Imagine if everyone followed the same email productivity tips.
What would our inboxes look like?
Can you imagine how much more time you would have?
How things would not be lost in translation?
Check out this short video on one of my favorite tips. Please share the love by sharing the link.
Until these top email productivity tips became a universal law we can all start be using them and sharing them.
Tip #1: The 2-3 cc law.
What this means is limit the number of people you send an email to. For example if you are in an office and the whole office needs to be in the loop of the email send it to the group. However, if the email is really designed for only a few people in the office limit it to 2 or 3 people max.
Address the “to” box to the person who needs to reply.
Address the CC to the ones who need to be in the loop but does not need to reply. (CC’s never replies.)
You may have 2 names in the “to” box and one in the “cc” or you may have one name in the “to” and 2 in the ‘cc”.
Either way, the idea is to limit the number of people you send it to and who is responsible for relying.
Tip #2: 2 pass and call.
In other words if an email gets sent to you and you do not understand it you send back an inquiry. If you still do not understand it, pick up the phone and talk to the person. This avoids a lot of miss communication and misunderstanding.
Most importantly, never discuss things of high emotional content over email. This is sure to get lost in translation.
Tip#3: Subject Line.
Be as specific as you can in the subject line. Follow this:
TIQ:
T: Topic. For example, Golf or dinner party or business meeting.
I: Issue. You are invited, or Tuesday at 3, or to discuss upcoming employment.
Q: Qualifier. Please confirm, or RSVP, or full-time employment starting Friday.
Example of what a subject line would look like: Golf on Tuesday at 3pm, please confirm if you are playing. Or,
Company business meeting on Tuesday at 3 pm to discuss full –time employment, are you available?
Tip#4: One subject per email.
Do you ever get those emails that have several questions in them for you to answer?
You start off reading it and you are thinking about answering the first question when all of a sudden your mind is in overwhelm because there are so many questions and things to think about. You end up answering only one of the questions and it usually is the last one. This makes it frustrating for the person who sent it to you.
It is better to send several emails to one person with each one only containing one subject and one or 2 questions regarding that subject.
Tip#5: Change the subject line each time you change the subject.
Don’t you hate it when you have sent an email to a person about let’s say golf and they reply. Then a day or two later they use that same email to send you a question or invite about something totally different. If this email needs to be filed it now has the wrong subject line in order for you to properly file it.
If it is sitting in your inbox you might even ignore it if the subject line is not pertaining to the subject of the email.
I would love it if this became a universal law!
Tip#6: Point form.
This tip is really helpful when sending business emails.
Have 3 points.
Point #1: Email content. Spill your heart out on whatever it is you need the person to know.
For example: I require your approval for xyz.
Point #2: Explain the issue at hand. Give more details.
For example: I would like to budget for xyz because…
Point #3: Qualify. For example: Please let me know if you approve and when I can get the funding. My deadline is… So your immediate attention would be greatly appreciated.
The person replying to the email replies under each one of your points. I like this one a lot. That way everything “should” be clear!
By using these tips I’ll bet you find your email sending and receiving will be far more productive. Please let me know your progress in the comment box below. In the meantime you will want to share these tips with all of your coworkers, friends and family so we are all on the same page when it comes to sending and receiving emails.
Just think of the time you will save and how you will spend it!
Have you signed up for your instant access to a free ebook that outlines a simple 10-day plan for organizing 10 different areas of your home in 15 minutes or less? If not, enter your name and email in the box to the right.
Leave A Comment