5 Effective Email Tips

The ability to compose efficient and effective email is very important for productivity and responsiveness. When not done correctly it can have the opposite effect you are trying to achieve when you send your message off.

Here are 5 tips for sending an email that will get read, be understood, and acted upon.

1. Have an attention-grabbing subject line The first thing the recipient sees in your email is the subject line. The purpose of a subject line is to summarize the content of the message, specify urgency if there is any, and make it easy for the recipient to find later. The purpose is not to be witty, boring, or vague – don’t leave the subject line blank or with a greeting like “Hi”.

2. Keep the message focused No one wants to get an email that is disorganized, vague, or leaves the recipient wondering what the point is. Be clear, concise, and organized. If you have more than one point, suggestion, question, or request, break them up into different paragraphs. Don’t ramble. Get to the point quickly.

3. Be Polite Urgency and being concise do not mean rudeness. Say please and thank you. Offer lightness and fun while still maintaining professionalism. No one wants to receive an email that makes demands or makes them feel unappreciated.

4. Edit, Edit, Edit Make sure you proofread your message before you hit send. Email is a casual form of communication but is still a way for you to send the message that you are well-educated and a good communicator. Don’t let poor spelling or grammar make your message look bad.

5. Don’t Overcommunicate If you have 3 questions for someone, put together one well-thought out, clear concise email with your questions. Don’t send someone 9 emails with one line each that will just annoy them and lead them to get frustrated and respond less.

Remember, using email is a time for you to put your needs in writing for a reason: you want them read, understood, and met. Following these tips will help you achieve that goal.