Before you hit send…
I’ve been working for about 20 years, just about as long as email has been the primary vehicle for work communication. Most of my coworkers have never worked any other way, yet we’re all guilty of email misuse, and could optimize our emails with a few simple tweaks.
1. Should you even send an email? Depending on the message and the audience email might not be the best tool for the task, and is rarely the only tool for the task.
2. Ask for what you need, keep your requests simple and clear and include a deadline. If you need a specific answer, ask for what you need: “Lindsey and Mark, what should we do about Franklin’s latest request? Please let me know by end of day Tuesday.” rather than “thoughts?”
3. Make it scannable. Use your subject line actively. This is your headline and chance to get read. Include audience/subject/action needed in the subject. Keep in mind that your recipients are probably reading on a small screen and scanning through hundreds of messages. Make it easy for them to understand what you need: “Lindsey: need a decision by eod Tuesday on Franklin’s question (open for details)”.
Keep the body of your message concise. Use bullets to draw out key points and again, make them scannable. If you need to include long explanations consider putting them at the end of the message: “Here’s the current situation (see end of message for history), I need you to x, y, z”. This way if people already know the background they won’t have to wade through it to get to the current request. If people need a lot of background, consider using another channel.
4. If you don’t get a reply when you need one, change your approach. Sending another email to someone who hasn’t gotten your initial message due to an overflowing inbox probably won’t help your cause. Learn the best way to reach people you work with often. Some love IM where others prefer a call or a text. Find out what works for the people you need to reach. Just because email is easiest for you doesn’t mean it’s the best choice.
Remember that what’s most important to you may not be most important to them. You may have more background and a larger stake in the project than they do. Be sure to make it easy for them to understand what you need. And always remember that if you need something right away, email isn’t the best way to get a quick response.