5 Ways to Write More Effective Emails


Working in both Technology Sales and as a Social Media Influencer, I’ve seen every kind of email; good, bad and ugly. I have certainly written my fair share with a wide margin of effectiveness. Like anything else, writing a good email takes practice and repetition. You need to know your audience, understand that individual(s) with whom you are writing, and have a clear objective in mind. Here are five ways to write more effective emails:

Be sincere.

Some of my favorite emails to receive are the ones that are both sincere and brief. They ask about my family or say something positive about a recent article I’ve written. While I understand emails can often times be sent to more than one person, they need to be specific and relevant.

I’m guilting of writing a “Hope you’re doing well” email, but I try and include something personal, as much as possible.

For example…

I wanted to thank you again for including me in the recent collaboration. 

Appreciate you introducing me to your colleague who can help further assist. 

Mimic the original email. 

If someone writes you a short email, try your hardest to mimic the length of the original email (there are always exception to this rule). When I see someone respond to my three sentence email with four paragraphs, I typically mark it as unread and go back at the end of the day. We’re all busy and trying to read along email when you’re going a million different directions is difficult, to say the least. Brevity is key to writing an effective email.

Get to the point.

This goes along with #1 and #2. Try and state your purpose as soon as possible. Also make sure it’s actionable. Email is not a good time to beat around the bush. The faster your reader knows the purpose of the email, the more effective your message will be and you’ll get what you need/want.

For example…

Did you get confirmation from your team on the next steps? If so, what time can we meet this week to discuss further? 

Reread once, then read again. 

Proofreading is my achilles heel. However, when it comes to email, this is something I try not to skip. Read over a few times. If it’s an important email, step away from your desk to grab a glass of water and then reread. This will give you a fresh perspective. If the email is short, your mind likely memorized what you wrote or what you thought you wrote.

If you have Gmail, turn on the unsend feature. There’s been so many times that I’ve sent an email, and as it’s sending, I realize I made a mistake or want to change something.

Master the Subject line

This is tough. You want the subject line to catch your reader’s attention. There’s a fine line of putting the entire message in the subject line and getting to the point.

For example…

Please Confirm Attendance to Our Meeting On Monday 3/13 

There are so many ways to be more effective and efficient on email. My bosses always tell me, work smarter not harder. Try doing this on your next email.

Hope this was helpful. What are some other tips that I left off that you have found to be effective when crafting your emails?

About the look

Anyone else loving pink this season? This trophy blazer in ballerina pink from WHBM is one of my favorite blazers this season. The cut of the blazer might look familiar, I also own it in white and maroon. If you’re unsure about adding color to the workplace, give this color a try. It’s easy to wear with all black, or mix things up by wearing a white cami.


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xo, Olivia

7 Comments

  1. Dana Mannarino wrote:

    Such great tips, Olivia! Also LOVING this look!

    Pink Champagne Problems

    Posted 3.13.17 · Reply
    • Hi Dana! Thank you. Hope you had a wonderful trip to London. Also hope to see you soon!!!
      Wishing you the best this week. Lots of love from me and Sebastian! xo

      Posted 3.13.17 · Reply
  2. Sed Bona wrote:

    That pink blazer is positively scrumptious! And thank you for all the great email tips!

    Xoxo,

    Ashley || Sed Bona

    Posted 3.13.17 · Reply
    • Thank you! I’m really embracing pink this season.

      Of course! Hope you found them useful.
      Olivia

      Posted 3.13.17 · Reply
  3. Gina wrote:

    Hi Olivia, I would love your advice on reaching out to people via email regarding possible job opportunities or finding a way to get your foot thru a company you love. I’ve gotten advice that I shouldnt hesitate and email as many people as possible in a firm that I love, and others that told me, I will never get a response. Also, how do you send an email to someone that you may possibly want to meet for a coffee to get career advice from? People in your industry that youve never met, yet really admire and want to reach out to. Is it best to be honest and say..I love your company, I feel like I have a variety of skills to bring to the team, Would love to send my work over or take a moment out of your day to meet? I dont know if that comes off annoying or driven. Would love for you to maybe make career advice posts once a week! thanks.

    Posted 3.13.17 · Reply
    • Hi Gina, of course. Here we go…

      The best way to get your foot through the door at an organization is through a connection. That’s why it’s important to network whenever you’re out. You NEVER know when a person you met 3 years ago lands at your dream company. Utilize LinkedIN. This is your best resource. When I was looking for a new job, I’d reach out to my connection and ask for an email introduction.

      As much as I love the blind email, you’ll get so much further if you have a warm introduction. You’d be surprised how connected you are when you start talking to people.

      I’m in Sales, so cold calling and cold emailing is something I do daily. This is tough. Keep your email, short and sweet. Be honest and use humor. I’m relentless when it comes to emailing. I will email someone 3-4 times till I give up, especially if it’s a decision maker (they’re doomed, I will get them). For example, first email state what you want, second email, say something like “I’m sure you’ve been busy. How can I help your team grow and meet your numbers?” Third email (use humor), I’m sure you love seeing my emails everyday! 🙂 I understand you’re busy, but if you even have 5 minutes to spare to speak with me I can tell you why I’m the person you need to hire on your team.

      Be as blunt and honest as possible. If this person has any power within a company, they need to know why you want to meet and how it can help them…not “i’d greatly appreciate it.” <— executives hate these kinds of emails.

      As for career advice, this is tough. If you want advice from someone, they're probably highly sough after, so getting time on their calendar is going to be challenging. But remember…everyone needs to eat! 🙂 I'd always say something like, "I know you're busy. Can I treat you to lunch and pick your brain on how I can be the lead on my team and potentially be up for a promotion next year?". Be relentless when it comes to asking for what you want. I know it's tough at first, but the more direct you are, the faster you'll get what you want!

      I'm trying my hardest to get them written! I'd love to share more. What are some other ones you'd like to read? I really want to do one on becoming a better negotiator.

      Olivia

      Posted 3.13.17 · Reply
  4. Jenna at Boston Chic Party wrote:

    Love the tips, Olivia and absolutely adore that pink blazer! You styled it perfectly!
    xoxo, Jenna
    bostonchicparty.com

    Posted 3.14.17 · Reply

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