Here are two tips from a recent Jackson Retail Success Academy class for making your quick emails to colleagues and customers more effective and better received.
- Make your Subject Lines more descriptive.
- Make only One Point per email.
How often do you scroll back through old emails looking for that one message about that one certain meeting only to see six emails all with the same single word subject line “meeting”? Wouldn’t it be easier if the subject line instead said something like…
“Meeting Wednesday, March 3rd 11am about Payroll”
Not only do you get more information across to the recipient before they even open the email, they also have the ability to find that specific email easier amid all the other clutter in their inbox or folders.
Making one point per email should seem automatic, but I know I’m guilty of trying to cram too much into each message I send. And I’m also guilty of not reading past the first point and often missing multiple points in messages I receive. How often do you think the recipients of your emails do the same?
Since there is no extra charge for sending multiple emails, send one for every point you wish to make. Write a clear, detailed subject line and put only one point into each email. The other benefit of doing this is that if both points require a reply, but one point can be quickly answered while the other takes time, two separate emails give the recipient the ability to reply to both in the proper amount of time each requires.
Not only will your recipients thank you, they’ll understand you better and respond more timely and thoroughly.
-Phil