If you strongly object to me using your s and documents in class let me know by September 9, Without written notice I will operate under implied consent from students about discussing their s in the classroom. I will white out student names. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: Every professor and instructor has his or her own way of using in the classroom. Adherence to your preferences is most likely to occur when you explicitly state your policy to your students and/or include it in your syllabus. Do Not Want s? Then be sure to inform your students that you have chosen not to include your address and that is not acceptable avenue to get a hold of you. Instead, offer them other avenues. Otherwise, students may seek out your address in the campus directory. Subject Specifications: Some professors do not have mind discussing grades via and others do. Some professors do not like to discuss class materials via and others do. If you have certain preferences, be sure to let your students know what those are. Also be aware of your school’s policies regarding disclosure of grades or other sensitive information to students. Consent: Many times students will ask questions where the answer you give will benefit the entire class and not just them. Seek the consent of the student to let the class know that they brought up the concern or refer to the without specifically mentioning the student who sent it. Just as professors do not like to be caught by surprise, neither do students.

Flaming in s Flaming is a virtual term for venting or sending inflammatory messages in . Avoid flaming because it tends to create a great deal of conflict that spirals out of control. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: Many people become frustrated with a co-worker, boss, or office policy and have the need to vent that frustration. However, there are some serious problems with flaming and it should happen sparingly in s. Activity: (read the following to the audience) “I am so sick and tired of all the crap that goes on in this office. Judy is the most annoying person that I’ve ever known and she hardly ever gets her work done in a timely manner and I’m tired of watching her do nothing. Besides that, every time I try and get help Larry just acts like there isn’t a problem. I am SO CLOSE TO QUITTING! I swear that if someone says another thing to me I am out the door honestly. The procedures in here are only for certain people and the rest are favorites. As a matter of fact, I don’t even think this problem can be solved until Judy is fired.” Discussion: Have the audience think about the ramifications of sending this . Who will be hurt? How? What could have been done by the writer earlier to avoid this build up of frustration? Might the writer have some legitimate concerns that are masked by his or her anger? What might be a better way to write about those concerns? *Angell and Heslop

Flaming in s Flame fights are the equivalent of food fights and tend to affect observers in a very negative way. What you say cannot be taken back. Your messages last forever; it is in black and white.

Keep flaming under control
Before you send an message, ask yourself, “would I say this to this person’s face?” Calm down before responding to a message that offends you. Once you send the message it is gone. Read your message twice before you send it and assume that you may be misinterpreted when proofreading. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: It is easy for writers to let their guards down when communicating electronically because they are not actually getting immediate feedback. The nature of communication changes. Sometimes people tend to do and say things over and on electronic mailing lists that they would never do in an office meeting or face to face with a co-worker. It is essential that the participants understand how unproductive flaming s are and the snowball effect they can have in the office (because they can be forwarded or printed). Reminder: Do not use obscene or abusive language and do not flame in a public forum like a message group or electronic mailing list. *Angell and Heslop

Responding to a flame Empathize with the sender’s frustration and tell them they are right if that is true If you feel you are right, thank them for bringing the matter to your attention Explain what led to the problem in question Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: When responding to a flame, the respondent must do his or her best to remain professional and neutral. s are infamous for creating misunderstandings. Try to be as clear as possible and as empathetic as possible. If none of the above tactics work then it is most appropriate to take this concern outside of the electronic sphere and into the traditional interpersonal (face to face) sphere. *Angell and Heslop

Responding to a flame Avoid getting bogged down by details and minor arguments If you are aware that the situation is in the process of being resolved let the reader know at the top of the response Apologize if necessary Write the letter on MS Word file it and forget it.

Complementary Closings
Close your message with Formal: Sincerely Yours, Cordially. Or informal: Thanks, THK (Thanks) or Regards.

General Tips for Electronic Mailing Lists
Avoid discussing private concerns and issues. It is okay to address someone directly on the list. Ex, “Hi Leslie, regarding your question” Change the subject heading to match the content of your message. When conflict arises on the list speak in person with the one with whom you are in conflict. Mouse-click to activate text Explanation: The most important concept about electronic mailing lists is that they are conversations, but PUBLIC conversations. When writers respond to an e-list they should be sure to check who the message is going to. If you have a personal concern or message then respond to someone privately on the list or in person.

