The average person in business, either as an employee or as an entrepreneur, receives over 150 emails a day. It is no wonder that we spend at least 2-3 hours a day, living in our inbox. It is the predominant method of communicating in the business world. 
Does your email communication need some improving?
Want to get faster responses to your emails?
Interested to spend less time on email?
To better manage our email, I have three suggestions to do so.
- Decide on the number of times you check and work on email each day. It could be 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes right before lunch and 30 minutes before finishing the day.
Reality: We have our email program open all day long, looking at the emails that have just come in. If you check it every 15 minutes, that represents 32+ times a day where you are constantly looking for that next “new” email to work on.
Solution: Block out times that you will work on email. Let others who are expecting responses know when you check email so that you set the right expectation.
- When sending or replying to emails, craft the email so that it is easy to understand, has only 1 or 2 points, and a clear call to action statement. By doing so, you will increase your response rate and improve your productivity.
Reality: Have you ever sent someone a really long email and wondered why they took a long time to respond? Likely, they opened it, realized that they needed a bigger block of time to provide a coherent, logical answer. They, then, closed your email and went on to do other things or attend meetings. When they finally remembered to provide you a response, it may have been days later.
Solution: Work on putting your call to action first so the reader clearly knows your expectations. Keep your email short, limiting it to 5 to 7 lines maximum.
- The Subject line and Your Name determines how fast your email is opened by the recipients. Be known for clear, concise emails. Let the reader know what you are writing about. For example, use the subject line such as “Question on Meeting Agenda” instead of “Follow up” . Another subject line might read: “Meeting Agenda 10/15 – Action Needed”.
Reality: Most email subject lines and content are rambling, not clear, and wordy. You can stand out by being a good editor. Have you ever received an email that you were supposed to take a specific action by a certain date, but the request was buried in the email and you missed it?
Solution: Model the type of emails you want to receive. Re-read and edit your emails after you have written them. It might take 30-60 seconds longer to do so. However, I guarantee you will receive quicker responses.
In summary, we spend a significant amount of time using email as a tool. Be more intentional to follow good communication practices. By doing so, you will be more productive!