Debunked: shown as false
Long words are more impressive
Definitely not! Using long words where they are not required is not only unnecessary, it can have a detrimental impact on your message. When you write emails, it is important to be clear and concise; using long words (or multiple words when one will do) can over-complicate and make things confusing. Yes, long words will prove that you have a decent vocabulary, but will impress nobody. Being personable, approachable and helpful (in other words, being yourself) is much more important. By all means use formal language where required but, essentially, use language that the recipients of your email will prefer to read.
Humour does not belong in emails
Humour absolutely can belong in emails, but it must be used with caution. There are three things to consider before cracking a joke:
- What is the subject matter?
- What is your relationship with the person or people who will receive the email?
- Does it add anything to the conversation?
The subject matter is a fairly obvious one which I don’t think requires much explanation. Serious topics must be taken seriously, it’s as simple as that. Even if you have been dealing with a complaint, and your customer is now warming to you due to your efficiency and service, I would still avoid using humour. Stay polite and friendly, but don’t overstep the mark.
Your relationship with the readers is more complex. Your email might be addressed to people in your team who you go out with regularly, but if the director is copied in, be careful. He or she might love a joke, which is great, but I still recommend caution. Don’t become the office joke, rather than the office joker. If you are emailing a customer, the same applies. They may be someone you have known for a long time, you may have had telephone conversations with them, and you may have shared a joke already. In cases like this, if you feel comfortable that using humour is appropriate, go ahead. People like to deal with friendly people, and humour can go a long way to building lasting impressions.
Acronyms are always acceptable, providing the meaning is clear
Generally, I disagree with this. Apart from recognised acronyms such as VAT, HTML, ASAP, CEO, HR etc, which are treated as words in their own right, acronyms are lazy shorthand and should be avoided in emails and other documents where you are not restricted by number of characters. Using these abbreviations suggests that you either can’t be bothered to type full words, or you are simply too busy to dedicate more than the bare minimum of time to writing an email (not a great impression for a customer). That said, it is important to know them as other people use them all the time. There are lots and lots out there, but typical acronyms that pop up everywhere include:
FYI (for your information), IMO (in my opinion), KR (kind regards), Tx (thanks), BW (best wishes), LMK (let me know), OMG (oh my god) – this one should NEVER be used in professional communication
There are some notable exceptions to the above which are used in specific instances, and a few of these are detailed below:
RFP – request for proposal
COB – close of business
DOE – dependent on experience
ETA – estimated time of arrival
It is worth making a note of these as you are likely to encounter them in your business communications. If in doubt, however, I would always suggest writing words out in full. This is always correct and shows regard for the words you are writing, which shorthand sometimes does not.
The font doesn’t matter, only the content
Well, let’s see. What does this font say to you? What about this one? Or perhaps this one?
The fact is that font is important. How would you feel if you received an important email that looked like it had been written by a child, or was so squiggly and swirly you couldn’t read it?
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of fonts available. Many are considered “joke” fonts (Comic Sans), others such as Lucida Handwriting are annoying because, as the name suggests, they are designed to look like handwriting (but you’re typing an email!) Some of the script fonts are simply too difficult to read. Even many “safe” fonts are now rejected for being a lazy option; the Courier and Arial fonts, often the default options for emails and Word documents, are the worst offenders.
So actually, as well as being legible, a font needs to be smart but not generic in order to be taken seriously in a business context. Choose wisely.