Before you send that email...

Before you send that email – a quick checklist

It's the most common form of business communication.

Yet we weren't taught how to write emails at school.

So we get emails with long, unstructured prose. Content that combines chit-chat with management speak. “𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 … 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘩 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘩” “𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘯-𝘸𝘪𝘯, 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢-𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘮 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵. 𝘞𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵.”

For me, brief, straightforward, emails are best.

Not everyone likes or approves of that style.

Some say emails should be longer. They want you to lay out more of the story. Suggesting emails need to be more emotionally engaging.

I save all that for conversations.

Why?

I work on the belief executives in corporate organisations are crazy busy.

Do the research for yourself. Decision makers get over 100 emails. That's a lot of text to read, consider, and process.

So I try to make it easy for them by structuring my emails and getting to the point.

Here's the checklist I use – before pressing send.

• Is there an attention-grabbing subject line?
• Is there something of interest to them, not me?
• Is there a compelling reason to do something?

• Is there a crystal clear request and call to action?
• Is there any unedited chit ­chat or waffle?
• Are there less than 120 words?

• Is there a structured and logical flow?
• Is this email client-oriented, or self-oriented?
• Did I use my manners?

• Is this email useful?
• What value has been given?
• Why are you not making a quick call instead?

Try using the checklist. Not just for outreach emails. For all your emails.

Notice the responses you get.