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TEDx Talks

TEDx Talks

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How to Write an Email (No, Really) | Victoria Turk | TEDxAthens

Video Overview & Insights

You might think you’re an expert at email, but you’re probably doing it wrong. Which greeting should you use? How can you make sure you’re not misunderstood? Do you know the golden rule of CC? From subject line to sign-off, Victoria Turk guides through some of the oft-neglected fundamentals of email etiquette. Victoria Turk is a senior editor at WIRED UK, where she edits the magazine's culture section, leads video strategy, and writes regularly for print and web. She specialises in stories at the intersection of technology and culture, which explore the impact of technology on our everyday lives. Before working at WIRED, she was technology editor at New Scientist and UK editor at Motherboard, VICE’s tech and science channel. Victoria’s first book, Digital Etiquette, was published by Ebury Press in March 2019 and explores the way we use digital communication tools across different spheres of our lives – from work to romance, friendship to social media – to set out the new rules of online etiquette. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

0:37 "... you're probably doing it wrong.".

No. It should be, "... you're probably doing it wrongLY.".

The word is an adverb. Ironic.

— @UlyssesDrax

More User Perspectives

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this ted talk could have been an email

@diegotrujillo5257
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?

@diegotrujillo5257
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She lost me in 40 seconds when she said "you're probably doing it wrong". She should learn how to talk to an audience before trying to teach how to write an email.

@FluxFloyd
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Email is great, but when just having a computer only, a routine has to be set everyday especially for a workplace plus the ones who doesn't have a computer phone thats mashed together. For my past experiences, life was quite a roller-coaster but I'm getting better at email since people created the idea to mash a computer and phone together in a masterpiece situation.

@SMD24
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Victoria Turk provides tips on email etiquette, focusing on reducing email burden. She covers greetings, body content, sign-offs, subject lines, CC/BCC usage, and timing. Key advice includes being concise, clear, and considerate of recipients' time.

@sooma-ai
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Best regards is way better than best wishes. What is she talking about? Best wishes and All the best are the only good sign-off options? This is a joke.

@JesusChristHimselff
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Sorry but this was not worth of a TEDx

@rclakmal
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PSA: BEFORE you click reply, check for any DL's in the adress list.
What loooks like a single adress could infact be a thousand or more.

@petert3355
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Really liked it 😀 thanks for this in advance mam

@SparrowKumar
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I was waiting for that signing off line I.e thanks in advance😂

@SparrowKumar
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Thanks in advance

@oinoob298
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Very helpful now I know the best sign off to use Thank you

@LarinthaTurner
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I think this is the first time I’m saying this about a TED Talk but I disagree with some of what the speaker is conveying. IME, leaders who send one word emails (e.g. ?) are not necessarily poor communicators as many align with their team directly to explain their “email language” which is created for brevity and efficiency.

@KarlaJMO
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Viva insights is great for delaying emails automatically. It will send the email during the receivers work hours. Especially good if you’re a manager that wants to signal that you don’t expect answers at midnight (even if you’re sending emails at that hour). Also if you work in different time zones. 😅furthermore, your outlook dosnt have to be open for it to send like the normal delay functionality.

@NinaEgaa
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Everything important should be included in the first sentence. They are not going to read the second sentence most of the time anyway.

@ecospider5
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This is the worst ted talk I have ever seen

@rudra.patel.001
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I think most of those sign offs she mentioned not to use are ok. What's wrong with varying it a little?

@hi-its-sarah-here
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Thank u all very much

@vijayarya9528
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I dont understand why people give speeches and we listen to them when they memorised the entire script. Cant they just write it and we can read it?

@peters8080
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I want to send you an email!

@stefanorossi9643
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You should have signed off with best wishes. Missed opportunity jajajaja

@robertrivera-xb4jl
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jesus the audience look bored

@J234-gw7he
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2:15

@Aldacoo
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I as an immigrant learned so much. I did not know that email could be so much important.

@talashpeygir2621
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Thank you for this Ted talk. My emails always get misconstrued. Sometimes I wonder if I should be more mean to match the image in my email recipients’ minds.

@JessicaLZ
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Omg - I didnt have a problem to use "Thanks in advance" in most of my response. Cant imagine the kind of attitude it delivered to the receivers.

@yuvaraj7340
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Quite a good summary but got off track from the CC rule… well it would be nice if everyone followed it but if only you do it and they mention your name and you ignore the email just because you are CC’d in vs addressed in the TO entry then it’s a broken/flawed concept, also you can be CC’d and later directly addressed and then what? Ignore it? Just treat each email as important as any other unless you 100% know everyone follows the CC rule, I know that we all need to take any recommendations with a grain of salt but people do listen to advice and will take things to the extreme.
Also “Best wishes” sounds to informal, as a friendly sign off 100% agree but not a serious formal email, Kind Regards works well and commonly accepted as formal reply by all in most industries

@bernotasalex
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Thanks, Victoria, for raising our awareness to all these aspects of our daily e-mailing activities. Yes, we are well-advised to communicate openly about our e-mail-etiquette and make clear agreements about it. This makes life and communication easier and more cheerful for all of us.

@leeles
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Loved the video and delivery of the talk.

@ajinkyathakare204
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Most of the etiquette rules are silly & pointless.
I am now tempted to break them just to see easily "outraged" people fume :)

@MrJekyllDrHyde1
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This was a great video on a simple, everyday task that we all thought we were doing correctly!

@Amanda-de-Panda
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Très pertinent sur les nouveaux modes de communication

@JeanPhilippeCunniet
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Nhìn Dương Thanh Vàng đàn ông quá ko quen haha

@e-ggears193
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Those emails that are signed off ‘best’

@singha6
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I think everyone but me used my email
..wish I could learn more about it's uses when it mattered

@ellanoe6251
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I really like the speaker. Great presenting skills.

@zali6277
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As a pastor's kid, I kinda absorbed my dad's way to end emails, he uses, "In His bonds", which is perfect becayse my first office job is Christian, I don't know if I shiuld keep it though.

@sergeantkreelTF99
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Haven't ever thought, but this is a part of my college assignment😌

@black3nova
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brilliantly explained e-mailing process

@nostalgiaevolution
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My boss once sent me an email with a question mark, I responded with two question marks. Five minutes he was at my desk explaining what he wanted me to do with it. 😁

@mullahraheil
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Imagine my disappointment when she said ‘Kind Regards’ was too pompous. That’s my go-to sign off 😔

@nelleo2507
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OCD says i'd like to receive the third thanks.

@raghavtripathiiii
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When she called Jeff Bezos impolite i was like ♥♥♥♥

@PuneriLegolas
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me after signing off an email with kind regards.....

@queentima7553
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Lovely! I love this woman, her intelligence! Fantastic!

@luisF506
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perfection overloaded.

@united_estates100
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It's all about the preference and knowing your audience.

@iamkenyalikethecountry
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I paid for a college education just so I can watch this 15 minute video on how to write an email... wtf, lol what a waste of time and money, doesn't even take 3 minutes to learn how to write an email, and thats if you dont know how to write an email by 18-19 years old -_-

@ewci6d
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someone got really pissed off because they got rickrolled after handing out their business card to people so they made an entire ted talk about it, i can sense it

@smartman8699