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Over the last few weeks it has occurred to me that effective communication is a lost art - gone with the days of handwritten letters, doors held open for the elderly and when a simple thank you was a sincere gesture of appreciation.  I have to tell you that as an entrepreneur it amazes me that people can actually function on the poor communication skills that now plague our world.  And the common excuse…e-mail is ineffective.  Come on!  If you’re using this to explain your first-grade level writing, you just didn’t take the time to compose a clean, well thought out message.  You’re an ENTREPRENEUR!  Stop taking short cuts!  E-mail can be just as effective as any other form of communication if you follow a few simple guidelines:

1. Always use the subject line; make sure that it is clear, contains proper spelling and grammar and includes a few words detailing what the e-mail is all about. 
2. Include a salutation…for those of you not familiar with this term, it’s the welcome line or greeting of a traditional message and something that is seemingly missing from today’s e-mails.
3. Use complete sentences that are made up of properly spelled words and correct grammar.
4. Don’t use IM or text messaging short cuts.  This is rude and childish.  Write out your words!
5. Be polite and sensible.  Don’t use offensive language or harsh phrasing that could be misinterpreted as you being an…well, a jerk. 
6. Always use the magic words…please, thank you and you’re welcome.  Yet more missing pieces of the communication puzzle. 
7. KISS - it goes beyond marketing and planning.  Keep It Simple, Stupid.  And I mean that in the nicest possible way.
8. Include relevant contact information such as your phone number, mailing address or Web site URL.  Forego the SSN.  Or passwords for that matter.  This is risky business.
9. Sign off using a proper closing such as ‘Regards’, ‘Sincerely’, ‘With Appreciation’…something and make sure to include your name.
10. For the love of pete, say what you mean and mean what you say.  You’re only as good as your word.
11. Spell check your final message.
12. Check and check again to make sure that you’re sending your e-mail to the correct recipient(s).  Don’t bore grandma with a note about this month’s widget order.  And don’t shock your supplier with a love note  meant for your significant other. 

For more on writing effective e-mails, please check out these links:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/636/01/

http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/documents/email/

http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/EmailCommunication.htm

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/02/the_effective_e.html

Tags: communication, e-mail, KISS, magic words, message, passwords, phone number