3 SUREFIRE WAYS TO GET YOUR EMAILS READ

You are inundated with emails; maybe hundreds of them each day. Which means you are also writing lots and lots of emails. It makes you wonder - does anybody even read them?

Here are 3 surefire ways you can make sure your emails get noticed...and read!

1. BE CONCISE

When you scan through your emails, don't you read the short ones first? Make it easy for your audience by getting right to the heart of the matter. Save the flowery descriptions for your first novel. Emails should be direct and to the point. Some say emails should be no more than three sentences. I'll let you determine the best length, but remember - Less is More.

2. MAKE USE OF THE SUBJECT LINE

Letting your audience know the content and urgency of your email in the subject line is a big help. It is especially useful in prioritizing what to open and read first.

My 5 favorite subject line abbreviations are:

FYI = For Your Information
NRN = No Reply Needed
AR = Action Required
EOM = End of Message
RB = Reply By

3. TIMING IS EVERYTHING

If I don't have plans, I find that I am especially productive on Sunday afte
oons. I am focused and can grab an hour or two of uninterrupted time to write.

While I find myself crafting emails over the weekend, I don't send work emails outside of work hours unless absolutely necessary.

Not only is it disrespectful of other people's time, but by sending emails outside of business hours, I believe that my email is less likely to get the desired response (if it is read at all.)

Outlook has the ability to schedule built-in to its email client. Boomerang is a Gmail plug-in that provides the scheduling capability and I use SendLater which is now part of MailButler for Mac Mail.

When you schedule an email, be strategic and try to send it at a time when it is more likely to be opened and not fall to the bottom of someone's inbox. For example, when I write an email on Sunday, I typically schedule to have it sent around 10 AM Monday morning. This way, the recipient has had a chance to sort through the emails that have accumulated since they left work on Friday and my email is more likely to be seen, opened, and read.

Do you have other surefire ways to get your emails read?