Don’t Leave Your Email Naked

We live in a virtually high-tech world but we still seem to be plagued with many old-fashioned problems when it comes to communication. Take email for example; how do you convince the recipient to open the message (or envelope in regular mail)?

The answer would be – use a good subject line. This helps your messages avoid getting deleted without ever being opened.

The reader has to see at a glance what the message is all about, and a subject line allows this ability. He can then determine if the message is worth opening. These are 3 methods for writing an effective subject line:

1.  Say something useful

Never leave a subject line blank. People have no time to be bothered and there’s always the threat from email viruses. Subject lines give them an idea of what the message is concerning.

Typing “Hi”, “Hello” or “Greetings” is just as bad. Those are good for your friends or family, but it means nothing in the professional sense.

2.  Be Specific

People receive tons of email. You topic needs to be specific if you want it to get through the muddle and actually get read. The best chance to catch attention is through a very detailed subject line.

Here are good examples, instead of typing “Question,” try, “Question about ABC event.”  Instead of typing “Proposal” try, “Proposal for event on 12/14.”

3.  Be Creative

Specific subject lines are most suitable on people who are expecting you message, or people who know you. A little creativity will help you on those people you do not know.

So, what sort of information will convince the recipient to open and read your message? Based on the recipient, the exact content will diverge.

Let’s see a few examples that display an assortment of goals:

•    To identify yourself, try “Local Meeting Planner.”
•    To tell how you met the person, try “Chamber Networking Dinner.”
•    To explain why you’re contacting him/her, try “MPI Fundraiser.”
•    To exploit a common bond with recipient, try “Fellow MIT grad.”
•    To distinguish yourself from others, try “Japanese Speaking Realtor.”

One more thing to watch out for when writing your subject line is length. Be advised that most recipients can only view 25-35 characters of a subject line. So you have to develop a skill in making short, detailed and creative subject lines.

Some simple tips would be to use phrases instead of complete sentences. Abbreviations that are easily understood by recipients are also acceptable