Key Reasons to Send an Email - The Four Rs
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4 Reasons to Send an Email
Email is a great tool, but it is not always the right tool! And as with anything, Email is often misused! Therefore, it is important that we all understand not only how to properly use Email, but also when it should even be used in the first place.
Email is an essential business tool when used properly:
It is fast, simple, efficient and accurate.
It increases the speed, flow, and access to information.
It helps facilitate the resolution of issues and speeds decision-making.
It supports global collaboration, working across time-zones and the creation of virtual teams.
An Email is best used for one of these four key activities:
Request, Response, Read or Reference
(Remember this as “The 4Rs”).
Request
Initiating an action, such as needing help to solve a problem.
Example: “I need your help with finding…”
Response
Answering a question posed during a meeting or from another Email.
Example: “Here is the answer to your question about…”
Read
Sending information that needs to be read, reviewed, or communicated.
Example: “Here is the sales report to be reviewed in the upcoming meeting …”
Reference
Providing reference material that needs to be saved or stored, but is not urgent.
Example: “Here is a copy of the invoice to save to the project folder…”
