EMail or Snail Mail ? When to Use Which

Posted on May 29, 2007
Filed Under Media Advice, Personal Development |

I was just reading over a new book out on emails…when to use them,how to use them,what to say when you use them,what not to say when you use them….you get the idea, I’m sure.

I think some of the book is way too thought out for something like email, but, it does raise a very important point not everyone understands: email and regular (snail) mail make very different statements about the sender and are,therefore, perceived very differently by the reader.

In general, it is fine to email a friend or business associate or even a boss so long as you keep the communication short and to the point. As mentioned in the book I looked at…and it is true…more and more people actually view their email on Blackberry type devices with much smaller screens that make it tedious at best to read a very long email.

Emails can also be used very effectively when trying to contact people for the first time…for some reasons, people who would never talk to you on the phone, will read your email. Go figure. Probably a power thing.

But, as wonderful as emails can be (IM’s, too) there still is a place and purpose for good old fashioned snail mail….we’re talking about..dare we say it????..a letter!

A letter says to the reader…you mean business. After all, you took the time and effort to write the thing and print it on paper and then put it into one of those envelope things and put a stamp on it and drop it in a mail box. Now that’s work!

Because of this, letters must almost always have a more formal tone than an email…If you want to say–by the way–then say it; don’t write BTW.

Your writing skills will be needed when it comes to writing a letter, which is probably why a lot of people now prefer emails…you can get away with a lot more.

Take your cue from doctors and lawyers…you don’t see them emailing important test results or legal papers. These are usually committed to paper as a way of saying to all : this is really important.

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