So… you goofed royally and sent an accidental email. Here we provide tips on dealing with your nightmare mistake.
- Skip the excuses.
No matter how hard you try, you can’t go back in time to that moment before you pressed sen, so don’t even try to cover your butt. Avoid excuses (“Just listen,” “There’s this big story,” “I can explain…”). You have to be sincere. Maybe the truth is that you wrote a bitchy bridal email because you secretly want to get married so badly. Suck it up and say so.
2. Don’t email “I’m sorry”
There’s no accounting for tone and emotion in an email, so forget about putting your apology in writing. Sorry can seem flippant in typewritten form or even angry if you use all caps to emphasize your words. So pick up the phone and call your friend or put your tail between your legs and fess up to your boss.
3. Be patient
Your email may cause your friend, boss, or roommate to write you off, but chances are, they’d like to forget the incident as much as you would. So give them time. Meanwhile, let yourself off the hook for your slip – eventually the humiliating sting will wear off.
