TruPerception© 2015

SmartMail: Email communication strategies that work

How to influence over email

• Trigger a strong positive, actionable emotion for the reader with your subject line.

• Begin with a bottom-line statement, divulging only what is necessary to promote resolution.

• Chop longer sentences in two and break up dense content into smaller morsels.

• Use bullets to engage readers and limit the message to only what they needs to know.

• Eliminate or reduce questions. Use a presumptive statement instead.

• Convey a positive or neutral tone of voice.

• Avoid emotionally charged words or phrases like, “love,” “demand” and “axe to grind.”

• Kill the thread. Summarize the situation in a new email.

TruPerception© 2015

Magical Phrases: tell the truth; be considerate and objective

• I don’t know if that’s an accurate characterization.

• Right now, we need to focus on this issue.

• I need your help to clear up a potential misunderstanding.

• Not exactly; let me explain.

• Given that you are one of my best clients, I will make a one-time exception.

• I understand that timelines can shift, and perhaps I haven’t made my priorities clear.

• It’s been my experience that the best approach for us is…

• I apologize for the confusion. Here’s what I need.

• It’s too early to say for sure; let’s talk about where we’re at right now.

• I can’t speak to all of that, but here’s what I can tell you.

TruPerception© 2015

Email openers that work:

• Addressing a colleague’s mistake: Nothing halts productivity faster than calling your reader out. To keep defensive feelings at bay, start your email by saying, “I need your help to clear up a potential misunderstanding.”

• Keeping your team in the know: It’s common to use phrases such as “I just wanted to update you” or “FYI.” But a compelling opener such as “We are making great progress with XYZ industries” is more likely to pique your readers’ interest.

• Bridging the time gap: When emailing someone you’ve fallen out of touch with, it may seem prudent to articulate the length of time that has lapsed since your last encounter. Don’t. It only draws attention to the fact that you forgot about the reader. A simple “I trust all is well since we last connected” will suffice.

• Starting a relationship: Begin by referencing a mutual connection or offering a compliment such as “I just saw a video of the impressive talk you gave on at-risk youth.”

TruPerception© 2015