Isn’t it frustrating to forget an attachment?  I know it’s a little thing, but somehow it still has the power to send pangs of embarrassment through us (or maybe that’s just me!).  My very first job back in college was as manuscript coordinator for Six Sigma Forum Magazine.  It almost exclusively involved sending emails with attachments back and forth.  Of course, it wasn’t long before I hit “send” and oops!  I had forgotten the attachment.  It seems a little dramatic now, but at the time, I was horrified.  I’m talking instant sweat beads.  After quickly correcting my error, I resolved to never let it happen again.  And it didn’t – as long as I used my new system.

We’ve all heard that the secret is in the sauce.  Well, when it comes to email attachments, the secret is in the system.  (Or if the word “system” sounds scary, just think of it as a routine.)  The point is that as long as you always follow the same steps, you won’t forget the attachment.  Here are two super simple systems you can start using today:

1.      The pre-draft attach – Attach your documents before you start writing the email.  A lot of times, we’re tempted to draft the email and then add the attachments, but that method makes it too easy to hit “send” without including them.

2.      The word trigger – A colleague of mine shared that as soon as she’d write the word “attached” in her email, she’d pause and include the related attachment.  That word was her trigger for ensuring the attachment always made it.  This approach is great because the word “attached” or some variation should always be in your email if you’re including an attachment.

Easy, right?  All you have to do is pick one and stick with it!  And yes, there are software add-ons and other features built into Gmail or newer Outlook versions that can also remind you to include attachments.  If that’s your cup of tea, go for it.  However, I love that the systems above work regardless of your email client.

As for my system, I’ve been using the “pre-draft attach” ever since that embarrassing day in college, and it has served me well.  On the rare occasion that I do forget an attachment, it’s only because I carelessly ignored the system.  Thankfully, I don’t break out in sweat over it anymore.  I just get a fresh appreciation for the value of the system.

Do you have a great system for remembering attachments?  Don’t keep it to yourself!  Please share it in the comments.

It’s often the little things that make a difference with our emails.  With that thought in mind, here are three easy things to watch out for in your emails this week:

1.  Make sure your contact info is in your signature.  Already got it set up on your computer?  Great!  What about your mobile device?  Your readers should never have to hunt for this information (and they don’t really care what you used to send the email), so make sure all your devices are up to date.

2.  Please don’t misspell your addressee’s name.  Even with proofreading, sometimes our fingers get the best of us.  It happens.  But whatever you do, please don’t misspell the addressee’s name.  You’ll have disrespected one of that person’s favorite words!  Especially when the name is usually right there in the email address, there’s no excuse.  (For the record, I do forgive anyone who’s sent an email to “Sheryl” instead of “Cheryl.”)

3.  Always introduce attachments.  It’s very confusing to receive an email that has an attachment but no explanation of it in the body of the email.  Even if the reader is expecting an attachment, it could be missed if you don’t at least say something like, “The report is attached.”  Plus, attachments show up differently in different email systems, so what’s obvious on your screen may not be obvious to your readers.

Every email is a chance to be better, and now you have three easy ways to step up your game.  Have a fantastic week!