Tips for Writing Powerful Emails

Email writing is its own art form. Done well, your reader gets your point quickly, knows what action you expect them to take, and is encouraged to respond with more information or better ideas.

In other words, it doesn't waste their time and moves the conversation along. In this simplicity is power.

But all too often -- and you see this every day -- corporate emails are a mess of jumbled ideas, too long with unnecessary info, or too brief for clarity.

On Harvard Business Publishing, David Silverman writes an excellent brief on effective emails. His take is that emails should:

Call to Action. Say what you want the reader to do.

Say it Up Front. Don't bury the message.

Assume Nothing. Include your behind-the-scenes thinking.

Do the Thinking. Avoid the generic "What are your thoughts?" atop a chain of previous emails

I've got more ideas, and I hope you'll add your own tips below.

1. Take Time With The Subject Line. Like a headline in a newspaper, the subject line sets expectations for what the email will cover. Keep it to a few words. Avoid the abstract. Indicate action needed.

Good: Marketing collateral on Kensington project draft needs your approval

Bad: Check out Kensington piece

Keep It Short. My rule of thumb, and this may not be right for you, is to limit the email to three paragraphs, 300 word tops. An email is supposed to be a quick communication and long emails are hard on the eyes. If you need to get more info across than 300 words will allow, you probably want to create a detailed attachment to supplement the short message.

Check spelling. Typos make you look sloppy and lazy. Use auto spell check. But read it once more before sending, because spell checkers and their users have a bad habit of inserting the wrong word into the document.

Check recipients. The dreaded "Reply To All." Need we say more?