Email is the unquestioned workhorse of communication. Because of its immediacy, writers often mistakenly think of email as an extension of speech. Instead, email can also have the unforgiving durability of print. And, because email costs us nothing to send, we send and receive too much of it.
Follow these six rules for writing email to minimize fall-out from email gaffes and maximize effectiveness.
Despite receiving organizational email they seldom open, writers forget that the subject line is the single most important line in the entire email. The subject line may be the only line your audience actually reads, while a good subject line (and an important sender) dictates whether your reader ever sees a word of the email’s main message. In fact, readers are likelier to open emails with subject lines that feature instructions. Lead with a verb, follow with an object, and end with a deadline. Good examples include Need Your Quarterly Report by Friday at 4pm or Sign up for Training on Claude AI before Wednesday. Sales or marketing emails also gain more punch when you lead with a verb: Make Your Videos Click-Magnets.
Most writers believe readers need immediate background or a rationale for the email’s content. In reality, readers care only about two things: what they need to do and what will........