"Whatever you appreciate and give thanks for will increase in your life" --Sanaya Roman In my previous post, Email 202(b): A Critical Last Step, I described the components of an effective thank-you note and provided several examples for each component. Here, I put all the components together to provide full-length examples of thank-you notes. Because … Continue reading Email 202(c): A Critical Last Step →

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart" --Winnie the Pooh Winnie the Pooh nails it every time. Of course, not all of us were blessed with Winnie the Pooh's effortless zen-like wisdom. I certainly wasn't. As a child, my mother made me write a thank-you note for nearly every gift … Continue reading Email 202(b): A Critical Last Step →

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it" --William Arthur Ward Speaking of gift giving.... Imagine you're attending your best friend's birthday party, which you've been looking forward to all week. You spent the entire morning shopping for and wrapping what you thought was the perfect gift. It's … Continue reading Email 202(a): A Critical Last Step →

"An email can make or break a potential opportunity for you, so send and respond to them wisely!" --Leila Lewis There are several questions you should ask yourself before sending an email: (1) Should I be sending this?, (2) Have I included the details necessary for the recipient to understand my question or concern?, (3) … Continue reading Email 201(b): Writing Done Right →

In my previous post, Email 102(a): What (Not) To Write, I addressed the dos and don'ts of writing professional and effective emails, with particular emphasis on the greeting, body, and closing. In this post, I address dos and don'ts surrounding two additional elements of email communication: the subject line and the signature. The Subject Line … Continue reading Email 102(b): What (Not) To Write →

"Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do."  --Steve Jobs In one of my favorite guilty-pleasure TV shows, What Not to Wear, fashion gurus Stacy and Clinton collect clandestine (i.e. kept secret or done secretively) footage of a poorly-dressed and unsuspecting victim, who has been nominated by friends and family … Continue reading Email 102(a): What (Not) To Write →

"The best time to call is...EMAIL."  -Unknown In my role as an instructor and program coordinator at a medium-sized university, I receive hundreds--yes, hundreds--of emails every week. Most of these emails were sent by students hoping to benefit from my assistance. However, much to my dismay, many  seem blissfully unaware of the ways in which … Continue reading Email 101: Four Personae to Banish Now →