building community through email. you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him read your...

Building Community Through Email

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him read

your email.

Elements of a Great Email

• Strong, accurate subject line

• Clear text and formatting

• Concise message

• Call to action

Why Does This Matter?

• Everyone is busy

• People only read what they want to read

• You are constantly building your credibility for the future

• We are awash in a sea of email every day

• Competition for readers is fierce

100 emails per day

Be Brief, Brother, Be Brief• Make your point quickly

• Direct reader to a website for more information

• End

Call to Action

• Direct the audience to do something

• Be clear

• Help the audience get it done

How Often Should I Send?

• Depends on what you have to say

• One to three times per month is standard

Formatting Guidelines

• Keep paragraphs short

• Use one font throughout

• Avoid exclamation points!

• Bold and italicize sparingly

• Red doesn’t help

Subject Lines

• 6 to 8 words max

• Key points should come first

• Be clear and specific

• Use logical keywords

• If appropriate, use deadlines

Common Mistakes

• Starting a sentence in…

• USING ALL CAPS

• Being vague and wordy

• Frgetting to chck spellling

The Good,Fall 2015 Mini-Reunion Schedule

Classmates, don’t forget to check out our Fall Mini-Reunion

schedule for the Class of 1993!

The Bad,

and the UglyHELLO CLASSMATES near and far; please read the attached list

of mini-reunions and mark your calendars to see your friends

from the best class ever, 1993!

Subject Line Exercise

Hello fellow members of the Class of 1993, and updates on fall programming and activities

Updating some information that was incorrect in the last newsletter!

INTRODUCING YOUR NEW CLASS TREASURER, JOE DARTMOUTH!!!