Sending an email message may seem like child's play, but it's not at all. It's best to avoid a few mistakes that can cause you to look bad
For many, it may seem like child's play; the easiest thing to do when we're online. But the exact opposite is true: in order to write an e-mail message that isn't completely wrong and incomprehensible, it is necessary to respect precise parameters and rules. The risk, if you exaggerate, is to turn out rude and annoy the recipient of our message.
Some errors, then, are more serious and frequent than others. Maybe without realizing it, we end up repeating the same mistakes, jeopardizing the relationship with our friends or precluding us from participating in the job selections for the job of our dreams. In short, if we don't write emails with the right care and attention, we are in serious danger of making a serious mistake.
Beware of replies
How many times have you been included in an email message with dozens of other recipients and sent for the most varied purposes? Whether it's a message from a friend or acquaintance or a work e-mail, always think twice before hitting the "Reply to all" button: you may soon regret it. For example, you may be revealing your secret to dozens of people who barely know you, or you may trigger a flurry of replies and comments that will end up clogging up your inbox. If you have something to say to one of the people in the message, answer privately, you won't regret it.
Form first
It may seem like an informal means of communication, but when writing an e-mail there are some syntactical and grammatical rules you should never forget. Even if you're in a hurry, don't let yourself get carried away with abbreviations or expressions typical of instant messaging: phrases and expressions such as "kiamami" or "answer me asap" may be fine for WhatsApp or a text message, but are considered distasteful if they are also used in an email message.
Don't be too long
This doesn't mean, of course, that we should write a poem every time we reply to an email we receive. In fact, if we go on too long, we risk committing several errors: we could be unclear or even incomprehensible; we could steal "precious time" from our interlocutor with the risk of soon becoming boring and seeing our message trashed. A clear message, on the other hand, is composed of a few pieces of information, provided in a direct and concise manner. If there is a need for further explanation, the recipient will ask for it directly.
Never take anything for granted
To avoid bad figures, however, it is always better to reread the e-mail before sending it, putting yourself in the shoes of your interlocutor. Se vi sembra che manchi qualche dato o qualche informazione, aggiungetela senza timore: ne guadagnerà la chiarezza del messaggio ed eviterà incomprensioni inutili.
E-mail o messaggio?
Anche se l’onnipresenza dei social e delle app di messaggistica hanno sempre più ridotto il confine che separa il servizio di posta elettronica da quello di messaggistica istantanea, vale la pena ricordare che e-mail ed SMS (con tutte le sue derivazioni “moderne”, da WhatsApp in giù) sono nati per scopi differenti. Prima di cadere in errore, provate ad analizzare la situazione e interrogatevi su quale sia il mezzo di comunicazione migliore. Se, ad esempio, volete ottenere una risposta immediata, è meglio utilizzare un SMS o inviare un messaggio WhatsApp, magari anticipando il fatto che state per inviare anche un’e-mail. Se, invece, si tratta di una comunicazione più formale (o semplicemente più articolata e lunga) optate per la posta elettronica. Beware, however, to weigh the needle of the scales on one or the other side will also be the recipient of the communication: if he hates to be disturbed with text messages or WhatsApp, send him an email, regardless of the hurry you have.
