Write better email

Email is not just a means of communicating quickly. It’s also a way of storing information so you can refer to it later. So when writing effective emails, you need to bear in mind both how to get your point across in the short term, and how useful the message will be as a means for the recipient to store and later retrieve information.

The subject is your headline

The most important rule, when writing emails, is that subject lines are headlines. In that sense, it should grab attention, summarise the subject matter, and tell the reader why they should read on. That’s a lot to cover, so it’s worth giving it some time and thought.

It’s also worth including a call to action in the subject line, if at all possible. For example, if there’s a deadline to meet, make sure you mention it – eg “please reply by April 1st”.

The headline also needs to clearly tell the recipient that this message is not spam. Otherwise it runs the risk of instant deletion.

Make one point – and stick to the point

If you have several topics to cover, consider splitting these into different emails. That way the recipient can easily reply to each point at the right time and in the right way. This will help you get clearer and more relevant answers to your questions.

Be clear, be concise

Email writing style can be very informal. But you should be clear, and as short as possible while containing all the information needed. Try to summarise the purpose of the message at the start of the email.

Call to action – tell them what you want them to do

If you want the recipient to take a particular action, tell them. If you want a reply, tell them that. If you would like them to visit a website, let them know. The clearer you make this, the better the response will be.

Tagged as: email