Do your emails suck?
Hint: They probably do. But you can fix it.
I’m one of those rare (read: weird) people who analyze every email I send both before and after I send it. That is, in part, how I’ve trained myself to send the kind of emails that people respond to with praise like, “This was an excellent email!”
I consider that a feat.
Why? Because everyone sucks at writing emails.
OK, almost everyone sucks at writing emails. And even people who are known for writing good emails, like me, occasionally write a sucky one. It’s a thing.
Before we get into emails, here’s some cool content for you at HelpMeWriteBetter.com:
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Story ideas come from all kinds of places, and writers find them in all kinds of ways. Uncovering them requires both deliberate practice and a touch of magic.Cluttered Writing? 10Ways to Marie Kondo that Sh*t!
When it comes to the way I live, I’m no stranger to clutter. But no one who’s ever edited me would accuse me of cluttered writing.How to Freewrite Your Way to Creative Inspiration
Knowing how to freewrite can unlock your creativity. Here's a timed freewriting video with ambient sound to get you started!
How to give good email
I’ve written almost every kind of email imaginable, from corporate communications and ghostwritten high-priority missives from the CEO to marketing pitches and fundraising pleas. So I’m qualified to tell you how to stop writing the kind of digital communiqués that make people say “Huh?”
Here are seven things you (probably) do that make your emails suck.
1. You don’t give context (or enough context)
We’ve all received emails like this: The email author writes as though they’re responding to an active conversation in progress. The problem is that the conversation has happened in the author’s head, and we haven’t been privy to it. The email that makes perfect sense to the author makes little (or no) sense to us.
How to fix it: Before you write—and as you proofread your email before you send it, because you absolutely do proofread before you hit send, right? RIGHT?—ask yourself what the recipient might not be aware of. Make sure you fill in the gaps.
PRO TIP: If you have a lot of information to give, consider a bulleted list instead of paragraphs of explanation. Keep it simple and easy to scan. Your recipient will thank you!
2. You over-explain
Sending emails without context is a form of under-explaining. But on the flip side, it’s important to avoid giving more details than are strictly necessary, too. The more details you add, the more convoluted and hard to interpret your message becomes.
How to fix it: Stick to the things your recipient needs to know and leave out anything that isn’t directly relevant to the conversation at hand. If you find yourself getting into the over-explaining weeds, ask yourself, “Does my recipient really need to know this right now?” If the answer is no, take it out.
PRO TIP: Read “Three Absolutely Essential Qualities of a Great Writer” to learn about how empathy makes you a better writer.
3. You’re not clear about why you’re writing
We keep up with our friends and family on social media and in text chats when we’re not keeping up with them IRL. That means when we send an email these days, most of the time it’s because we want something, even if it’s just the answer to a question. Or, we want to impart some important information. But we fail to tell our recipients what we’re after, so they’re left guessing. People who don’t know what you want rarely do what you hope they’ll do.
How to fix it: Right after you type a greeting and add some simple pleasantries, state the purpose of your email: “I’m writing because _____.”
4. You’re not direct
In a face-to-face conversation, there’s a little more room for exchanging info that isn’t directly relevant to the topic at hand. You can ask about your friend’s dog or comment on their new car before you really get down to business. But people are swamped with emails daily, and no one has the patience for meandering narratives. (Unless you’re writing something like a romantic letter or a long-awaited family update. In that case, meander away.)
How to fix it: Know what the purpose of your email is and then stick to it. Yes, include a relationship-building greeting right up front, but after that, stay with the topic at hand.
5. You don’t ask for what you want
I remember watching some (otherwise forgettable) rom-com years ago where the main character asked her therapist to give her two pieces of advice that would be universally useful. The therapist pondered for a moment and then responded: “Figure out what you want. And then learn how to ask for it.”
The main character looked utterly dismayed as she whined, “Those are both really hard!”
And I agree; they are. But they’re an essential practice if you want the emails you write to have the desired outcome. Nearly every week, I get an email from someone and, after reading it, I have no idea what the author wants from me. And that means I’ll either ask (usually with an air of frustration) or ignore the email.
Ain’t nobody got time for guess-what-I-want-from-you games, so usually, ignoring the email is my weapon of choice.
How to fix it: Every good email marketer knows to close their email with a call to action (CTA). So, borrow a pro tip from the people who get you to buy stuff you don’t need and close your email by asking directly for what you want. Don’t be vague. Don’t drop hints. ASK. I know it’s hard, but you’ll get much better results if you cut to the chase.
6. You’re not specific enough
I’ve received any number of email requests saying things like “Hey, would you help me edit this?” or “Could you write this for me?” I have ADHD. Requests like, “Would you proofread this for me?” are going directly into my mental inbox. Unfortunately, my mental inbox is slotted and anything without a specific deadline is going to slip right through into the void.
And I’m not the only person who responds to non-specific requests in this way. Others will get annoyed and respond with, “When do you need this?” (with varying degrees of passive-aggressiveness baked in). Either way, the situation is not ideal.
How to fix it: Give specifics; it’s just that simple. “Would you proofread this?” becomes “Would you have time to proofread this and get it back to me by the end of the day on Wednesday?” Problem solved.
7. You “kitchen sink”
If your email includes everything but the kitchen sink, you’re unlikely to get a positive response. “Kitchen sinking” is different from overexplaining. When you “kitchen sink,” you pile multiple requests into one email. That overwhelms your recipient, leaving them unclear about which part of your request they should prioritize.
How to fix it: Do the prioritizing for your recipient. What do you need from them first? Ask for that (and only that) in your email. You can follow up about the next steps. If it truly makes sense to ask for multiple things in one email, include a numbered, step-by-step list.
Email rule #1: Don’t make me think
Waaay back when the internet was still the Wild West (yeah, I was there—yeeee-haw!) I read a book about web design that changed my life: Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug. [That’s an affiliate link. If you buy from it, I’ll get a tiny commission.]
That title says everything—we don’t want to have to think when we’re visiting a website, we just want things to be where we expect them to be. The best websites are utterly intuitive.
The same is true for email: Don’t make your reader think. Do the thinking in advance, and then lay things out for them in a way that’s easy to understand. Your most excellent email will likely have these critical parts in this order:
Salutation
Friendly relationship-building greeting
Stated purpose
Direct ask
Specific timeline
Friendly closing
Signature
It looks like this in action:
Hi Jo,
It was so nice to see you at the dog park with Skipper last week. He gets cuter every time I see him!
I’m writing to ask a favor. I’m going out of town next week from Monday, March 14 until Sunday, March 20. Would you be willing to drop in three times per day and take care of Lucy for me? She would need:
A morning walk (any time between 7-10 a.m.)
Morning food and water
Afternoon potty break and playtime (around 4-6 p.m.)
Evening potty break (between 9-11 p.m.)
I’d be happy to pay you whatever you think is reasonable for your help. I need to find someone quickly, so would you please let me know by noon tomorrow whether you’re available?
I hope the rest of your week goes smoothly!
Cheers,
Amanda
Now, go and write great emails! (I knew you could do it.)
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Man, did I ever write an email where I over-explained to disastrous results at my last job! And just recently, I contacted the customer support of a company I do business with and failed to be direct about what I wanted. No surprise, I didn't get what I wanted!