Effective Email

Effective Email

Put up your hand if….

You check your email more than 50 times a day

Average users check their email 74 times a day

Put up your hand if….

You interact with your email more than 12 hours a day

Average users interact with their email (via Smartphone) 13.5 hours a day

Put up your hand if….

You check your email while you eat dinner

38% check work email routinely during dinner

Put up your hand if….

You check your email while in bed in the morning

50% check email while in bed in the morning

Put up your hand if….

You check your email while on vacation

44% check email while on vacation

so what does all this mean?

We may think we’re being more efficient…

but

we’re not.

11 minutes

25 minutes

28% of your day on interruptions

interruption

interruption

interruption

Chronic interruption leads to lower functional IQ4 points lower then when smoking marijuana

Multi-tasking reduces productivity by

approximately 40%

Email is not very productive.

what should we do about it?

Communication Tools

Be conscious of how you use email.

Email coaching

Reduce email

quantity

Improve email

quality

1

2

3

Effective Email Tips

Emails are like boomerangs

10 sent emails = 6 reply emails

Think before sending

Think before sending

1.Is this email truly needed by my recipient to perform their job?

2.Is this email appropriate ? 3.Is this email targeted to the

correct number of people?

1. ‘reply all’ & ‘cc’2. FYI – just in case3. Get off lists4. Thank you (no problems,

you’re welcome, have a great day, you too)

Goal

• Use judgement to reduce email

– Use rule to eliminate 1 out of 5 emails I will send.

• 20% less sent emails = 10% less received emails = 15 days/year more time to do work

• Long and meandering

– Lack of focus

– Includes irrelevant details

– No clear call to action

• Clear and concise

– Strong subject line

– Sculpted body

Strengthen the subject

• Action: Info request

• Info you requested. NRN

• Action: Decision required

• Decision made. NTN

• Action: Response required by XXX

• Action: Meeting required

• We are in the meeting room. EOM

Sculpt The BodyABC

• Brief, warm greeting (optional, especially if you are a jerk)

• Action Summary– Specific action, purpose, response time– Dig up context

• Background– Clear, concise, relevant– Bullet points, numbers– Clear, bold paragraph titles

• Close– Next steps, niceties– Signature

1. Asking series of short questions

2. Avoiding decision making, difficult conversations and focus

Email coaching

• Approximately 50% of email comes from direct team mates

How much time would you save if people only sent actionable emails?

Share this presentation, these techniques with your co-workers to boost productivity

Email coaching

Reduce email

quantity

Improve email

quality

1

2

3

Effective Email Tips

Be effective when using email.

• Don’t start your day with email

• Turn off all notifications

• Check only at pre-determined times