A survey from highspeedinternet.com says Americans use emojis in more than half of their texts, with the laugh-crying emoji being the most-popular. In the world of communication, the use of a visual to convey a spoken idea or emotion is a curious thing. Fair to say that a text or social media post is not a spoken idea, but there was a time when words were “just spoken” or “just written.” Now we have a blend of words, images, presentations and interpretations.
How do you write a quality text? First, I should clarify that I mean text messages. The word “text” can also mean “printed or written work.” The rules for writing a text on your iPhone don’t completely mirror those of writing a novel, blog or even an email, but some structure should apply when sending texts, especially within a work setting.
Things to do before you hit send
When you are composing a text to a co-worker, a professional tack is always best. This is especially true if you are texting to a client on behalf of your company. However, it is just as important to keep text messages as professional as possible. Texts are very easily misconstrued. If you have any doubt about the clarity of your message, stop typing and pick up the phone or go see the person face-to-face. At the very least, compose an email instead.
According to EF English Live, the professional email structure goes something like this:
- Begin with a greeting
- Thank the recipient (presumably a client or someone who has asked a question)
- State your purpose
- Add your closing remarks
- End with a closing
A successful business text message should follow this basic format. Being friendly (or at least polite) and concise is both professional and courteous. Here are a few more tips:
- Always consider the length of your text. You don’t have to count the number of your characters, but texts are not emails nor do they take the place of phone conversations.
- Do not text with your boss unless he/she has agreed to that form of communication.
- Keep work-related texts with co-workers during work time. Sleepy, slightly intoxicated or texts sent by children will not serve you well.
- Proofreading your text is a must. This goes back to avoiding confusing or misinterpreted words. Use correct spelling and punctuation and avoid text abbreviations. Delete the jargon. Remember you are using text for expediency and not for clarification purposes: including any confusing words sends both the wrong idea about you and your word choices.
- Remember that like emails, texts are forever. They may be printed, forwarded and recalled. Compose with care!