Editor’s Note: Thanksgiving was made an official holiday by President Lincoln in 1863, not 1893, as stated in the previous issue of the NAFE E-Newsletter. Many thanks to all the readers who contacted me about the inverted digit!

$99 Banners and Skyscrapers: Want to promote your business? For NAFE members, a banner or skyscraper ad in one issue of the NAFE E-Newsletter will cost you just $99.00. (Regular rate is $150.00.) Contact newsletter editor Paula Damiano to place your ad: paula.damiano@nafe.com. [Note: you must be an active NAFE member to receive this special rate.]

December Holidays. What do you really know about other people’s holidays? Knowledge is power – so learn something new today about these special year-end celebrations:

Kwanzaa [African-American]
Chanukah [Jewish]
Three Kings Day [Christian]
Pancha Ganapati [Hindu]
Eid-al-Adha [Islam]
Rohatsu [Buddhist]

NAFE Discount on Whirlpool Products. Through a special arrangement with Whirlpool, NAFE members can reap big savings on Whirlpool appliances, accessories and other Whirlpool items. You and your family can purchase up to 12 products a year under the VIPLINK program and get substantial savings on everyday retail pricing. Go to the NAFE website to sign up for the discount program – just click on the Whirlpool banner at the top of the NAFE home page.

5 Tips for More Effective Emails

This issue’s 5 Tips were submitted by newsletter editor Paula Damiano. (NOTE: This means we need more contributions from readers – so sit down and write something!)

Perhaps I’m too critical of colleagues’ and friends’ email habits. It may be because I’m a writer and I view emails as writing. Is that too radical a notion? I don’t think so. But email has been around a long time now, so perhaps a refresher course is in order. Here are my five top tips for more effective emails.

1. Meaningful subject lines. Be specific: “Need speaker bio for Jane Doe/WorkLife Congress” is meaningful, while “Next week’s event” is not. A finely-crafted subject line almost makes the message redundant. It also allows you or the receiver to locate the message again a week from now, without reading a ton of emails on the same general topic.
2. Only one topic per email. Emails should be short and to the point. Even if you have three topics to discuss with the same person, don’t include them all in one killer message. Instead, send three brief messages – with meaningful subject lines (see above). Think telegram – not War and Peace.
3. Forward with care. If you’re sending the message on to someone else, make sure there’s nothing embarrassing in the forwarded email. If the original message includes a negative comment like “Can you answer this pain-in-the-butt’s question?” it may be diplomatic not to forward, but to summarize and rewrite the question. What if the original sender ultimately receives the entire string – do you really want her to see that remark?
4. Include contact info. The receiver already has your email address, as the sender of the email. But if you’re asking her to call you, include your phone number – even if you think she has it. Your full name, title and company name are helpful, too.
5. Casual – but not too much. Yes, emails are more chatty in tone than traditional business letters. But it’s still a business communication. If you’d call this person Mr. Smith to his face, then “Dear Mr. Smith” is a more appropriate salutation than “Hi Bill!”. And lose the smiley-face emoticons – unless you’re emailing your 8-year-old niece.

What are YOUR views on the presidential election and the current economy? Let the world know what you really think. Connect with others; learn and share.Have YOU blogged today? Visit the NAFE blog page today.

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