There's little disagreement that Email has become the least formal method of Written Communication in the Business World. Unfortunatley, this has also come to mean "anything goes" for many Email writers.

But the fact remains that Email used in a professional environment is a Professional Communication, and should be treated no differently than letters and memos with respect to language and Professional Etiquette.

Business Communications are much more effective when they strike a balance between being overly formal versus being overly informal. Of course, the determining factors in this balancing act are the customary style of the organization, and the sensibilities of your intended audience.

For the writer, the important thing to remember is that if you want a written communication to be read, then you have to make it readable. Too formal may be a turn-off to some readers, but too informal can have the same negative effect.

Here are a five tips to remember:

* Let the purpose of the communication determine the level of formality.

* Write conversationally, but choose your language with care and purpose.

* Minmize abbreviations and contractions.

* Resist overdoing it with buzzwords and colloqialisms.

* Be careful about slang words and phrases. These often have unintentional, double meanings.

In the end, it's all about adapting one's message to the situation and the addressee. Effective Communicators do this as a matter of course. Do you?

Learn more about this author, J. E. Cunningham.
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