Acknowledge E-Mails - Avoid Confusion, Misunderstanding

There are many times that I am not in a position to respond immediately to an E-Mail that I have received. In such a situation, I make sure that I send a short message acknowledging receipt of the E-Mail and inform the sender that I will respond soon. This way, the sender does not have to wonder whether their E-Mail has reached me in the first place or wonder as to why I have not responded to their E-Mail.

Anticipate

As email is a back-and-forth method of communicating, and it can take a day or more for a response (in some cases), you want to limit the number of times a message has to go back and forth. To do that, use “if … then” statements, anticipating the possible responses to your question.

By anticipating the possible responses, and giving a desired action for each possible response, you’re cutting a lot of wasted back-and-forth time.

Respond to E-Mails Quickly

People send you an e-mail because they expect a quick response. The rule is to respond to an e-mail within 24 hours and preferably the same day. If you can not immediately respond to a question, send an e-mail saying that you have received their E-Mail and that you will respond as quickly as possible. Thus, the person knows that you will get back soon.