Strategy

Recently I’ve received a series of emails from a committee I’m on that have been absolutely confounding. They are packed with details and usually include several attachments. They’re written with multiple fonts, plus bolding and italics being used with no rhyme or reason to the emphasis. It takes me forever to get through the emails, and, in the end, I’m left with NO idea if I need to do anything!

The good news? I was inspired to write this article. You’re welcome.

Whether your emails include a sales offer, or simply a question you need answered promptly, here are my top six tips to your emails get more attention!

1. Move your reader right away with your subject line. If you need a response, ask for one right in your subject line, i.e. “NEED RESPONSE ASAP”. I definitely capitalize when it’s urgent. My most effective subject line ever is “Quick question.”
2. Keep it short. Especially if you use the subject line “Quick question”, don’t write a novel, or include an entire sales page. When I’m doing speaking inquiries (and this has worked for people looking for funding and corporate training opportunities as well), I use the “Quick question” subject line, and simply write, “Hi! Could you let me know the process for being considered as a speaker for your group?” I get a response about 90% of the time from complete strangers.
3. Keep the fonts consistent. If you use a variety of fonts, your reader’s brain gets distracted trying to absorb both the message and the inconsistent fonts. This draws attention away from your message and call to action.
4. If you have more than one point, number or bullet point the list. Visually, this makes it clear what your reader should be paying attention to. Ideas can get lost in the middle of paragraphs, and you can lose your reader.
5. End with ONE question. If you simply want to start a conversation to build rapport, end with a question. My speaking inquiry above is an example of this, and here’s one more, “I’d like to be able to refer you, so could you describe your ideal client to me?”
6. If there’s something you need your reader to do, make sure it is crystal clear. If you have a call to action – even if it is just a request to respond – make sure it is visually separate from the rest of the email.

BONUS TIP: If you’re looking to connect with someone, email them individually. When people know they’re in a crowd of others receiving an email, they feel they can hide and don’t need to respond.

What strategies have you used to get more responses from email?

Just about everyone I talk to is worried about money.

Some people don’t know how they’re going to pay the rent this month, while others have thousands upon thousands in the bank. Some are on the verge of bankruptcy and others have residual income to the tune of $7K per month rolling in. Some have spouses with great incomes, others are on their own.

Weird, right? Their situations are wildly different, but the worry and fear are strangely the same across the board.

The truth is, fear about money becomes a habit that has almost nothing to do with reality – and I know this firsthand.

Years ago, my husband and I made a series of bad financial decisions, and ended up losing our house and declaring bankruptcy. That was a truly awful, fear-filled financial time. Fast-forward to today: our finances are stable and we have money in the bank, but I still sometimes find myself just as worried about money as I did during our worst financial times.

This disregard for reality is insane, it’s paralyzing, and it needs to stop.

To end the madness, ask yourself one simple question: “Am I truly in danger of being homeless and hungry within the next 60 days?”

If your answer is yes, swallow your pride and ask for help immediately. Look to friends, family and public assistance. Look for a job and get your income stable ASAP, even if it means putting your business on hold. Understand this is not a failure; it is a mature business decision that most entrepreneurs have to make at some point in their journeys.

If your answer is no, relax and reframe your concerns. Take a deep breath and acknowledge your financial situation is not life-or-death. Then clarify what you really want to change about your financial situation. Do you want to increase your income? Have more savings? Start a retirement fund? Give yourself a concrete picture of what you want so you can move past the vague, paralyzing worries and get into specific action steps.

The bottom line in both situations is to empower yourself by first getting crystal clear about the reality of your financial situation and then moving quickly into appropriate action.

I wanted to share this little story because it is so sweet, and so innocent. It was provided by two seriously cool people I love – my sister Margaret and my niece Zoe.

Z worries when she sees a homeless person or someone asking for money. She’s got a tender heart. Today I gave her a few dollar bills to give to a homeless woman out of the car window. The woman said thank you, and Z, feeling VERY happy to have helped, said, “You’re welcome! Have fun getting a new house!”

These wonderful people are my priority, and provide me motivation to keep going on the days when everything seems go sideways. I always want the freedom to be there for them.