Emaily Post Strikes Back
“It is difficult to explain why well-bred people avoid certain words and expressions that are admitted by etymology and grammar. So it must be merely stated that they have and undoubtedly always will avoid them.”
-Emily Post
After publishing the last article about the email decorum, Emaily Post has received a number of questions, both about managing a list of online supporters and the etiquette of the medium in general. Below are some answers.
Dear Emaily,
I have a friend who uses vCards in his email, but he has been told by colleagues that the practice is annoying. Aren’t vCards the equivalent of giving people your business card via email?
Be honest, the “friend” using the vCards is you, isn’t it? Yes, vCards are email business cards, an invention that seemed like a good idea back in 1995. Borrowing advice from the formidable Nancy Reagan, just say no to vCards.
Let me share the reasons why I respond with such resolute dismissal. Every email with a vCard appears as if it has an attachment in the recipient’s inbox, making it more difficult to find legitimate attachments. Also, vCards do not offer helpful shortcuts to recipients. Unless the recipient moves the vCard outright into his or her Outlook rolodex, he or she will have to copy each field separately to save your contact information. Stick with a simple signature at the bottom of your email—it is far more user-friendly and less annoying.
Dear Emaily,
There is a lot of talk about the importance of a well written email. I know a poorly written message when I see one, but not sure what ‘well written’ really means. Can you weigh in?
The Economist said it best: “Clarity of writing usually follows clarity of thought. So think what you want to say, then say it as simply as possible.” When writing for the Web, brevity and lucidity is critical given your audience’s fleeting attention span. Here are a few suggestions to get started:
Before you start writing, think about what you are trying to say. Jot down why the information is important from the audience’s perspective—this will impact what you say and how. Keep in mind the age-old marketing maxim, don’t tell them about your lawnmower, tell them about how great their lawn will look.
- Let your voice come through. Keep the tone conversational, as you would talking to a person you know, even if you are writing for thousands. Reading your message out loud is the best test to determine if you have succeeded or not.
- Focus on the most important points. You may have a lot to say to support your point but cramming in too much will confuse, or worst bore your readers. If you just can’t contain yourself, offer a link for additional information.
- Use simple words. As the original Ms. Post astutely pointed out that we should never say “partook in liquid refreshment” when “had something to drink” does the job. I have chastised writers using words from the GMAT study guide before, but this point is worth reinforcing: avoid jargon, policy speak, technical lingo, acronyms, and buzzwords like plague.
- Is your message important? If you are hoping to spur readers into action, ask yourself, is your message urgent? Does it convey the importance of the issue? Is it clear what that action is and how the reader would participate? If not, maybe the message isn’t worth sending.
This is not rocket science but following these guidelines is easier said than done. So edit, revise, and recruit a friend to offer suggestions.
Dear Emaily,
Are some fonts better than others? I’ve always heard that serif fonts are easier to read. Is that true and what font should I use to make my communications more effective?
A good font is like good handwriting—it is legible. It is a commonly held belief that serif fonts (letters with little squigglies) are easier to read in print. Whether serif or sans-serif fonts are more readable for the Web users is still a matter of some debate. However, the general consensus is that san serif is the way to go. A common explanation from the “sans-serif” camp is that digitizing of the fonts makes it difficult to render effectively enough for fine serifs.
My advice, stick with tried and true (and while you are at it, spare your recipients the e-stationary with watercolor images). Verdana (9-10 points) and Arial (12 points) are a safe bet. But if your branding guidelines insist on serifs, don’t be too fussed. Most modern fonts are friendly and the differences in readability are not very significant.
And just because a font is legible, doesn’t mean it is appropriate. Unless you are writing for eight year olds, don’t ever use the Comic Sans family of fonts.
Dear Emaily,
How can I politely express to colleagues that I find the ‘thank you’ and ‘respond to all” emails to be a waste of time? It’s just another email I have to open and it doesn’t actually say anything or serve any purpose. Am I a curmudgeon?
Sure, you could (politely) tell colleagues to buzz off, but honestly, is it worth it? Endless thank-yous and abusing forwarding privileges are irritating, but a lack of response - sending an email into a black hole and never receiving a confirmation that it was read or received - is so much worse. Unless the problem is rampant (I’ll let you decide what that means), why not set up your preview pane so you can quickly hit “delete” to your heart’s content?
If you have questions for Emaily about email etiquette and best practices, please email Olga at owoltman@gmail.com.