In today’s world of multi-tasking, email on the go, and Tweet-sized messages, it’s more important than ever to get your message across effectively and efficiently. Whether you’re communicating with executives, vendors, employees or fellow team members, here are 5 crucial tips to make sure your email reaches your audience in a meaningful and actionable way.
Promote Your Call to Action
Too many times, we explain our message in great detail and then bury the call to action at the end. But with many people reading their emails on mobile devices or looking at messages while on the go, it’s important to place your call to action in the first or second sentence where it can be seen immediately.
Keep It Brief
Always keep your messaging concise, and make sure each sentence and phrase serves a purpose. Communications that run on and on will make your readers’ eyes glaze over and you’ll quickly lose their attention. It can help to have a second person review the communication to help you identify and remove phrases that are redundant or unnecessary.
Keep It Relevant
Staying on topic can mean the difference between keeping or losing your readers. For example, if you’re announcing the rollout of a new HR benefit election portal to your employees, do you really need to give a lengthy explanation of why the old system is being replaced? Always focus and refocus your communications so you’re sharing the most relevant information efficiently.
Use Bullet Points to Improve Readability
Bullet points or brief numbered lists can increase readability and make information more digestible. If you find yourself listing out several key points or several things you need your audience to do, a bulleted list can present the same information in a more concise and understandable format.
Use a Meaningful Subject Line
You get an email on your mobile device, and the subject line says, “Please read: new information related to our….” and then cuts off on your display. Do you open it and read it right away? Or save it to read after lunch, only to have it get buried under 30 more emails? A short subject line with the most relevant words at the front of the subject line will ensure your readers know the topic of your message at a glance and can respond appropriately.
Communicating efficiently in emails is just one aspect of the broader goal to improve your team communication. It can help you and your team stay on track for better engagement and better outcomes.