Email Masterclass – Training Course Outline

You write emails on a daily basis but do they always get the results you want?
Are some of your email habits working against you? And did you know that each of us can spend up to 20% of our time—that’s a day a week—dealing with the email we receive?

On our half-day Email Masterclass you will learn the seven principles that make email work. This includes how to organise your content and consider your audience, to get the best results from the emails you send. We discuss things that can affect the tone of your emails, and what to do if an interchange is becoming heated. We also touch on technical issues to help you make the most of your email software, but the course does not cover specific use of email software in detail.

What you will learn on this course

By the end of the course, you will know how to:

• Apply Plain Words’ seven principles that make email work
• Structure your emails effectively
• Write in a clear, concise style
• Get your message across convincingly
• Assess the tone of your email to minimise misinterpretation
• Deal with your inbox efficiently

What our customers say

“I feel the course has highlighted errors I make every day in emails and has developed my skills to overcome these.”

Dana Taylor, John Wiley

“I have found this very useful as I have more of an idea about how to structure emails and what is the best way to put things.”

Laura Girling, John Wiley

“Excellent course, great trainer: friendly, relaxed, engaging.”

Michael du Toit, Perform Group

Course Duration

This course is a half-day, interactive workshop. Delegates learn the techniques through group discussion and exercises and can practise them on emails they have brought to the session.

If you prefer a one-day course why not go for Business Writing Duo? Improve your punctuation in the morning and learn how to write effective emails in the afternoon.
To find out more email or call + 44 (0)1635 202013.

Follow up session

Get the most from a staff training day and make sure valuable ideas aren't forgotten by booking a follow-up session. Our trainer will visit you again a month to six weeks after your course to give delegates the chance to:

• discuss how they implemented what they learnt
• go over points from the course
• practise their skills by working on their own writing with the trainer’s help

Course Contents

Introduction

• Understanding how your reader deals with email means getting your email read

1. Get to the point

• How to focus on what you want to achieve
• How good structure supports your content and your objective – we look at the kinds of emails you send and how to maximise their impact, whether you are asking for things, giving information or even bad news, or dealing with complaints

2. Only write it if you’d say it to their face – while your boss is watching!

• Why do people misinterpret emails?
• Have you ever been offended by an email? A look at what makes good email etiquette
• How your words or punctuation can contribute to misunderstandings
• How to repair the damage if it has already happened

3. Use the power of the subject line

• Your subject is the key to getting your email read – learn some techniques from journalists on writing compelling subject lines
• How to get your critical points across
• When and how to re-write a subject line if it no longer reflects the topic

4. Make email work for you, not against you

• Know a few things about the technicalities and you can avoid common problems
• Email that works in the worst case scenario – and what that could be
• How not to go wrong with attached files
• Perils of HTML (and what the heck does it mean anyway?)
• Signature files – good ones, bad ones and yours

5. Write for keeps; write like a pro

• Never mind the paper trail, email really is forever – so make sure yours say the right things about you and your company
• How to keep out of court: legal disclaimers – do they really stand up?
• Making promises – is email legally binding? (Hint – yes!)
• Can the wrong email get you sued for libel? (Another hint – yes!)

6. Don’t make spam

• Ask yourself who really needs to know and avoid abuses of ‘reply all’ and the dreaded ‘all company’ email
• To email or not to email – or is there a better way? When should you consider alternatives, and what sorts? A look at some scenarios where email can backfire

7. What does your inbox do for you?

• Can you cope with what’s in your inbox? Some can – what are their secrets?
• If your inbox attacks you every morning, ways to beat it into submission:
• Touch something once
• The two-minute rule
• Rocks in a box

Book Now!

For details of timetabled courses, see the schedule. For prices, see the costs table.

To reserve your places you can either book on-line or call us on +44 (0)1635 202013.