As you pay close attention to these email guidelines, you'll see how to make your own email messages more readable and easily understood. This is continued from the July 20 post on email for a total of 10 Ways to End Email Drama.
6. White space directs the eye. Email messages are not as easy on the eyes as letters are. You need to use lot's of white space to draw the reader to what you are writing. Cluttered messages are stressing. Make sure there is a blank line between each paragraph, and make your paragraphs short.
7. No reverse typeface. Reverse typeface means white letters on a dark background. This type of layout is more difficult to read. Avoid it.
8. Use bold for emphasis. Underlining words creates additional clutter and WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS is screaming at your reader, not a pleasant experience. After bolding, italicizing is the second best way to draw attention to key words.
9. Subheadings clarify. If you're like me, you're in a hurry when you read and when you write. That's the root cause of most email drama anyway. A one to three-word subheading to your paragraph makes your meaning more evident. Capitalize the first word of your subheading.
10. Use bullets or checklists. A checklist is a good way to provide important information in a condensed format. Either a checklist or a string of bullet points helps you to organize your own thinking and make your meaning easier to capture.
Imagine your work life with no email drama. Think of all you can now accomplish!
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