get action from email

8 steps to ensure that your emails are read and acted upon

Get Action From Email

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We receive an averageof 125 emails eachday…

*from The Radicati Group

…but can only handle50 emails a day.

*from a survey by Harris Interactive

Photo credit: StartUp Stock Photos

Your email can be one of the 50 if it is

easy to read and understand.

Craft emails that deliver results by following

8 guidelines


1. make your SUBJECT work for you

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Instead of:“Proof for Campaign X”

Try:“Proof approval for Campaign X needed by Friday”

“Proof for Campaign X – Approval needed by Friday”

good subjects draw

ATTENTION

Subject: Revisions For Sales Report

can you make this

SUBJECTbetter?



Subject: Revisions Needed for 5/23 Sales Reports by 6/6

can you make this

SUBJECTbetter?

Why it worksAdd a sense of urgency by clarifying which report needs revision and providing a due date right in the in-box.


2. evaluate

RecipientsPhoto credit: Free Images, Carl Dwyer

Build trust with recipients and they are more likely

to read your emails.

Remember –

To: For those who need to DO something,

CC: For those who need to KNOW what the recipient is doing.

send email

to those who

NEED IT

ONLY

These need to revise their reports:

• Becky Johnson

• Esther Xu

• John Price

These manage Becky, Esther, and John:

• Karen Jones

• Charles Lee

• Andrew Mclean

Your boss:

• Stu Brant

which recipients should be

COPIED?

Photo credit: Free Images, Carl Dwyer

To:

• Becky Johnson

• Esther Xu

• John Price

CC:

• Karen Jones

• Charles Lee

• Andrew Mclean

• Stu Brant

which recipients should be

COPIED?

Why it worksReduce confusion by addressing emails to recipients from whom action is required.Careful consideration of the recipient lines improves response by building trust with your audience.

Photo credit: Free Images, Carl Dwyer

3. who should do

WHAT by WHEN

Use ACTION verbs.Active voice is more concise thanpassive voice. It is less open tointerpretation than passive voice.

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Put the subject as closeto the beginning of thesentence as possible.Follow this structure:

Subject, verb, object, modifying phrases or clauses.

clarify the MESSAGE:

Maybe on the attached spreadsheet

could you please take a look at the

format because I don’t think you

have all the information I asked

for.

What your reader seesSubject: spreadsheet

Verb: lookObject: format

clarifiedMESSAGE:

What your reader seesSubject: you

Verb: reviseObject: sales forecast

Please revise last month’s

sales forecast.

4. keep it short and sweet

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George Orwell

If it is possible toCUT A WORD OUT,always cut it out.

Assume that your email will be read on a

smartphone. Can your first 2-3 lines

communicate your message?

Use simple words. Use short, direct

sentences. And don’t forget to choose

action verbs.

which is most

DIRECT?

I read you’re weekly report last week and

I need more information on you’re sales

forecasts for the rest of the year.

Update your previous weekly report and

return it to me.

As soon as possible, the revised

spreadsheet should be sent and maybe take

a look at the format because I don’t

think you have it fashioned properly.

I read you’re weekly report last week and

I need more information on you’re sales

forecasts for the rest of the year.

Update your previous weekly report and

return it to me.

As soon as possible, the revised

spreadsheet should be sent and maybe take

a look at the format because I don’t

think you have it fashioned properly.Why it worksAdverbs and unnecessary adjectives dilute your message. “Previous” remains in the sentence to clarify the needed report, but replacing with the actual dates would improve the clarity of the message.

which is most

DIRECT?

issue a

CALL to ACTIONPhoto credit: StartUp Stock Photos

tell your recipient

what to

DOBe clear and direct

about what you need

from your reader.

Provide any information

or clarification that

your reader may need

before taking action.

Return your updated weekly reports

to me by 6/6.

Include the following information in

the revised spreadsheet:

• List your top 10 target customers

for next year.

• Include revenue and margin

projections for top 10 targets.

• Provide summary sales support

plan for top 10 target customers.

See attachment for examples of

formatting and the level of detail

required.

I read you’re weekly report last

week and I need more information on

you’re sales forecasts for the rest

of the year. Maybe on the attached

spreadsheet take a look at the

format because I don’t think you

have all the information I asked

for. Send the revised spreadsheet

ASAP. Take another look at the

format while your at it.

which has a clear CALL to ACTION?

