Five Points to Get your E-mail Read

Now that e-mail communication has largely replaced many other forms of communication, the flood of it can result in your important e-mail sitting unread in someone’s inbox. These five points can help your e-mail get read, and then acted upon.

  1. Always include a concise, memorable subject line

    • Many people don’t read e-mail without subject lines. It looks too much like spam or viruses.
    • The more relevant the subject line, the more likely your e-mail will be read immediately.

  2. Get to the point quickly

    • It is a pleasure to read material that stays on track and reaches a proper conclusion. Doubly so when done concisely. Pleasurable reading gets a higher priority in the receiver’s mind.

  3. Include action points

    • If the recipient doesn’t know what you want done, it is quite likely that nothing will be done.
    • Adding a specific deadline can also help prompt action.

  4. Avoid exaggeration

    • The following devices are meant to grab attention, but actually turn off the reader:
      • ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
      • multiple exclamation points!!!!!!!
      • words like “urgent” and “important”

  5. Read before you send

    • Off-the-cuff communication is unlikely to be professional. Professional communication requires both thought and re-thinking. It also greatly benefits from proper grammar and spelling.

There are a lot of other great suggestions out there for getting your e-mail read and responded to! Check out the following sites for more great ideas: