Orangeville, ON (James Doan) A few days ago I received an email that I almost deleted. I didn’t recognize the sender, and the subject line, “Introduction,” didn’t explain much.
But when I did read it, I discovered it was from an associate that has on occasion posted a reciprocal link. He said he’d contact me – no charge – to suggest things I could do to make my listing perform better.
This offer has high value for me. He might reveal tips about the site’s customer behavior that I wasn’t aware of.
Analyzing his email, I identified three points to improve any business email.
- Who. If the sender’s name isn’t familiar, but the company name is, include the latter in the “from” box.
- What. State in the subject line and/or the first sentence what the email is about.
- Why. In the subject line and/or the opening sentence, say how the message might benefit the recipient. Never bury your point several paragraphs in, amidst jargon!
James Doan 