3 Etiquette Tips for Emailing a Very Busy Person

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Email has been getting a bad reputation. According to a 2012 report published by the McKinsey Global Institute and International Data Corp., emailing takes up 28 percent of workers’ time. It’s no wonder it’s recently been called one of the largest barriers to productivity, and no wonder those who receive hundreds or even thousands of emails each day try to weed them out the best they can. Make sure your email gets read with these three simple but effective emailing tips.

Put It All In The Subject: Assume from the start that your email isn’t going to be opened. All you have is a single line to really get your point across. Be as specific as possible and include as much information as you can.

Do: I Will Call You Tuesday 9 a.m. To Discuss Smith Project

Don’t:  Smith project

Maximize Your First Line: Many email programs have the option of showing the first line of your message while it’s sitting in the inbox. In addition, a very busy person may open your email but not read the whole thing. What this comes down to is that the opening to your email is prime real estate. While it’s often considered kind to wish someone well or ask about family before getting down to business, on a Monday morning, many don’t have time for this. Get to your point quickly and save your personal conversation for the end of your message.

Do: Our phone meeting for the Smith Project is scheduled for…..

Don’t: Hello, I hope you had a great weekend. You sure did have nice weather…

Send at the Right Time: By sending an email to someone who’s out of the office for the night or on vacation for the week, there’s a good chance your message will get lost amongst so many others. Send your messages on weekday mornings when they’re more likely to be checked.