怎样写邮件 -- ZT

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【可惜是英文的，不过都是简单英文，仔细读一下可以明白的】。


1.Call to action. The number one thing that separates a memo, report, orPowerPoint from A Tale of Two Cities is a call to action. A novel is tobe enjoyed. Business writing is intended to get the audience to dosomething: invest in a popcorn factory, fill out a kidney donor form,or flee the building in an orderly manner.

Questions to ask: Does my email ask the reader to do anything? If not, why am I sending it?

2.Say it up front. M. Night Shyamalan is paid to surprise folks. We arepaid to not surprise our boss. Whatever the purpose of your missive,say it in the first line. Mystery and story are great ways to entertainand teach, so unless you're looking for a job doing that, spit out whyyou're writing up front.

Questions to ask: Can the reader tellfrom the subject line and first sentence what I'm writing about withoutgoing further? If not, why are you insisting that they guess?

3.Assume nothing. Does the reader need to know that the project won'tsucceed if the subway workers strike, that everything depends on acategory 5 hurricane not happening in the next 100 years, or that ifLehman goes under the entire firm will implode? Let the reader knowwhat thinking has gone on behind the scenes. And when following up,don't assume everyone remembers everything you've said. If you've gotany worries that an acronym, term, or reference is going to elicit aconfused moment, just explain it.

Questions to ask: Am Irelying on what the audience knows or what I think they ought to know?Am I hiding anything from the reader unintentionally? If so, why do Iwant to surprise them later on?

4. Do the thinking. How manytimes have you gotten an email that says, "What are your thoughts?"followed by a forwarded chain of messages. That's the writer saying, "Ican't be bothered to explain my reasoning or what I want you to focuson." When you write, make sure you've explained what you're thinkingand what you want the reader to spend time on.

Questions toask: Is my email giving my opinion and options for the reader torespond to? If not, why am I making them try to read my mind?