The Importance of White Space and Email

I've mentioned a number of times about assertive emails in these posts. In today's Internet world, often the rules of grammar take a back seat to the need for adequate attention. In email, employing white space effectively is part of writing an assertive email.

For example, if I am writing an email regarding a product purchased on the Internet, my request can be lost in the use of good grammar.

Re: Order # 450845408

Dear Sir:

The lamp I purchased from your website on April 20 arrived yesterday. When I plugged the lamp in and turned the switch "On", the bulb would not light. I have tried the lamp in several plugs with the same result. I have also changed the bulb in case the bulb I chose was defective. However, the lamp continues not to light. I would like you to replace the lamp with the same model as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Good grammar would argue that all of the sentences in that email should be in the same paragraph. After all, each sentence is about the subject of the paragraph, the defective lamp.

However, in an email, effectiveness is increased with the use of white space to emphasize your points. People glance at email quickly and it helps if the parts you want to focus on are in stand-out positions on the computer screen.

So here's how it would look in an effective assertive form:

Re: Order # 450845408

Dear Sir:

The lamp I purchased from your website on April 20 arrived yesterday. When I plugged the lamp in and turned the switch "On", the bulb would not light.

I have tried the lamp in several plugs with the same result. I have also changed the bulb in case the bulb I chose was defective. However, the lamp continues not to light.

I would like you to replace the lamp with the same model as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Now the important sentences jump off of the computer screen. Points that are made are separated from each other by the use of white space:

• The lamp arrived and it doesn't work
• I've tried all reasonable approaches to determine that the lamp is defective
  
• I want you to replace it.

Good luck with speaking up for yourself in email!

The ongoing Post Office Saga

Today I called the old Post Office to talk to Mr. Turner to find out why my mail hasn't been forwarded. He told me that because I rented an office in an ongoing business and didn't have a separate address from the business (although my mail came to me in my own name and not the name of the business), they would not be able to forward my mail.

He was very sweet and told me he would try to pull my mail and forward it to my new address, but they would be unable to do it in the usual way.

I went online to the feedback page and wrote the following assertive letter to the US Post Office:

I filled out an online change of address form when I moved my business to begin on July 27. I received a confirmation from the post office. When no mail was forwarded, I filled out a second online form. Again I received an email confirmation from the post office.

Mr. Turner at the old address post office 30xxx tells me that they cannot forward my mail because I was a renter in an established business.

I was at that address for 20 years and mail will continue to come to me there, despite every effort I make to change my address with people who send me bills and insurance companies who pay me. I am a psychologist and patients often recontact me after years of not seeing me.

I understand that because I rented an office room in XXXX XXXX Psychologists and did not have a specific suite number, the Post Office cannot forward my mail.

I would like this situation changed.

My mail should be forwarded to me.

In addition, I would like to have my credit card credited for the $2.00 you charged me when I changed my address online twice.

Linda T

Their automatic responder indicated that I should have a response in 1 - 2 days. Meanwhile, it sounds like sweet Mr. Turner at my old post office is going to try to help me get my mail. The very kind office manager at the old office will also hold mail for me to pick up.

For those of you learning about assertiveness, this letter is assertive because of several factors:
1. I make "I" statements to say what I have experienced and what I want to happen
2. In no way do I demean the Post Office or say devaluing things about their system
3. I chose to space the sentences in such a way that what I think is most important in the letter stands out (this is especially important in the email world of today in spite of how our English teachers may have taught us to put together paragraphs.)