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Writing Effective Emails
Jonathan Marx, MBAInQuill Medical Communications, LLC
Writing Effective Emails
Jonathan Marx, MBAInQuill Medical Communications, LLC
Or“How to Get Attention While Standing in 10’ of Water”
Professional Background
Jonathan Marx, MBAInQuill Medical Communications, LLC
• 17 years in pioneering media / communications companies • Cable television• Yellow pages• High speed internet
• 18 years in medical and health communications• CDC 7th yr
Professional Background
Jonathan Marx, MBAInQuill Medical Communications, LLC
Agenda – Writing Effective Emails• Repetition – the Concept
REPETITION – Rule to Remember
1.TELL ‘EM WHAT YOU’RE GONNA TELL ‘EMIntroduction
2.TELL ‘EMContent
3.TELL ‘EM WHAT YOU TOLD ‘EMClose
Agenda – Writing Effective Emails• Repetition – the Concept
• What’s the Purpose of your Email?
• Subject line – How to STAND OUT
• One, or two emails
• Formatting your email
• Requesting an ACTION
• What if they Don’t Respond
• A few random TIPS
REPETITION – Rule to Remember
1.TELL ‘EM WHAT YOU’RE GONNA TELL ‘EM
2.TELL ‘EM
3.TELL ‘EM WHAT YOU TOLD ‘EM
1. What makes an email easy to open, read, and respond to?
What characteristics does this email have?
2. What makes an email difficult to open, read, and respond to?
What characteristics does this email have?
The PURPOSE of your emails
The PURPOSE of your email
TWO MAJOR TYPES OF EMAILS
A. The PASSIVE email - PASSIVE on the part of the reader
A. The ACTIVE email – ACTIVE on the part of the reader
The PURPOSE of your email
A. The PASSIVE email - PASSIVE on the part of the reader• Give an update or report
• Inform about something
• Provide helpful information – build relationship
• Share an attachment or article
The PURPOSE of your email
B. THE ACTIVE EMAIL - ACTIVE on the part of the reader • Get permission or an OK
• Respond to you with an answer
• Provide direction on a project
• Read and reply
• Pick some meeting dates
The PURPOSE of your email
•State your purpose right up front
•Tell ‘em what you’re gonna tell ‘em
The PURPOSE of your PASSIVE email
SET YOUR INTENTION UP FRONT – FOCUSES BOTH OF YOU
Hi Paul,
(Greeting - Hope you are well.; A quick hi; It’s me again – your preference)
I am attaching a report about….
I thought you would find the attached article helpful…
I want to give you an update…
The PURPOSE of your ACTIVE email
SET YOUR INTENTION UP FRONT – FOCUSES BOTH OF YOU
Hi Cheryl,
(Greeting - Hope you are well.; A quick hi; It’s me again – your preference)
I am writing to ask your permission…
Please give me your opinion / decision on the following…
Please do the following and give me an update…
The PURPOSE of your emailREVIEW (Tell ‘em what you told ‘em)
1. Be clear before you send, what the purpose of your email is:1. Passive
2. Active
2. State your purpose right up front in your email1. Makes your intention clear – you right a better email
2. Sets the expectation for your reader – they know what to look for
Poor Email Examples
Examples of Strong Emails
The Standout Subject Line
The Stand-Out Subject Line
State your purpose• Audit report, attached, Helen
• Robert - Monday’s meeting agenda
• Permission for the X Project
• Approval please – Y Project
• Z Article for you
The Stand-Out Subject Line
Your “branded” design – people know it’s you• ## Audit report, attached, Helen ##
• ** Robert - Monday’s meeting agenda **
• || Permission for the X Project ||
• @@ Approval please – Y Project @@
• ~~ Z Article for you ~~
Examples of Stand Out Email Subjects
One email or two emails?
One or Two Emails?
• You’ve got a number of topics to cover – how do you handle?
• Balance between:
• Keeping your email short
• Not sending too many emails
What’s a sender to do?
One or Two Emails?
• Consensus says to keep emails short
• Better to send one topic per email
• If your email needs to be long, attach a document
• Your email is more likely to be read if it’s short
• The reader can read the doc later
Formatting Your Emails
Formatting Your Emails
• Salutation
• State the Purpose – Passive or Active email?
• Content
• Repeat purpose in different words• Passive – Hope you enjoy the attached
• Please RSVP by next Friday
• Attachment if applicable – Always note “2 Attachments”; ALWAYS mention the Attachment in email and at bottom; don’t just attach
• Close
Review of Part 2• Subject Lines that Stand Out
• State your Purpose
• || Brand Your Emails with Symbols ||
• Keep emails short, one topic• Two emails vs one email
• Format of emails
• State your purpose
• Content of email
• Repeat of purpose
• Note the attachment(s)
• Close
Requesting an Action
Requesting an Action
• Make sure you have established, agreed upon authority
• Be specific• What you want
• When you want it by
• Explain why this is important in a few words• So we can go to next steps
• So we can continue with your permission
• So we include your input, feedback, directive
• So we hit our deadline date
What IF they don’t respond?
What IF they don’t respond?• Stay calm – no emotion
• Request again in advance of your deadline
• Do not guilt – they are busy too
• DO NOT write a new email with a new Subject
• FORWARD YOUR PREVIOUS EMAIL
• The same subject and email is a reminder
• Include: “2nd email; want to make sure you saw this”
• Call or visit them to reinforce the email, leave a voicemail – multi-media
Tips
Tips
• Keep it short
• Do not assume privacy
• No flaming – be kind
• Lists, not paragraphs
• Accompany with phone call or text for attention – multi-media
Review
REPETITION – Rule to Remember
1.TELL ‘EM WHAT YOU’RE GONNA TELL ‘EM
2.TELL ‘EM
3.TELL ‘EM WHAT YOU TOLD ‘EM
Agenda – Writing Effective Emails• Repetition – the Concept
• What’s the Purpose of your Email?
• Subject line – How to STAND OUT
• One, or two emails
• Formatting your email
• Requesting an ACTION
• What if they Don’t Respond
• A few random TIPS
Writing Effective Emails
Jonathan Marx, MBAInQuill Medical Communications, LLC