Ultimate Productivity
Lost In The Inbox Shuffle? 7 Tips to Write Emails That Stand Out
By Claudine Motto
Writing emails that quickly and successfully communicate your message is a skill at the heart of effective business communication. Whether you’re communicating with co-workers, clients, or supervisors, writing an effective email can make the difference between your email being opened and being ignored. Here are 7 tips to help get your message across:
1. MISSION: SUBJECT LINE: Your mission is to craft a subject line that tells the recipient what you want from them, and by when. What do you need them to DO? Keep it concise yet descriptive of what’s inside. A well-crafted subject line helps you find emails quickly later, too.
2. SHORT AND SWEET: Ideally an email will touch on one important issue at a time. The key is to effectively communicate that one key issue briefly, and clearly. Keep paragraphs short, and use bullet points – you have just a few seconds to grab the person’s attention.
And when you think you’re done, make it shorter: take a quick look for any “filler” information you can eliminate – keep only the most relevant details.
3. BOTTOMS UP: If your email gets opened, the reader will most likely quickly skim the first few sentences – make them count. Summarize the content of the email, or repeat what you’re asking them or needing them to do, and by when.
4. KEEP IT SIMPLE: Avoid or keep to a minimum extravagant fonts, colors, bold, and italics – simple and clean makes it easier for the reader to focus on the message, and not on the frills.
5. KNOW YOUR RECIPIENT: Don’t turn the reader off – if you don’t know the person well, use formal greetings and salutations until you have a better sense of how to address them. With more established relationships, less formal greetings and casual language is acceptable and can create a sense of rapport.
Emails are essential in business communication and are a reflection of you and your business – keep them professional.
6. DON’T OVEREMAIL: Sending email takes just a few keystrokes, making it tempting to send one each time you have a thought or question about something. Respect other people’s time – save the tidbits and combine them into one email – people will appreciate it, and you may even find the answer on your own in the meantime.
7. THANKS BUT NO THANKS: If you don’t need to hear back, or the email is for information only, say so – it can save the person from replying with just “thanks” or “you’re welcome.”
The simpler and more concise your emails, the less time you’ll waste writing them, the less time the recipient will waste reading them, and the more likely they’ll be to open messages from you. Plus, you’ll ensure the main point gets across – efficient, and effective.
2010 Claudine Motto, All Rights Reserved.
Productivity Coach and Professional Organizer Claudine Motto helps home office geniuses, entrepreneurs, and independent professionals get organized and in control of their workload so they can reach their goals with less struggle and less stress. She offers one-on-one coaching and group training programs – please visit http://www.vistalnorte.com or call 561-641-9500 for more information, to sign up for her monthly newsletter, or to schedule a complimentary 20-minute consultation.