There is no denying that communication is an important aspect of an organization, much more in a business where the structure of a message, whether by e-mail, text or social media is as essential as its contents. And here are some ways on how they can be improved.
1. Make a single and unified point a time. Prioritise the content of your message accordingly.
2. Compose a good subject line. For e-mails and other forms that require a heading, come up with a heading that is catchy and able to summarize the content of your message. Compared to a newspaper, the subject line serves as your headline.
3. KISS. As a basic rule in any form of business communication, Keep It Short and Simple to keep the recipient engaged in reading your message and to show that you have respect for other people's time.
4. Do not use ALL CAPS. This is equivalent to shouting.
5. Consider your audience. Think of who will be receiving and reading your message so be careful in choosing the font style, color and size. Avoid using different colors and sizes in a single message as this will make the text tedious to the eyes. Moreover, be careful when attaching an emoticon or emoji. Senior or corporate people may get turned off and misinterpret that you are not serious with your message.
6. Use the appropriate writing style and tone for the occasion. Be able to adjust the tone of your message when you are requesting, giving instructions, explaining, defining terms or composing questions.
7. Specify the mode of response. If your message needs a reply from the receiver, be specific when you mention how you expect your message to be answered.
8. Change the subject line when needed. Many people use the subject line when organizing their messages. Replace the heading when your exchange of messages have taken a new direction or when a new topic is introduced.
9. Not all messages require a response. Of course you will feel you are being courteous by answering every message that will come your way, but your replies take up the recipient's time too.
10. Get organized and avoid rambling. If you notice yourself rambling when speaking, there is a likelihood that this will also happen when you write. Organize your thoughts before putting them into words.
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