Despite the rise of social media, instant messaging, and all manner of apps, reports of email’s death have been greatly exaggerated. In fact, according to technology market research firm The Radicati Group, in 2015, roughly 2.6 billion people will use email—a number that will grow to more than 2.9 billion by the end of 2019.

"For most organizations, it’s the communication nervous system," says business writer and communications consultant, Natalie Canavor, author of Business Writing for Dummies.