Email is one of the most common means of communication and an excellent opportunity for professional growth. And although it has been with us for almost fifty years, many people still don’t use it properly and continue ruining their reputation. Below are the most common mistakes to avoid when writing emails:
Mistake1: Making grammar mistakes
We all are super busy. That’s why misspellings and grammar mistakes happen very often. However, it looks sloppy and unprofessional when people consistently spell wrong, especially when they send business emails. So it’s in your best interest to proofread your emails at least once before hitting the “send” button. You can use tools like Grammarly or have a friend or colleague to look through your email.
Mistake 2: Using a basic email signature
Lots of business professionals all over the world are already using modern and attractive email signatures like Newoldstamp with every email they send. This way, they not only share important contact information with recipients but also tell their brand’s story, promote future events they will be attending, add quick links to things that matter, and stand out.
The possibilities of email signature marketing unveils are endless. Just add a banner to your signature, and you will be able to promote your blog articles, new software releases, social media pages, and pretty much anything you can think of.
However, most email users don’t bother with their email signatures and simply sign their emails with the name or install a native email client’s signature. Of course, it isn’t technically wrong, but they are losing a perfect opportunity to make a huge impression.
If you already have the email signature, make sure it’s not too basic and doesn’t lack such essential things as calls to action or interactive social media links. The good news you don’t have to build your email footer from scratch all by yourself. Modern email signature generators already allow creating company branded, neat, free email signatures and give you a lot of control and flexibility.
Mistake 3: Abusing HTML format
So you like Colibri, Comic Sans, and Verdana. And also pink, orange, green, and blue. That’s great. But it’s better to stick to one font and one color (maximum two). Business emails look good and professional when written in black color (surprised?) If you need more colors, try mixing a basic one with, for example, a nice subtle dark grey to give your text a little visual impact.
Still not convinced you shouldn’t play too much with the elements mentioned above? Be aware that spam filters are easily triggered when your font is madly colored.
Mistake 4: Not being tolerant
We all make mistakes. If you want to correct someone, do it with kindness, be tolerant and friendly. Treating others with the same respect you expect to receive in return is an art you need to master if you want to be perceived as a true professional. Learn to listen carefully without jumping to conclusions. Also, when writing to people you can’t agree with, try not to blame them. For example, if someone says: “Pizza is the most boring food in the world,” you should never blame the person’s opinion in the debate. So, instead of saying: “You’re stupid for thinking that way!”, try something like “I don’t agree that pizza is boring. My grandma cooks it using her five secret ingredients so that even our picky neighbor takes his hat off to her.”
Mistake 5: Adding too many images
Often, we need to include visuals in the email to support our text, but be sure not to rely on images too heavily. Some email clients won’t display your images automatically. So if you base the entire message on the context of your visuals, you might be out of luck. It is better to balance text and images.
If you add too many images, the large size of the email can cause it to load for ages. On top of that, keep in mind that if you fill up your email campaign with excessive graphics and pictures, spam filters will detect this.
If you include some images, try to keep them small and neat. And don’t use too many in one email.
Mistake 6: Being spammy
The average office worker receives over a hundred emails per day. So it’s no surprise that a lot of messages go straight to the junk folder. To be on the safe side, don’t distribute promotional emails on a daily basis. Experts recommend limiting these messages to once a week at the most. You also need to be selective when you send a regular email. Sometimes, you can make things happen without it!
Bonus tip: Here are some examples of the words that you shouldn’t use when you are writing an email: free, click here, limited time, $$$, saving, affordable, best price, discount, affordable, act now, buy, offer expires, satisfaction guaranteed, urgent, winning, amazing, and more.
Mistake 7: Not sending follow-ups
Another common mistake that can cost you tons of missed opportunities is forgetting to follow up.
This type of email is useful not only for salespeople but for everyone conducting negotiations or trying to develop partnerships. Often, follow-up is a thing that sets you apart from the mass of companies that your customers are communicating with.
In addition, when it comes to more complicated, longer, or pending deals, follow-up can play the role of a so-called repository of the history of your negotiations. Over time, your interlocutor/client can forget about the agreements or lose some information. But if you practice follow-ups, they won’t.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of important things to think about when it comes to writing emails, and many mistakes you can be aware of to ensure you are not carrying any of them out. We hope our list will help you become more mindful of writing emails, especially those you are sending to customers, colleagues, and partners. And the more mindful you are, the more satisfied you will be with the results of your communications with people.