Return your updated weekly reports

to me by 6/6.

Include the following information in

the revised spreadsheet:

• List your top 10 target customers

for next year.

• Include revenue and margin

projections for top 10 targets.

• Provide summary sales support

plan for top 10 target customers.

See attachment for examples of

formatting and the level of detail

required.

which has a clear CALL to ACTION?

Why it works

1. Providing a due date creates urgency

while allowing your reader to plan

their time.

2. Underling the action and moving it

to the opening sentence provides a

focal point.

3. Placing details in a bulleted list

allows the reader to take action

without waiting for clarification.

6. be POLITE


PLEASEthank you

Tone is difficult to infer from email. An email that is friendly

and polite is more likely to achieve its goal than one that is

viewed as rude or abrupt. Resist writing when emotional, typing

in ALL CAPS, overusing emoticons , or overcompensating with

punctuation like exclamation points!!!!


tooWEAK

Hey there!

Maybe on the attached

spreadsheet could you please

take a look at the format

because I don’t think you

have all the information I

asked for.

Thank you so, so much,

Darcy

tooFORCEFUL

THIRD REQUEST!!!!!!!!!

Revise your sales forecast

ASAP. All required details

in previous emails.

Due 6/6 at the latest!!!

Darcy

TRYthis

Hi everyone,

Please revise your 5/23-5/27 weekly

reports. See the attachment for

details on the required revisions.

Return your updated weekly reports to

me by 6/6.

Thank you,

Darcy


TRYthis

Hi everyone,

Please revise your 5/23-5/27 weekly

reports. See the attachment for

details on the required revisions.

Return your updated weekly reports to

me by 6/6.

Thank you,

Darcy

Why it worksThis email strikes a balance between overly familiar and aggravated. Adding a simple salutation, “please”, and a complimentary close soften imperative sentences.


spellingpunctuationgrammar

ALLmatter

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Using the wrong word or a misplaced comma

can change your entire message. You also

run the risk of losing credibility if

repeated grammatical errors are noticed by

your recipients.

make your writing

UNDERSTOOD

How many MISTAKEScan you find?


week. and I need more information

on you’re sales forecasts for the

rest of the year.

Sandro and Eliza did this for me

last year. There projects was

good. You should as for they’re

help if you need it.

How many MISTAKEScan you find?


last year. Their projects were

good. You should ask for their



week. and I need more information

on you’re sales forecasts for the

rest of the year.

I read your weekly report last

week, and I need more information

on your sales forecasts for the

rest of the year.


last year. There projects was

good. You should as for they’re


8 read, review, REWRITE

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Take time to review your email for clarity and tone.

If you can, walk away or do something else before

sending in order to view the text with clarity.

Even professional writers

do not publish

FIRST DRAFTS


To: Becky Johnson; Esther Xu; John Price; Karen Jones; Charles Lee;

Andrew Mclean; Stu Brant


I read you’re weekly report last week and I need more information on

you’re sales forecasts for the rest of the year. Send the revised

spreadsheet ASAP. Maybe on the attached spreadsheet could you please

take a look at the format because I don’t think you have all the

information I asked for. Sandro and Eliza did this for me last year.

There projects was good. You should as for they’re help if you need

it.

Darcy

REVIEW the original


To: Becky Johnson; Esther Xu; John Price

CC: Karen Jones; Charles Lee; Andrew Mclean; Stu Brant

Subject: Revisions Needed for 5/23 Sales Reports by 6/6

Hi everyone,

Please revise your 5/23-5/27 weekly reports and return them to me by

6/6.

Include the following information in the revised spreadsheet:

• List your top 10 target customers for next year.

• Include revenue and margin projections for top 10 targets.

• Provide summary sales support plan for top 10 target customers.

See attachment for examples of formatting and the level of detail

required.

Thank you,

Darcy

COMPARE the revision

The revision works because it follows the

8 guidelines



DON’T forget…

DON’T forget…

1. Make your subject work for you

2. Evaluate recipients

3. Who should do what by when

4. Keep it short and sweet

5. Issue a call to action

6. Be polite

7. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar all matter

8. Read, review, rewrite


write CLEARLYand your email willget action.

Please don’t make yourreader struggle tounderstand you!

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