From the course: Time Management Tips

Writing a productive email

From the course: Time Management Tips

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Writing a productive email

- The primary goal of email is to allow people to get information and to act quickly upon it. So it's essential that we write emails in a productive way. I recommend starting with a friendly greeting and the person's name. It's a small nicety that acknowledges that you're dealing with a human being who matters to you. Then when you write an email, try to keep it brief using as few sentences as possible. Consider something called the fold. In website and mobile app design, the fold is that point at which someone has to scroll to see the rest of the screen. If someone must scroll to read through your full email, it's possible you're trying to cover too much detail. Take a moment to review your writing to remove unnecessary sentences or filler words that don't add value. The shorter, the better. Sometimes details are necessary, though. If so, use bullet points to call out the important details of the email. We've all had that experience where we've received an email that's a long wall of text. Often in that situation, we miss out on important points and fail to reply to everything. Bullet points help make it easier for people to catch everything you intend to say. Finally, consider the subject line of the email. Often you'll have a conversation that goes back and forth about one topic, but then the email branches out into a new subject. If this happens, change that subject line to something more appropriate. This makes it easier for everyone to find the conversation in the future. By keeping your emails brief, clear, and on topic, you'll make it easier for everyone to stay productive.

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