Many years ago there was an aftershave commercial with the tagline: “Hai Karate…be careful how you use it!” When I think of the attributes of email, I often recall that aftershave commercial. Email is a tool, and like a hammer, you can use it to build a house or tear it down. In business, we want to build.
Responding quickly when appropriate: We have all been in a situation where we needed data, a model number, or a code to complete a task. We email someone who we know can help, and we appreciate it when they get right back to us. Downsde: Responding quickly to every email we receive could be a distraction, and affect our time management.
Send on Monday morning: A postal employee once told me that the best time to go to the post office is before 10am on Saturday. They were right! Likewise, here is the rule for sending an important email: Sent it out first thing Monday morning so that it will be at the top.
Using emoji’s: According to email strategist Emma Russell, emoji’s can give us a nice emotional spike, but they work best when sending them to people you know. “Using emoji’s with strangers can have unintended consequences.”
Question: When should we phone rather than email? That’s debatable. My rule of thumb: If someone is writing me an email and I can tell they are upset with me, my response would probably be two words”: “Let’s talk”
