Do you make the most of your emails before you press send? Follow these four rules to send the perfect email and maximise your influence
We’ve long been used to seeing Instagram influencers, with their artfully lit selfies, green juices and Dubai mini breaks. But hold on to your hats, people, because there’s a new influencer in town – the ‘inbox influencer’.
The pandemic and lack of in-person interactions has made us rely so much more on email. And it’s highlighted exactly who can persuade, influence and get what they want over email.
But it’s also shone a light on those who spend their days writing, “Just checking in to see if you’d had a chance to read my email <smiley emoji to make sure I don’t come across as too pushy>.”
But don’t worry if you fall into the latter camp – all is not lost. Here are four tips from my book, Email Attraction – Get What You Want Every Time You Hit Send, to help you become an inbox influencer too.
Habit #1: Walk the walk
It’s amazing how often we complain about other people’s rubbish emails, but then send them ourselves. I often see people spending hours crafting emails to their superiors or clients, but dashing off emails to colleagues.
Never start an email with: “Sorry for the brain dump” or “Apologies for the jumble of thoughts.” They say you don’t respect your recipient’s time.
Slow down. Gather your thoughts before you write. Be clear and concise. Show your regard for people by taking time to craft well-thought-out emails that are easy to action.
Habit #2: Flip it up
Most emails start with the word ‘I’, eg: “I need you to fill out your appraisal form” or “I’m writing to introduce myself.” But the benefit to the reader isn’t clear. Emails like this feel too ‘me, me, me’, and can make your people feel like you don’t have their interests at heart.
Wherever you can, flip the beginning of your email to use ‘you’, not ‘I’. So, instead of the above, try “Bonus season is coming up, so you need to fill out your appraisal form” or “Sarah Jones suggested we connect as you might need help with your leadership team.”
Habit #3: Don’t make them dig
There’s nothing more frustrating than receiving a vague or ambiguous email. For example, one that ends with “Can you do x if you have time, but if not, don’t worry. Or maybe you can ask Tina?”
Always end your email with your preferred clear next step and a deadline, eg, “Please email your feedback to me by Friday at 2pm.”
Don’t bury your ‘ask’ in the middle of your email; it will get lost. Finish with an action instead – your recipients will love your clarity.
Habit #4: it’s not a one-way street
Email shouldn’t be one-way. It’s not just a tool to delegate work or spam people. Think of it as a conversation with a pause. After all, email addresses are still people.
So, use questions to start conversations. Instead of “Let me know if you have any questions”, ask “Do you have any questions before you start?” And instead of “I hope you’re well”, ask “How are you getting on this week with juggling all your projects?”
You’ll sound friendlier and your recipients will feel more able to respond.
So there you have it: four habits of inbox influencers. Just don’t spill your green juice on your keyboard next time you hit send…
- Kim Arnold helps individuals and companies stand out, connect with their audience and make their messages stick. She works with coaches, entrepreneurs and scale ups, as well as global organisations including Accenture, UBS Asset Management and JP Morgan. She is author of a new book, Email Attraction – Get What You Want Every Time You Hit Send, (Rethink Press, 2021).
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