FOR WINNING EMAILS
Even if you’ve tried waking up at 4am, given forced mindfulness a go or changed the way you eat in the name of optimum productivity, sometimes you’re not the one standing in the way of a completely ticked off to-do list. Sometimes it’s a colleague – and their penchant for ignoring your emails – that’s causing the bottle neck.
As irritating as it might be when your messages don’t receive a reply, take some time to do a quick audit of the emails you’re sending. Are they long? Void of emotion? Do they waffle on? If you answered yes to any of the above – and even if you didn’t – try one of these genius email hacks on for size.
KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET
No matter how important the subject of your email is, avoid your urge to send your co-worker novel-worthy prose. A 2015 study from Boomerang revealed that messages with fewer than 125 words have more than a 50 per cent chance of receiving a reply, so keep it brief. If you’re struggling to cram everything you want to say in one email, write a draft, read it over and then cut back from there.
NAIL YOUR SUBJECT LINE
Would you open an email that says “Need advice” or “I was wondering if I could get your opinion on this report I’m writing for a presentation tomorrow at 1pm …”? If you really want to grab your colleagues’ attention, keep your subject line clear and concise and full of action. For example, instead of a longwinded request, try “Invoice approval required today” or “Question about Tuesday’s presentation”.
DON’T SPAM THEM
Ever heard the saying “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”? Turns out it applies to platonic work emails, too. If you have multiple email threads going on with the same person – and you’re still waiting on them to reply to every single one – condense everything into the one email. Instead of sifting through their inbox, they’ll see everything you want from them in one message, which they can then go through and respond to. Before you send multiple messages, ask yourself if you could call or instant message them instead to lighten their mental load.
HAVE AN INTENTION
Before you send an email, ask yourself what you’re really saying. Have you beaten around the bush by adding in too many niceties, like “Hope you’re super well after your holiday, did you have a great time?” If you have to question whether your email gets the message across, it probably hasn’t, so go back and make your point known.
END ON A CALL TO ACTION
This helps to reinforce what you want and it also conveys a sense of importance or urgency, the ultimate duo when it comes to getting a reply. Saying “If you could get back to me by 11am tomorrow that would be great” or “Please read this report today” reminds them of the action they need to take.
DON’T WRITE LIKE A ROBOT
While it’s important to keep things clear and concise, don’t take out all of the emotion. In the same Boomerang study, researchers found that emails that contain positive language receive up to 15 per cent more responses than emails with no personality. Don’t be afraid to have a joke or two, just don’t let it get in the way of your goal.
TIME IT RIGHT
If you know your colleague is more productive in the morning than the afternoon, schedule your email when you know they’ll be paying attention. If you’re not sure, studies show that emails sent in the morning or around lunchtime get a higher response rate, since people are arriving or returning to their desk.
bodyandsoul.com.au