How to Write an Effective Email
- British workers send and receive 10,000 emails a year*
- 1 in 12 people receive more than 100 emails daily* (only 100? It’s a lot more for us and many people we have worked with).
When working on improving your productivity skills, email is one of the easiest places to make quick wins.
It’s easy to slip into the habit of letting email take over massive chunks of your day but it is also easy to change habits and make almost instant improvements. We have previously shared our top tips on managing your email effectively and now that you’ve mastered the art of managing your inbox (you have read and acted on the tips, haven’t you…), it’s time to improve your emailing technique.
No more lengthy conversations to communicate a simple point – here’s how to get your message across and truly use email to your advantage.
Use a strong subject line – The headline which displays in the recipient’s inbox is what makes them decide whether to read your email now, later or not at all. Make your query clear. Don’t use a title like “Tomorrow” or “Quick question”, use headlines like “Meeting 4pm tomorrow – anything to add to the agenda?” or “Quick question about the new filing system – can you help?”
Keep it brief – While it is important to communicate your full message in the first email, it is equally important to keep it brief. Waffling will quickly cause your reader to lose interest or lose track of what you want them to do. Say what needs to be said, be polite but go for short and sweet every time. Always get to the point straight away too, don’t leave any room for misunderstanding.
Assumption: the mother of all misunderstandings – Never assume that your recipient is familiar with technical jargon, abbreviations or other details. Make all aspects of your message very clear; for example, arrange a telephone interview at 12pm (GMT) tomorrow on Skype where you will call them at their Skype ID from your Skype ID, using webcams. You know you prefer to use Skype and have done so for years; they might not. If you assume Skype and they assume a call to their landline, you’ll both waste time.
Proof read every time – You know what you were thinking and typed what you were thinking so the email will reflect that perfectly. Often it won’t. Always reread emails before clicking send. Make sure the intended message is communicated clearly. Remember to keep an eye on the tone of the email as well as spelling, grammar and the message itself.
Take control of your inbox! For help, guidance and proven strategies for finessing your relationship with emails, contact Andrea for a 45 minute individual session where you will learn to master emails.
* Warwick Business School 2013
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