Top 5 Tips To Improve E-mail Response

How many of your outgoing e-mails are responded to?  Imagine the reader having a microphone and answering your e-mail with their answers or interest in knowing more!

Top 5 things I do to increase response:

1. Timing

2. Subject Line

3. Focused business matter

4. Request a response

5. Include the personal touch

It's All In The Timing

The earlier in the morning the better chance of receiving a response. The tasks of the day have not taken the person away from focusing on their inbox just yet.  This is the main reason why Building Circles is published 7:30 am on Wednesdays.

Your Subject Line

No selling!  Shorter the better such as "touching base" or if making an introduction with "AlphaKOR" as the subject line.  This strategy has a high rate of opening the e-mail.  Using "checking in" makes others feel like they are in trouble and could trigger a negative feeling when reading this subject line.   Avoid checking in which may be read as checking up on you.

Focused Business Matter

Clear and to the point with just enough details as necessary.  If it takes more than 3 sentences to explain it, justify it or turn a negative e-mail to positive, simply STOP and pick up the phone. It is easier to talk it out instead of e-mail bantering.  Did you know e-mail or texts for that matter have no emotions?   The reader adds their emotions as they read it.   Think about your own emotions as you type the sentences.   Remove all emotions.  Focus on the business matter.

RSVP

Request a response.  Once the focused business matter is out of the way, ask for "your thoughts?", "kindly advise" or "looking forward to your reply".  There are a lot of tasks going on for your audience so a gentle nudge does go a long way.  If you ask for three or more replies, you will find the norm is to have one or two of them answered.

Be Personal

Add a bit of human touch to your e-mail.  Examples could be:  "How are things going during these challenging times?" or "Enjoy your Day" are two good statements for those you do not know well. When you know your audience, ask them about something they shared in the past such as "How was your quarantined BBQ  family dinner last weekend?"

Bonus Tip

Include your cell number to let them know you are always available.

What are you doing to increase your e-mail response rate?

(Originally published on 06.30.21)