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

jonathanmarx@inquill.com