Design: E-mail for Clarity By: Haley and Charlie

Why it’s important Every e-mail is sent for one reason and one crucial job which is to communicate. You have to make your messages crystal clear, letting the reader focus and look straight into the issue with no distractions. A well written email is organized and easy to read which is what we are going to teach you how to do.

Key to reader friendly emails Use double-spacing between paragraphs Select a readable font, 10-12 point font is what's recommended Avoid using color, highlights, italics, or other unusual types of font

Long e-mails Headings- if your message has several main points, use headings to help your reader quickly and easily identify the main ideas. Lists- If a main idea has several specific details, you can list them for easy reading. - A numbered list tells the reader that they have to go in that order. If order is important, use a numbered list. -If the order isn’t important, use bullets to indicate each point.

Long e-mails Paragraphs- You want your paragraphs to be in “bit size chunks” or in small sections which readers can easily understand. -Avoid paragraphs that exceed eight lines of type. White Space- White space is part of a design, use margins and other empty space on the screen. -For example use white space to separate paragraphs. -White space helps prevent eyestrain.

Example… Dear Kathy: After our conversation this morning, I wanted you to see this chart detailing recommended budget allocations for the coming year. Please note that some sections require adjustments to what we had previously thought. Personnel expenses (indicated in gray) will be lower than expected due to a number of early retirements. That change will be offset by the benefits expense increase (red). Note that these two blocks still demand 33 percent of our operating budget. Technology expenditures (aqua) are also higher than expected. This is due to the expansion of our IT department and increased software and hardware requirements. To compensate for the technology increase, we have had to trim the office events budget (orange). The rest of the budget is in line with what we had discussed. Thanks for your input, Ralph

Graphics They give your readers information they can “see.” Readers can use this “visual language” to help understand and remember ideas in an e-mail.

Attachments Sending attachments allows you to e-mail major documents or larger works in their original form and reduces the time spent waiting for a message to open. If you have a large work or a number of graphics to send, it’s better to send them as attachments. Remember, the larger the attachment, the longer it takes to download it.

When sending attachments… Inform your reader that the file is attached. Compress larger files, if possible, using a compression software program. Keep the number of files sent limited to two or three per e-mail. Check a file for a viruses before forwarding it. Check to see that the file is not too large for the receiver’s server. Save any attachments you wish to keep in a folder on your computer. When you must respond to a received file, don’t resend the attachment with a reply.

Read me! You want your email to say “read me” I am going to show you an email and you say if it says “read me” or “wow that’s difficult, too long, and confusing to read.”

Is it difficult to read? Dear Ms. Jamir: Congratulations on your promotion to our Marketing Department. I have been impressed with your record, and I’m looking forward to working with you. As we discussed, your duties will include the following: overseeing marketing campaigns, coordinating team assignments, analyzing overall efficiency, and providing weekly progress reports. I know that with your help, the Marketing Department will show continued growth and will be able to increase our company’s profits. A more detailed explanation of expectations will be provided at our 9:00 meeting tomorrow morning. You will also receive a manager’s handbook and an explanation of expanded benefits. I look forward to meeting with you then. Sincerely, Lana de la Vega Marketing Director (Go to Microsoft)

Is this easier to read? Dear Ms. Jamir: Congratulations on your promotion to our Marketing Department. I have been impressed with your record, and I’m looking forward to working with you. As we discussed, your duties will include the following: Overseeing marketing campaigns. Coordinating team assignments. Analyzing overall efficiency. Providing weekly progress reports. I know that with your help, the Marketing Department will show continued growth and will be able to increase our company’s profits. A more detailed explanation of expectations will be provided at our 9:00 meeting tomorrow morning. You will also receive a manager’s handbook and an explanation of expanded benefits. I look forward to meeting with you then. Sincerely, Lana de la Vega Marketing Director

What we learned… Questions! Why is having a clear email important? -So the receiver knows what you are saying without any confusion Key to reader friendly emails? -Use double-spacing between paragraphs -Select a readable font, 10-12 point font is what's recommended -Avoid using color, highlights, italics, or other unusual types of font

What we learned… List three important things to do for long paragraphs? -Short paragraphs -Have white space -Use headings -Use list Why is it good to use graphics? -It gives the reader a visual which gives ` them a “visual language”

What we learned... What do attachments allow people to do? - to e-mail major documents or larger works in their original form and reduces the time spent waiting for a message to open. Three important things when sending attachments? -Inform your reader that the file is attached. -Compress larger files, if possible, using a compression software program. -Keep the number of files sent limited to two or three per e-mail. -Check a file for a viruses before forwarding it. -Check to see that the file is not too large for the receiver’s server. -Save any attachments you wish to keep in a folder on your computer. -When you must respond to a received file, don’t resend the attachment with a reply.

Compare editions They changed some grammar things like capitalization and numbering. The only things they changed were in the example emails.

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