Don’t Use all CAPITAL LETTERS
I OFTEN GET MESSAGES DELIVERED IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. WHY DO PEOPLE DO THAT? HAVE THEY PRESSED THE CAPS LOCK KEY BY MISTAKE? WHEN I GET A MESSAGE IN ALL CAPS, I FEEL AS IF THE WRITER IS SHOUTING AT ME!!!

Don’t Use all small letters: wimpy
the effect of all lower case letters is weak and wimpy, opposite of SHOUTING IN ALL CAPS.

Don’t use Underline too much
Be careful of underscores: underscores tend to cut through descenders, small g, j, p, q, and y, making the text difficult to read.

KISS your email messages
Keep It Short and Simple Use the active voice Use positive words Be courteous, direct Be brief

Start your Email with Person’s title
Do you say hello when you answer the phone and in person? An with a ‘salutation’ or formal greeting is expected in business communications.

Identify yourself Identify yourself, your title, department and
Company when sending s outside of your company. Is T.S. A woman or man?

Use Abbreviations carefully
Only use if you’re certain the reader will know what the abbreviation stands for. Always spell out the Acronym first before using it. Point of Sale (P.O.S.)

Urgency Overload Some people designate every message as urgent because everything they send they think is urgent. What these people don’t realize is people weren’t reading those messages at all.

Urgency Overload Some day you will have a message that is truly urgent. You will need immediate feed back and no one responds. If something is truly urgent, consider making the phone call rather than risking the recipient won’t see the message in time.

Don’t Assume others know your deadlines
If something is truly urgent, consider making the phone call rather than risking the recipient won’t see the message in time.

When Won’t Work There are times when you need to take your discussion out of the virtual world and make a phone call. If things become very heated, a lot of misunderstanding occurs, or when you are delivering very delicate news then the best way is still face-to face. Explanation: Not all messages are best delivered via . There are many instances when one should stop and say, “It’s time to meet or talk in person because we’ve gotten as far as we can through .” Generally, most people are agreeable to talking in person. Reminder: Because of the facelessness of there are a number of misunderstandings and misperceptions that can occur.

Ten Ways to cut Information overload in Email world
“We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge.” John Naisbitt, America writer and social researcher.

1. Optimizing Delivery and Sending
Is there a more appropriate way to deliver the message?

Am I a selective sender? Send s to only those who need to receive them. There’s a great tendency in an environment to broadcast your message to almost everyone you’ve ever met.

Are my mailing lists up to date? Delete names of employees who left the company. Promptly delete names of people who ask to be removed. Send messages to only those who need to read your messages. Joke but true.

2. Maximizing Filing Capabilities
Do you use file folders effectively? Do you clutter your metal file cabinets with papers that have no order? Or do you categorize the papers and place them in labeled file folders for easy retrieval.

Rather than keeping all your e-messages in your inbox, create electronic file folders and label them as you do your paper file folders so you retrieve them easily. Filing electronically is quick and easy. You just drag and drop a message to the e file you want.

Many companies and Universities have intranet bulletin boards and web pages where you can post a document for electronic viewing.

3. Writing for the sake of visibility
People haven’t heard from you for awhile and you feel it’s time you earned some ‘brownie’ or relationship points. Mistake, use the phone. People with non essential messages run the risk of no one paying attention even when you have something important to say.

4. Using Bozo Email Filters
Bozo Filters zap out unwanted messages. Bozo filters demand that you preload names of people from whom you want to receive mail and the filters prioritize incoming messages from people you have entered. You risk blocking out valuable information from people not on your list. Information can change the course of your career and bring opportunities. From unexpected sources.

5. Changing the Subject line of forwarded messages
Before you forward a message to someone else, think! Even though you didn’t write the original document, you’re still sending information that can add to overload.

