5 Key Elements That Go Into Effective Business Emails

Email messaging is still the number one way to keep in touch with clients, customers, colleagues and other businesses. So far, email remains very effective because there is no better way to share thoughts and ideas that can be accessed privately than email. Unfortunately, many businesses stumble when it comes to creating emails that actually get read and build goodwill. So, what exactly goes into writing great emails?

Intriguing Subject Line

Email subject lines can make or break your message in just a couple of seconds. The subject line is the first thing someone sees when browsing their in box. Consider that the average person gets dozens of emails a day, depending on their interests. Your email can easily get lost in the shuffle. An okay subject line may generate mild interest, but not get a person to open the email immediately. A great subject line creates instant curiosity that compels the recipient to open the message and read its contents.

Make It Personal

Adding a personal touch to your messages by including the recipient's name in some fashion is a winning strategy. People are more apt to read a message that is directly addressing them than a vague appeal to dear sir or madam. If names are not available, you can still come across well with a friendly "hello" at the beginning.

Keep It Simple

An email is not the time to get deep into complex details. Whatever message you are conveying, remember to keep it simple and brief. Most people do not spend more than a minute or so reading an email. Be sure to get your main points across quickly in the first paragraph. Use the remaining paragraphs to support the main points.

Call to Action

You can easily increase responses to your emails by directing recipients to take some type of action. Providing recipients with a compelling reason to click on a link right away normally does this. Offer them something that solves a problem or is too good to pass up.

Include a Signature

End your emails with a signature line that includes your business name, title and contact information. This simple tactic can make your business go viral.

Creating effective emails is just one part of the equation. You also need to find a business email solution that can manage all of your email communications with ease. There are some good companies that provide top rate solutions.

Don't We all

I often get forwarded emails from family and friends on anything under the sun, including stories of inspirations and motivation.

I received this from a dear buddy in UK and I was compelled to share it to everyone. So, I am giving credit to the one who created this article. This is a beautiful one. I hope we all learn a thing or two from the story. Read on...

"I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work. Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would consider a bum.

From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't want to be bothered times."

"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought.

He didn't.

He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.

After a few minutes he spoke.

"That's a very pretty car," he said.

He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scrag gly blond beard keep more than his face warm.

I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.

He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never came. As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true to the inner voice.

"Do you need any help?" I asked.

He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget. We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from those of higher learning and accomplishments.

I expected nothing but an outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.

"Don't we all?" he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge shotgun.

Don't we all?

I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I needed help. I reached in my wallet a nd gave him not only enough for bus fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or a place to sleep, you can give help.

Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that. You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all. They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see. Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe he was more than that.

Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.

Maybe God looked down, called an Angel, dressed him like a bum, then said, "go minister to that man cleaning the car, that man needs help."

Don't we all?"

-------------------------- oOo----------------------------

I think we all need to be reminded that no matter where we are in society's status, we still need to keep our feet grounded. We all have our own struggles in life and each of us need help in any manner too.

God Bless everyone and remember to be kind.

Keeping Up With the Emails

I posted in my other blog about the amount of emails I have in my inbox recently. My email account reached to 2,000 plus unread emails! I don't know how that build up but over the course of one week, I religiously unsubscribed to most of the online publications I have joined in the past. A lot of them I have barely read and I wonder why I ever signed in the first place.

My inbox is now down to 419. It is still a high number to my standard. I used to keep my inbox to a max of 50. I may still have to discontinue other services' newsletters and catalog/brochures I get online in the future. Also, I have already filtered emails from family and friends and other stuff.

I am aiming to keep the number to a low 100 by end of the month. Let's see if I can reach that goal.

Increasing Unread Emails

Unbelievable! I have 744 unread mails as of this time. 744! That is a hugeeeeeee number and it will take me days before I can actually clear my mails.

I have already set my Yahoo account to filter mails according to categories and senders. Family and friends' mails go to one folder, sponsored post requests for my blogs go to the other, fashion and health have their own folders and other stuff remains in my inbox for further sorting. Yup, I have this crazy habit of going through my mails like a forensic scientist. I just don't want to miss anything. However, lately I have been slacking a bit. I cannot bear to think that I have missed so many mails already. I am so preoccupied with my daughter's studies, husband's and four-legged diva doggie's demands, shattered career dream (see my post on this one), paid posts, Facebook requests, and Glee TV marathon that I missed checking my mails.

I don't know which ones are still valid in my emails. I think I have to dedicate a certain time to accommodate this task or else, I will be inundated with mails.

Where is a Lifesaver when you need one?!?