Seven Ways to Write Better Emails

How to effectively manage email continues to be a hot topic. I’ve said for a long time that email is the biggest productivity drain in an agency today. I seldom get people disagreeing with that statement. In past TechTips, I have talked about many different strategies you can use to regain control over your email inbox.

One strategy is to learn how to write better emails. Improving the emails you send can have a major impact on reducing the emails you receive and make it much easier for you to respond. Here are seven suggestions that are simple yet can be very useful:

1. Include only one request per email.

This may sound counter-intuitive because you may end up sending more emails. But, multiple requests slow things down. When you only have one topic in an email, the individual can reply to that email with the information you need. When you make multiple requests in one email, the recipient may need to keep that email longer in their inbox so they can answer each of the requests you have made.

2. Use a subject line that reflects the topic and urgency.

Most people will scan the subject line to get an idea of how important and how urgent your email is. By putting the topic and the urgency in the subject line you will help them be able to prioritize when and how fast they need to answer your email.

3. Get to the point quickly.

The first sentence in your email should be a clear explanation of the request you are making. Any explanation for the reason for the request should be included in subsequent paragraphs.

4. Keep the email as brief as possible.

You are trying to help the individual to whom you are sending this email to be able to respond to your request or provide the information that you need as quickly and easily as possible. Keeping the details as brief as possible will help them save time and, hopefully, provide you with a quicker response.

5. Provide “if-then” options.

If there are multiple possible outcomes or ways to provide the information then give the recipient a list of the options that you know are possible. They then will be able to choose a different option without having to reply and ask for additional information. This will cut down on the number of times they need to ask more detailed questions.

6. Don’t send “me too” emails unless absolutely necessary.

This is especially true when sending emails to a group of people. There is little that’s more annoying for others than to read a string of emails that all say “me too!” This applies to “thank you” emails also. I seldom send a reply to an email simply to thank the individual.

7. Proof your emails before sending them.

To make sure you have time to proof your emails you may want to set up your Outlook to not automatically send emails immediately. Or, save your emails as a draft and let them sit for a few minutes before you click Send so you can reread them to make sure they are actually saying what you intended. This will cut down on the number of questions and/or clarifications you may have to deal with later.

Email is a great communication tool — when managed well. I hope these tips will help you write better emails and take you one more step toward regaining control of your email inbox.

Question: What other email management tips have you found helpful?