Obwohl viele der E-Mails, die Sie schreiben, sehr kurz sind, dauert es lang, sie zu formulieren. Secretary Today gibt Ihnen 5 Tipps, wie Sie Ihre E-Mails ebenso spannend wie korrekt beginnen und formvollendet schließen.
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Many of you wrote to me during 2010 asking for help in starting and finishing emails. As all of you recognize, the start and finish of an email are very important. They strengthen your communication and make your message easier to understand. But they are not always easy to write. You need the right vocabulary, of course, but on top of that you need to choose the correct level of formality.
These five tips will help you find the exact words you need. Follow them to make your email communication even better in 2011.
Insider Tip: These five tips apply to emails sent to the USA and Canada and the
UK. If you write regularly to readers around the world, learn from them about the beginnings and endings that are common and accepted in their culture.
5 tips for starting and finishing emails
1 Welcome your reader with an appropriate subject line
Start off with a clear subject line that helps readers know what to expect and that tells them whether your message is important or urgent.
2 Use an appropriate greeting
Just as you always begin a phone call with “Hello,” “Hi” and the name of the person you are calling, begin your email with a greeting. Here you’ll find an overview of which greeting you should use in which situation.
3 You can leave out the greeting
If you are engaged in a quick email exchange with someone, you don’t have to continually greet them, just as you wouldn’t say “Hi, Dave” if you had just put someone on hold on the phone.
4 Sign off like a phone call
The last sentence of an email is similar to the last words of a phone call. Depending on how formal the communication was, you can sign off quickly or use a longer, more courteous close.
5 Know when to use a complimentary close
Business letters usually end with a complimentary close, like “Yours sincerely,” “Best regards,” and so on. Use a complimentary close in your emails, too. They are professional and they communicate that you are courteous. But take care not to be too formal! Here you find some guidelines telling you which complimentary close you should use in which cases.