The Power of You:
Writing Effective Emails
PRESENTED
BY
DONNA OBEID
ERA Empowerment Series
October 2013
Housekeeping
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, you will be able
to:
• Identify the four types of email.
• Compose clear, concise and responsive
emails.
Before you begin writing
anything…
you must first know
what you want
to say.
What’s my intent?
What’s my main point(s)?
What action is needed
and by when?
The 4 Types of Emails
In general, there are four types of emails:
• Telling – The email itself is the point.
• Asking – You need something from the receiver.
• Discussing Something to Come – To keep
communication lines open.
• Taking Action – Receiver must do something.
Get Ready….
You are about to discover the
10 simple secrets to writing
effective emails.
Secret #1
Respond to every email
you receive.
Secret #2
Describe your message in
the subject line.
Secret #3
Make only one point
(at most two points)
per email.
Secret #4
Include the EXACT action
you need and by WHEN.
Please email your response to me by noon this Friday, October 15.
Secret #5
Use a friendly but
professional tone.
Secret #6
Make it easy to be found.
Secret #7
Font and formatting matter.
Dear Professor Paul Simon,
IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE SET UP PROCESS OF YOUR
AY14 OFFSET, YOUR APPROVAL IS NEEDED AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
Secret #8
Revise, revise, revise.
All writing is revision…
Secret #9
Know when to call, email or
meet in person.
Secret #10
Know how to handle a
difficult person (or people).
Let’s Practice!
How could this be improved?
Dear Adam,
I have contacted OSR regarding the travel expenses posted to
your unrestricted accounts. Unfortunately, exception to the cost
transfer policy was not approved.
Should you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.
Thank you,
Richard, your ERA RFA
[A very long string of emails follows this message.]
How could this be improved?
Dear Kyle,
I would like to update you on the 119999-900-ABCDEF unclaimed $5,000 cost
share. Here is the situation. FAA requires cash cost share to support the
sponsored projects owned by Dr. Charlie Brown, Dr. Big Bird and Dr. Cookie
Monster. Dean of Research and Dean Plummer had agreed to contribute $100K
each year to support the FAA awards. According to the original agreement, Dean
of Research and Dean Plummer will split the 100K, each contributes
50K. However, in the past couple years, we have been receiving $105K each
year. In FY13, Charles had requested a fund transfer from you for Dr. Charlie
Brown’s portion of $45K, and I have requested 60K from Dean of research to cover
Dr. Big Bird and Dr. Cookie Monster’s portion. I believe that’s why you have
$5,000 left unclaimed in your account. It seems like that Dean of Research has
been covering more this year. I will be in contact with the office of Dean of
Research and clarify with them, since they did not mention that they are short of
funding to cover their cost share portion.
Please let me know if it’s possible to have Dean Plummer contribute $5,000 more
next fiscal year to bring it to even.
Thank you!
Marguerite, your ERA RFA
[No email string is present at all.]
How could this be improved?
Dear Director,
Gloomy news.
Our new refrigerator has been leaking nonstop since we received
it. Everyone in my group is very upset about it.
Sincerely,
Gertrude, your ERA RFA
What would you do differently?
Subject: Budget justification
Dear Professor Puff,
As part of the closeout process for the ABC project, 75% of your effort was not met
as proposed.
I need this justification ASAP that I may submit it to OSR.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you so much for your work
on this.
Patrick Johnson, your ERA RFA
What about this one?
Good Morning Team,
Please plan on attending Monday's Empowerment Series class:
The Power of You: Writing Effective Emails which will be held in
305 Huang from 9:30-11. Tasty breakfast offerings will be served
at 9:15.
As so much of our communication with our customers, faculty, FAs,
central offices etc, occurs through email, the more adept we are at
communicating via this medium the more effective and efficient we
can be in our RFA role.
Best to all,
Francoise Dupree
Meet…
Audrey Jones
Professor Heinz Wolff
#1. Audrey sends an email to her team.
Subject: Responsible Person
Hi,
Please list responsible person ASAP so, I can email payroll
suspense reports to DMs. I just checked and list not updated.
Thanks.
