Pitfalls of Writing and Sending Emails:  Avoiding Common Mistakes

Hi,

I’m Alix and it’s my mission to help as many of the next generation as possible work in jobs that meet their passion and purpose, allowing them to reach their potential, making them happy and fulfilled adults.

Providing support and being a ‘virtual mentor’ if you like…

Join me in making sure you’re one of the new generation of adults in a job you love, reaching your full potential, which includes making the workplace the best it can be.

Today we’re looking at the use and misuse of emails.

In the modern workplace, email has become one of the most widely used forms of communication for professional purposes. It’s quick, efficient, and allows individuals to exchange information across time zones and geographical boundaries in moments.

However, email writing, though seemingly simple, can be fraught with pitfalls that can lead to misunderstandings, missed opportunities, damage to professional relationships and your own career.

Let’s take a look at some common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Note: always remember that everything you write could be forwarded to the world so bear this in mind when putting fingers to keyboards.

The subject line…

Pitfall: the subject line is often an afterthought, but it’s one of the most important aspects of an email.

A vague or irrelevant subject line can lead to your message being overlooked, left in an ‘I’ll read it later’ pile, and forgotten, or worse, sent straight to the spam folder.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Be specific and concise in your subject lines. It should give the recipient a clear idea of what the email is about. Using a subject line that reflects the content of the email, for example, “Request for Q3 Report by September 15” is much more effective than a vague “Report;”

Use actionable words when appropriate, such as "Action Required," "Follow-up on," or "Meeting Confirmation;"

Avoid using all caps or excessive punctuation which can make your email appear spammy, unprofessional or unfriendly.

Note: I was once told by a client that using caps equates to ‘shouting’ in an email.

Addressing the recipient…

Pitfall: using the wrong name or incorrect title can make your email feel impersonal or unprofessional.

This can happen when you’re emailing multiple people or working in a hurry, but it will still leave a negative impression.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Double-check the recipient’s name and title before sending the email;

If you're sending a group email consider addressing the group as a whole rather than using specific names if you're unsure.

Note: When you’re writing to a person and know their name, you use ‘Yours sincerely’ to sign off. When you don’t know their name and are writing to ‘Dear Sir/Madam’, you use ‘Yours faithfully’ to sign off.

Disregarding the recipient’s needs/preferences…

Pitfall: not taking into account the recipient’s preferred communication style or the context in which they receive emails can be problematic. For instance, some people prefer detailed reports, while others might appreciate bullet points.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Tailor your email to the recipient’s needs and preferences. If you’re unsure, check emails they’ve sent you, or consider asking them how they prefer to receive information. This can improve the effectiveness of your communication, show professionalism and foster better relationships.

Inappropriate use of CC and BCC…

CC: Represents copying someone in on an email. It’s generally for letting someone know about the content but is not directed at them for action or response.

BCC: Blind copy. When a recipient is ‘BCC’d’ into an email the person it’s sent to, along with any copied recipients, do not know the email has been sent to the BCC’d person.

Pitfall: pressing either CC or BCC without careful thought can lead to clogging of emails or, worse, annoying recipients who don’t need to know what you’re sending.

Time is money, and time spent reviewing an email that isn’t relevant can cause resentment.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Use CC and BCC carefully: only ever include people who need to be part of the conversation to avoid information overload for recipients;

Adding any further email addresses will give anyone copied into the email the email addresses for all. This comes under data protection and is not a matter to be treated lightly. There might be a very good reason that the new additions were not added in the first place;

Be mindful of the contents of any attachments that may not be appropriate for others to see;

For sensitive information use BCC to protect privacy;

If in doubt err on the side of fewer recipients.

Note: I worked for the director of an international company. One day the director came out of their office clearly perturbed. They told me that they’d written a not-so-polite note about a person who’d written an email to them but had pressed ‘reply to all’ including the person themselves. It’s extremely easy to do and, I believe, it doesn’t matter what level you are in an organisation, if you do it, it’s done and there’s no clawing it back, even with the option to recall an email.

Lack of clarity and purpose…

Pitfall: one of the most frequent issues with emails is a lack of clarity. When the purpose of an email isn’t clearly defined, it can confuse the recipient and result in miscommunication.

An unclear message forces the recipient to have to spend time deciphering your intent, having to spend time asking follow-up questions, or even ignoring the message entirely.

Avoiding pitfalls:

State your purpose clearly in the subject line and the opening sentence;

Preparation: before writing, outline the key points you want/need to address. Be specific about the action you want the recipient to take;

Organise information logically: use bullet points or numbered lists for easier reading, especially if the email is long;

Be concise: avoid rambling or including unnecessary information. Keep it to the point.

Note: I worked for the director/owner of a firm who only ever read the first four lines of an email His view was that any information he needed would be at the top and start of an email, so it was a waste of his time reading the rest.

Note 2: Email is not always the best medium for complex or sensitive issues. Relying on email for everything can lead to miscommunication and unresolved conflicts.

Overloading the reader…

Pitfall: while it’s important to be thorough, bombarding the recipient with too much information at once can overwhelm them, leading to important details being overlooked.

Long, dense paragraphs can be hard to digest in an email format.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Prioritise information: only include what’s necessary for the current discussion or decision-making process. If you have a lot of information to share, consider sending it in multiple parts or as an attachment;

Sending without a thoughtful review: hitting send too quickly without considering the content can lead to sending incomplete or inaccurate information;

Use white space effectively: break long paragraphs into shorter ones and use headings or bullet points to make the content easier to read.

