Time-saving E-mail Tip

You can save time and create more effective e-mails with a few settings available in your e-mail system.

First, if you haven't already done so, set your e-mail package to automatically spell check your message before it goes out.

And, set it to suggest replacements for misspelled words.

Doing so allows you to take advantage of the full capability of this software feature.

But that's not the best part!

Now that you have these features set, you no longer need to correct your spelling in the editing or proofreading stages.

Correcting your spelling while creating, editing or proofreading your e-mail actually slows you down and could distract you.

Here's where the magic comes in.

The magic assumes two things.

First, we have to assume you actually read your e-mails before you send them.

Reading and sometimes editing your e-mails before you send them is both common sense and common courtesy.

As you proofread it for content, tone, and grammar, forget about correcting misspelled words at this point

As you proofread, you may see misspelled words. DON'T correct them while you're proofreading.

The only words you should correct before hitting the "Send" button are obvious mistakes your spell checker would not recognize.

For example, for some strange reason, every time I try to type the word "from" it comes out "form."

To the spell checker, the word is spelled correctly. Unfortunately, that's not the word I want.

Or, watch out for "your" and "you're."

Also, double check "their," they're," and "there."

Your spell check cannot read your mind.

So this is where you need to be careful.

After you have completed your proofreading stage and spotted the obvious spelling errors and the ones the spell check needs your help on, hit "Send."

Because you have already set your system to suggest spellings, any time the spell checker comes to a misspelled word, it will stop and ask you which spelling you want.

Select the spelling you want and hit okay.

Rather than taking the time to correct it in the writing and proofing stages, you let the computer do the work.

Now for a final word of caution.

I did tell you to proofread your e-mail before hitting the "Send" button. You, not your spell checker, are still responsible for your correct spellings.

I call it "The Porogram Principle."

I once thought I spelled the word "program" correctly in my word processor.

Actually, I spelled the word, "porogram."

Because I had placed the cursor after the word "porogram," the spell checker did not catch the mistake.

When I printed the document, I noticed the misspelling.

I then repeated my original mistake of not placing the cursor in the correct position and again, the spell checker accepted "porogram."

Frustrated by this, I decided to "Google" the word "porogram."

To my amazement, I discovered that Google listed 47,200 listings that contained the word, "porogram."

I checked a half dozen of the listings trying to uncover the mysterious definition of the word.

All I discovered was that 47,200 other people had misspelled the word in their documents and those documents made their way out into the world wide web.

So what does all of this mean?

1. Set your e-mail package to automatically spell check your message before it goes out.

2. Set it to suggest replacements for misspelled words

3. Select the correct spelling of the word when prompted by the spell checker rather than typing the correct word.

If you are a speed typist, this tip may not prove to save you time.

If you type as slowly as I do, you should save time.

And possibly, you could become more effective because you are concentrating on your message, rather than your spelling.

Let me know what you think.

Grammar Checkers Improve Business Writing

Someone once said, "There's no such thing as good writing, just good re-writing."

I prefer to say, "There's no such thing as good writing, just good editing."

In the hectic business world, finding time for editing and re-writing your business writing becomes a challenge. However, investing the time to run your business writing through grammar checkers pays huge dividends.

Many of the latest versions of word processors already come equipped with grammar checkers. Investing some time learning how to use this valuable tool will definitely help save you time, improve the quality of your writing, and eliminate the embarrassment of misspelled words, incorrect grammar or confusing writing styles.

Grammar Checkers are far from perfect. Sometimes they can be confusing and frustrating. But, so can kids and parents. You don't dismiss your kids or you don't ignore your parents because you sometimes don't understand or agree with them.

Let me share a few of the benefits of investing a little time learning your Grammar Checker and then using it.

1. Grammar Checkers can catch errors in grammar and writing style that you never knew or considered. That could mean the difference between readers not understanding your meaning and you getting results.

2. Grammar Checkers provide you with Readablity Statistics that show you how clear your business writing is and where to look to improve it.

Most Grammar checkers will provide you with the following two categories of information.

AVERAGES
Sentences per paragraph
Words per sentence
Characters per word

READABILITY
Passive Sentences
Flesch Reading Ease
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level

Rather than explaining these categories in detail, let me offer guidelines for you to strive for.

AVERAGES
Sentences per paragraph -
Never write more than five sentences per paragraph-ever!

Words per sentence -
Average 18 words per sentence for paper documents and 15 words per sentence for emails

Characters per word
The general rule here is use shorter, more familiar words rather than longer academic or consultant words.

Use "use," not "utilize."
Use "pattern," "model," or "example," not "paradigm."
Use "problem," "challenge," "issue," or "puzzle, not "conundrum."

READABILITY
Passive Sentences
This should never exceed 20%

Flesch Reading Ease
This should be at last 80%

Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
This should range between 6.0 and 10.0.

If your Reading Ease is lower than 80% and your Grade Level is higher than 10.0, that means your paragraphs are too long, your sentences have too many words, and your words have too many characters and syllables.

That last sentence shows how easily you can blow away your Reading Ease and Grade Level. The sentence had a Reading Ease of 6.3 and Grade Level of 13.1.

Why?

The sentence contained 38 words. It contained four words with more than two syllables.

To make this sentence easier to read, you can change it to read:

If your Reading Ease is lower than 80% and your Grade Level is higher than 10.0, you should check the following:

Are your paragraphs are too long?
Do your sentences have too many words?
Do your words have too many characters and syllables?

Now, the Reading Ease is 80.1 and the Grade Level is 3.8.

Notice how the use of bullets drives the Grade Level down significantly.

So, use shorter sentences, shorter paragraphs, and smaller words and you will reap big benefits. Use your Grammar Checker to measure your business wWriting and you will receive measurable rewards.

The Next E-mail You Send Could Cost You Dearly!

Carelessness, emotional excess, and haste can result in e-mail disaster.

One town official learned this lesson the hard way. Check out this series of events.

On June 30, my wife e-mailed this municipal official with a request to have the town perform a specific service that was under his area of responsibility.

She received a prompt e-mail response that someone from his department would look into the situation.

On August 9, after not hearing from anyone in the town about the situation, my wife sent a second request for someone to review the situation. Again, she promptly received a promise from the official to check into the matter.

On August 25, after speaking with the official, she sent him a reminder e-mail as he had requested.

Again, on the same day, she received a response indicating the official understood the situation and would direct someone from his department to take care of it.

On September 20, concerned that the service had not yet been performed by the town, my wife sent another reminder e-mail to the official. With winter coming, the situation could get worse.

On that same day, my wife received the following response.

“Rudy, shoot me! Please put this pain in the ass on the schedule. Thanks”

Because this article focuses on e-mail etiquette and the proper use of e-mail, I will not go into the series of classical managerial blunders this official committed as a result of the above message.

My wife received the last e-mail because the city official hit “Reply,” which meant my wife got the message, not the municipal employee for whom the e-mail was intended.

LESSONS LEARNED

Before hitting the "Send" button, check your emotional temperature. If you're angry, frustrated, upset, or ready to explode, walk away from your computer.

After you create an e-mail that displays any emotion, save it, and look at it 24 hours later.

The chances are that 24 hours later you will probably revise your message.

Your image, your job, and maybe your career are riding on your communication skills.

The next e-mail you send could cost you dearly!