How to Write a Condolence for a Coworker

March 14, 2016

Even if a condolence is difficult for you to write, you should still do it. “I don’t know what to say, so I won’t say anything,” doesn’t cut it. Take a deep breath and follow these writing tips. You’ll maintain your self-respect, and you’ll give comfort to a person who needs it.

Princeton Review: Don’t send me a huffy e-mail when I unsubscribe

December 9, 2015

So, it’s like that, Princeton Review. You loved me when I subscribed to receive your weekly School Research Service e-mails, but now that my daughter’s been accepted to college and I’ve unsubscribed, you can’t even be polite. Here’s the let’s-destroy-our-business-relationship e-mail I received from Princeton Review when I unsubscribed: From: Unsubscribe To: LESLIE O’FLAHAVAN Subject: […]

Six Things that Won’t Change About Writing to Customers

January 24, 2013

Recently, almost everything about writing to customers has changed. The number of channels has gone from 3 (letters, faxes, and e-mails) to at least 7 (letters, faxes, e-mails, texts, live chats, tweets, and wall posts). Today’s customers won’t wait very long to hear from us, and they don’t read much of what we write. So how do we get our bearings in this world of change? By focusing on the things that haven’t changed.

Effective E-Mails, from Subject Line to Signature

September 6, 2012

E-mails are so much a part of our daily communication that we often dash them off without much thought. But thoughtful, effective e-mails accomplish what the writer intended. Read these tips for writing better e-mail subject lines, openings, closings, bodies, calls to action, closings, and signatures.