When we receive an email, we choose whether to open it, based on:
- Who sent it – are they important to us?
- The subject line – does it seem interesting?
And when other people open your emails, they’re the same – they choose to open it based on:
- Who sent it = you
- Your subject line
You can’t do much about #1 – after all, you sent it!
But you can do a lot about #2 – make your subject line more interesting. And if you do, they’ll open it. If you don’t, they won’t.
One easy way to make it interesting is to use an interesting word – like:
- Quick – everyone is short of time, so quick is good
- New – people want to know what the new thing is
- Advice – they like being asked for advice, plus they want to know what you want advice about
- Favour – it’s nice to be asked to do a favour, and again, they want to know what favour you want
So next email, if appropriate, write your subject line using two things:
- Traditional – what you would have called it; followed by…
- Interesting word – use one of the above interesting words
For example, if you were going to email me about Project 12, you’d probably call the email “Project 12”.
But that’s boring. Instead, you could title it:
- Project 12 – a quick question…
- Project 12 – just a quick one…
- Project 12 – a new idea…
- Project 12 – a new idea. Might this help?
- Project 12 – a favour?
- Project 12 – a quick favour?
- Project 12 – some advice?
- Etc…
All these are more likely to be opened than “Project 12”.
In fact, you have already seen the word “quick” work – look at today’s Tip title!
Action Point
In your next email, use the above approach. … And then be amazed when you get a quick reply!