14 Tips For Getting Busy People To Read And Respond To Your Emails

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A reader recently asked us how to get people to acknowledge her emails.

To fulfill her request, here's the distillation of what we've learned about clicky emails.

Part 1: Only email when you have to.

Before you click "compose," take a moment:

• Consider this: While we all default to email - the inbox is so fun! - there are lots of ways to communicate, like IM, text, or even a phone call. If you need an immediate reply or if the subject is touchy, pick up the phone.

Part 2: Write a killer subject line.

A crisp, actionable subject line has a few key ingredients. They include:

• Keeping it super short: Inboxes display only the first 60 characters and mobile phones just 25 or 30 characters, so get to the point in eight words or less. • Put the important stuff at the beginning: 50% of emails are read on mobile, so make sure your good stuff gets read. • Use keywords: Everybody gets buried under their inbox now and then, so make your messages readily searchable with keywordy subject lines. • Tell 'em if you need a response and when: If you need a reply by end of day, then include, "Reply needed by EOD" in the subject line.

Part 3: Put together a brief, awesome body.

Make the body text glance-able and action-able. Here's how:

• Stay short: If it's more than 300 words, pick up the phone. • Revise: Type out what you want, paste it into a text doc, then type it again. • Avoid exclamations: Us internet-folk use exclamation points all the time. It makes us look silly. • Be cautious with humor: Leave the funny stuff out unless you know the recipient well. • Provide some value: Show the reader what you can do for them. • Put your email into bullet points: It makes the reading super easy.

• Make the "conclusion" clear: "Your conclusion is a statement of the decision that you want the recipient to make, based upon the contents of your e-mail," says Inc. writer Geoffrey James. Put it right at the top.

Part 4. Don't send anything you'll regret later.

This can be done in two ways:

• Learn how to 'un-send.': There's a gmail extension. • Send it to yourself first: That way you get the experience of receiving the message. If you have any more tips, tell us in the comments.