5. Changing the Subject line of forwarded messages
If you forward a message with a subject line is ‘Tomorrow’s Meeting Canceled”. Someone might take your scheduled meeting with them off the calendar. Just sending an FYI might not be enough for to avoid confusion. Forwarding without modifying the subject line can send an inaccurate message.

6. Writing subject lines that limit Overload
Are your headlines action packed? Action requested, recommended, required Person to contact (full name) Deadline date How to… Next step(s)

6. Writing subject lines that limit Overload
Do my subject lines shout: Read Me? Does it get attention? Does it provide key words? Does it signal its level of importance? Does it deliver the message?

7. Creating Visual Impact
Headlines for almost every paragraph to focus your reader on major ideas. Sidelines for extra emphasis for persuasion

Short Paragraphs (5-6 lines) to avoid overwhelming readers, to attract speed readers Bulleted Lists to replace lists with sentences

Numbered Lists: When sequence is important, listing steps in a procedure for ease in referring to the list during discussion and searches.

White Space and Indentations To frame your ideas To improve readability

Graphs, Charts or Tables To present numbers, dates, money or data Bar Line Area Pie XY

Deadlines and Action Items With: Underlining Bold ALL CAPITAL LETTERS Italics Different Fonts Different Size Fonts

Is my formatting effective? Using asterisks ** or dashes – Leaving double spaces Leaving lots of white spaces Boxing information

If your document is longer than one screen, put all the key information: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How on the first screen.

Long Documents: Include a table of contents or Executive Summary on the first screen Send the document as an attachment if longer than three screens If you use a compression program, inform your reader Post the document to intranet bulletin board or web page

8. Double Check Reply Lists
Check response lists and reply to only the person who needs to receive your response. Consider deleting the original message unless you need it for clarity and details

9. Ignore Chain Letters and Scams
The junk s contribute dramatically to information overload. Don’t forward time wasting information people probably heard on the TV or read in the newspaper. If you must forward a chain letter, delete the headers showing everyone else who received the message earlier.

10. Keep separate Academic, Business and Personal Accounts
You must establish a separate English Yahoo, Hotmail or Google account for this class with an English Name header. Keep your personal s outside of your company’s net work.

Home work due by Sept 8, 2005 17:00 hours to davejaye55@yahoo.com
What are your strengths and weaknesses writing an ? Solve the informal and Irish-Southern USA-youngster versions of top USA names 2002. Select an English name for this class. Register an English account. What are the top 10 ways to reduce overload? Tell me how often each month you write English, speak English or receive English s? Do you have an electronic Korean-English dictionary? What are your plans to purchase one if you don’t? Do you think Koreans react differently to any colors than Westerns do as described on page 107? You may work in groups on this project.

For more information Contact Professor Dave Jaye in writing and scheduled appointments. I will respond to most s within 48 hours or sooner. Or call My phone is off during classes. Key Concept: Purdue’s Writing Lab offers a variety of professional writing services. Purdue students can schedule one-on-one tutoring sessions to work with specially trained tutors for any of their professional writing concerns. The Lab staff can also be reached via the Grammar Hotline or through to answer brief questions. It is also a good idea to check out the Writing Lab web site, which offers a variety of online handouts and workshops related to audience, tone, and organization. Reminder: The tutors at the Writing Lab are not able to help with technical problems students have with their preferences and accounts. They should contact their service provider for further assistance.

Questions, comments, opinions?
Professor Dave Jaye Good Luck!

Global Business Emails Powerful Business Email Skills for English as a Second Language (ESL) Writers Welcome to the Email Etiquette Workshop. This presentation.

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Global Business Emails Powerful Business Email Skills for English as a Second Language (ESL) Writers Welcome to the Email Etiquette Workshop. This presentation."— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback

Log in

Auth with social network:

Global Business Emails Powerful Business Email Skills for English as a Second Language (ESL) Writers Welcome to the Email Etiquette Workshop. This presentation.

Similar presentations

Presentation on theme: "Global Business Emails Powerful Business Email Skills for English as a Second Language (ESL) Writers Welcome to the Email Etiquette Workshop. This presentation."— Presentation transcript:

Similar presentations

About project

Feedback