E-mailing users to remind them of policies and offer tips about using technology is key to preventing serious IT problems. But with the thousands of messages that land in users’ in-boxes every week, many are passed over.
Writing an e-mail that actually gets read can be a challenge. When you sit down to type, keep these pointers in mind:
Remember the order
The best way to get e-mails skipped over: Bury the important info.
Key points should go where recipients are most likely to see them: in the subject line.
The subject line should include specifics, and if applicable, an action step. For example: “Shut down computers by 6 p.m. today.”
People will be more likely to open an e-mail if they know there’s something they need to do.
And even if they don’t open the message, they’ll still see the most important point.
Some pointers for the body of the message:
- Put the most important stuff first – Once the e-mail’s opened, no one will keep reading if the beginning is full of fluff.
- Use lists – When you have a lot of ideas to get across, it might be easier for the audience if they’re broken down into bullet points.
- Be careful with the “urgent” flag – If that label is used too often, it quickly loses its effect. Recipients will start ignoring the warning.
- Proofread – This is an important step that’s easy to forget. A good way to remind yourself: Don’t fill in the “To” field until the e-mail’s done. That way you won’t accidentally click send until you’ve finished and read over the message.
No related posts.