Jargon…

Pitfall: using overly complex language or industry-specific jargon can alienate or confuse the recipient, especially if they’re not familiar with the terminology. This could mean them having to research each reference used and disturbs the flow of the context.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Aim for simplicity and clarity: use plain language and avoid jargon unless you’re certain the recipient understands it;

Writing to junior members of your team? Trainees? If technical terms are necessary, provide brief explanations or context and it’ll be a learning curve for them.

Tone mismanagement…

Pitfall: the tone of an email can easily be misinterpreted. Non-verbal cues are absent, and they won’t see the smile in your eyes as you write a jokey response.

What seems like a straightforward comment to you might come across as harsh or sarcastic to someone else.

Again, what may seem like a casual and friendly email to you could come across as curt or unprofessional to someone else. Overly formal or distant emails, on the other hand, can seem cold or impersonal.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Know your audience: tailor the level of formality based on who you’re writing to. Colleagues and team members may appreciate a more conversational tone, while clients or senior management may expect a more formal approach;

Be polite and respectful: adding pleasantries like "I hope you’re doing well" can soften your message. Avoid using too many exclamation points or emojis, unless appropriate for the recipient or company culture;

Consider how your words might be perceived: use polite and professional language;

Sensitive matters: when discussing sensitive matters, consider setting up a phone call or meeting instead;

Read your email out loud before sending it. This can help you spot any unintended harshness or awkward phrasing.

Grammar and spelling…

Pitfall: typos, grammatical errors, and spelling mistakes can undermine the professionalism of your email and lead to misunderstandings.

Emails with grammar or spelling errors can reflect poorly on your professionalism and attention to detail. Even in informal settings, frequent mistakes can give the impression that you do not value the communication or the recipient’s time.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Proofread every email: always take the time to read through your message before hitting send. Look for spelling, punctuation, or grammar errors that could distract from the content;

Use spell-check or grammar tools: but don’t rely on them entirely. Automated tools can help, but they may not catch every error, especially in context;

Punctuation: remember that a simple ‘comma’ can totally change the way a sentence is read, so, again, read it out loud to check;

Attachments: ensure all necessary attachments are included and open them to ensure it’s all there and that there are no erroneous pages at the back. Check for whether a two-sided document has been scanned to include both sides of the pages. Verify that all information is accurate and needs to be sent. Double-check the recipient’s email address to avoid sending it to the wrong person.

Note: I was sending an attachment to a client and asked my assistant to scan it to me. I checked it just before pressing send and found another document at the back! Sending it would have caused the firm a lot of embarrassment and it would have been so easy to be in such a rush to get it out that I pressed send on trust. Take responsibility to make sure it’s right before you send.

Attachments…

Pitfall: how many times have you written an email that refers to an attached file, only to forget to attach it? This simple mistake can make you appear careless and waste time when the recipient has to request the missing file.

Avoiding pitfalls:

There’re a couple of ways you can try to avoid this particular pitfall but training yourself to do it one way every time will help it become a habit and take away the risk:

Attach files before writing the email: this ensures you won’t forget them;

Double-check for attachments before hitting send, especially if the email mentions one;

Or (and this is my favourite) don’t move the email addresses to the ‘To’ and ‘CC’ section until you’ve reviewed the email as a whole. Then, when you review it, as soon as you mention an attachment add it on.

Inappropriate timing…

Pitfall: timing matters when sending emails.

An email sent late at night or during non-working hours may disrupt the recipient’s work-life balance.

So many of us now have emails linked to our phones and it can be difficult to switch off work mode and swap to family, or leisure. This, in itself, can raise problems. The recipient could read it but forget to action it by the time they return to work and/or they may have to take steps to make sure they do remember it, causing them inconvenience.

Receiving an email outside work hours can be classed as rude.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Respect work hours: and avoid sending emails late at night or on weekends unless it’s urgent;

Use scheduling features to send emails at a more appropriate time, especially if you're working in different time zones.

Note: I worked with a colleague who would work to, say, 6.30 pm, and schedule an email to be sent out at 9.30 pm just so that the receiver would think she was dedicated.

Following up…

Pitfall: failing to follow up on important emails can lead to missed deadlines and stalled projects. Although I believe that once you’ve sent an email it becomes the receiver’s responsibility to meet response times requested or respond at all, but it comes down to the importance of the deadline.

If you don’t receive a response, it could be that your email got lost in a crowded inbox or overlooked due to other priorities.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Politely follow up if you haven’t received a reply after a reasonable amount of time, especially if it’s time-sensitive. Be polite and professional in your follow-up communication to keep the conversation on track;

Use a clear call to action in your initial email, such as a deadline or request for confirmation, to ensure the recipient knows a response is expected.

Replying to all…

Pitfall: the "Reply All" function can lead to all sorts of issues:

Information overload for recipients who don't need to be involved in the conversation;

Clogging of inboxes, frustrating recipients;

Cause security risks if sensitive information is shared with either too many people or the wrong people.

Avoiding pitfalls:

Assess the necessity of a "Reply All": only include people who are directly involved or need to be informed of the response;

Use direct replies for individuals when the information isn’t relevant to the entire group.

Note: when composing your email, opt to ‘forward’ it rather than ‘reply’. You can copy up the list from the email below, but then remove all the recipients who don’t need your email. Only add the names, individually, to the ‘To’ and ‘CC’ lines when its ready and you can double-check each name as you go.

Conclusion…

Email communication is a powerful tool, but only when used effectively.

Avoiding these common pitfalls—whether it’s clarity, tone, timing, or attachment errors—can ensure your messages are received and understood as intended.

With a little attention to detail, you can make your emails clear, professional, and impactful, strengthening your relationships and improving efficiency in the process.

And there you go, pointers to keep you on-point, courteous and professional – all the things you want to be known for at work.

I hope you found this article helpful and feel free to look at other soft skills at work that you can use to impress.

Good luck!