Emails – get replies quickly!

11th February 2025

Recently, I wanted my son to go to bed. So I said to him:

“If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call”

Weirdly, he didn’t go to bed.

And then it dawned on me – the reason he didn’t do what I wanted him to do

… is because I didn’t tell him what I wanted him to do.

So, I tried again:

“Please can you go to bed now”

Much better.

But he still didn’t.

And then it dawned on me – I hadn’t told him what I would do, after he’d done his action. So, I tried again:

“Please can you go to bed now… And then I’ll read you your favourite book”

And he ran upstairs.

Why might you care about this?

Well, in a few minutes, you’ll be emailing someone. And you’ll want the reader to do something after reading it. For example, maybe you want them to send you their figures for the month.

How will you end this email?

  1. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call
  2. Please can you send me this month’s figures today
  3. Please can you send me this month’s figures today. And then I’ll include them in my presentation to the Board tomorrow

#3, yes?

Which means that – for all your emails – do this…

Action Point

End your emails with this Call To Action:

“Please can you (do your action) by (your deadline). And then I’ll (do my next action)”.

After all, when you want someone to do something, you have to ask them to do something.

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