Audrey Jones
#2. Audrey sends an email to her team.
Subject: ABC Report
Dearest Team,
In regards to our discuss with the payroll certification reports, if
there appears to be an error on an XYZ report, please contact
Jane. The issue may be an error we can resolve internally before
we turn to the eCert people. When contacting her please explain
the nature of the error? Is data based such as an employee
showing having have been paid from a PTA which he/she was not
or a dollar amount attributed to a particular PTA incorrect, or is it
more format based e.g. an incorrect task manager, award name
etc.?
Thank you, if you have inquiries please don’t hesitate to ask me.
Audrey Jones
#3 - Audrey sends an email to Heinz.
Subject: Mann Foundation
Dear Heinz,
I’m Audrey, research finance administrator for Professor Hugh
Higgins and his colleagues Dr. Paul Po. I will assist them in the
submission of the sub contract portion for the Mann foundation. I
would like to find out if there are particular process and procedures
your institution requires for the sub contract? In Addition, can you
please confirm who will be our prime sponsor for this proposal. Is it
University of East or West Foundation? Thank you and looking
forward to work with you.
Fondest regards,
Amy Reynolds
#4 - Audrey sends an email to her team.
Subject: Meeting
Hello Team,
I wanted to remind you about the Team Meeting today at
10am. Please come to room 202. Let me know if you have
questions.
Thank you,
Audrey Jones
#5 - Audrey sends an email to Heinz.
Subject: AY14 Offset
Hi Heinz!
In order to complete the set-up process of your AY14 offset, your
approval is needed. You should have received an email generated
by the system with a link to approve the Bonita form after it was
entered last week.
Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Audrey Jones
Research and Financial Administrator
Engineering Research Administration
School of Engineering, Stanford University
Huang Building, Rm 227
Stanford, CA 94305-9025
Ph: (650) 724-9999
#6 - Audrey sends an email to a DM.
Subject: meeting today?
Dear Veronica,
Just checking, what time are we supposed to meet today.
Please let me know if you need further assistance or require
additional information.
Sincerely yours,
Audrey Jones
Research and Financial Administrator
Engineering Research Administration
School of Engineering, Stanford University
Huang Building, Rm 227
Stanford, CA 94305-9025
Ph: (650) 724-9999
#7 - Audrey sends an email to Heinz.
Subject: AY14 Offset
Dear Heinz,
In order to complete the set-up process of your AY14 offset, your
approval is needed. You should have received an email generated
by the system with a link to approved the Bonita form after it was
entered last week.
Please let me know if you need further assistance.
Audrey Jones
Research and Financial Administrator
Engineering Research Administration
School of Engineering, Stanford University
Huang Building, Rm 227
Stanford, CA 94305-9025
Ph: (650) 724-9999
#8 - Audrey sends an email to Harvard.
Subject: Contract 444444000-321, Open Invoice 99945-012
Dear Sophie,
While reviewing the outstanding invoice reference above it appears that
there are LDA’s that needs PI approved justification before we can
process the payment. The adjustment looks ok however the adjustments
were created at the end of the project period and the total adjustment
amount represents 50% of the total amount of the invoice. I will appreciate
it if you can provide the LDA justification approved by Prof. Song that
explains why the adjustments are necessary. I will review the justification
once submitted and will process the payment if everything is ok.
Audrey Jones
Research and Financial Administrator
Engineering Research Administration
School of Engineering, Stanford University
Huang Building, Rm 227
Stanford, CA 94305-9025
Ph: (650) 724-9999
Review of Our Learning Objectives
Can you now….
 Identify the four types of email?
 Compose clear, concise and responsive
emails?
 Remember, writing is revision and revision takes practice…you can only get
better from here!
 Any suggestions?
Next Steps…
•
In the next day or two, you will receive an email
message containing:
a.) a feedback form link and
b.) a quiz!
•
To receive credit for this class, you’ll
need to complete both the quiz and
feedback form within 7 days.
Thanks for attending!
Coming soon…
• A Budget Excel-abration!: Level II
November 18, 9:30-11AM
• Finding the Leader in You
November 25, 9:30-11AM