What does your email inbox look like right now?

For most of us, way too many emails stuff our inboxes. It sure doesn’t sound like email is dead, does it?

Many predicted the death of business emails with the onset of social media.

Not only has that not happened, but business emails have taken on new marketing strategy for social media users.

Is the Report of Email Death an Exaggeration shared statistics that appear to justify email’s existence. However, what those statistics don’t show is how bad emails can kill your message.

Bad business emails are like a serial killer that needs to be stopped. Share on X

Tracking the Bad Business Email Killer

To keep your business emails breathing, you need to protect against the bad business email. Consider the following your defense against opening the door to killer emails.

Tip #1 – Keep it simple, clear & uniquely yours

Shameless brand plugging. But, I find that tagline works – no matter what form of business communication you are talking about.

Keep it simple

Did you know 60% of emails are opened on a mobile device?

Want another startling statistic?

Adestra, a marketing technology company, reports more than 70% of email users delete poorly-displayed emails within three seconds.

• Yikes. I guess goldfish really are more attentive
• Text-based emails often perform better than image-based emails according to multiple studies. Surprised?
• Keep it simple indeed

Keep it clear

We know human attention spans are shrinking. It’s a good idea to restrict email correspondence to one topic. But, if you must have more, use formatting that accommodates scanning.

Keep it uniquely yours

Branding your business is good marketing strategy. But, even the best logos and taglines can die at the hands of the business email serial killer.

One bad business email can kill a brand in the blink of a cursor. Share on X

Tip #2 – Focus on the Subject line

The Subject line gets a lot of attention. Some good. Others, not so much.

Beware of the Subject line. The bad business email killer lurks in its small abode. Share on X

Offer something the reader needs or should know

• Put yourself in your email recipient’s shoes
• Would you open the email based on the Subject line?
• Even if your email is a follow-up to a phone call, help it stand out from the bajillion emails crowding their inbox

Follow-up example: Thanks for our chat today/Great meeting you at the XYZ conference

Change the subject line of previous emails

Email recipients often dismiss emails with multiple replies and forwarding as more of the same. The bad business email killer takes a lazy approach to communication.

• Have you ever gone back to search for a specific email?
• You wade through unrelated emails with the same subject line. Frustrating, isn’t it?
• If your subject changes, so should your Subject line

Stop tacking on new topics just because it’s the same distribution list. That’s lazy communication and drives email recipients nuts.

Tip #3 – Consider who needs to know

We all get a ton of emails. But, being copied on an email that is irrelevant to us is irritating.

Limit the use of CC. Include only those individuals that need the information. If you are trying to cover your tail by cc’ing the world, consider another method – like saving copies of the email.

The more people you cc: on an an email, the better your chances for annoying someone. Choose wisely – limit the use of cc. Share on X

Beware of BCC. You’ve heard (or experienced) the horror stories associated with an email’s BCC. Sending a blind copy of an email can backfire in a most embarrassing way.

For example, how many times has the Reply All response sent your email to the one person you REALLY did not want copied?

Overall, the continued use of Reply All kills your business email’s readability factor.

Tip #4 – Remember the Signature

Most email systems (and smartphones) include an option for a signature. It automates the contact information and offers another opportunity for your business branding. However, how many times do you receive an email with no contact information?

Some customers prefer a quick call instead of another email. Do you really want to put up barriers to their call?

• Do not assume your customer already has your contact information
• Even if they do, it’s saves them looking it up
• A simple click on the number allows mobile users to automatically dial your number

Don’t overload the signature. Logos, taglines and links to social media can easily get out of control. I had a customer joke about the number of links in my email signature. Embarrassing, but I appreciated the constructive criticism and cleaned up my email signature.

Tip #5 – Avoid Attachment Problems

Spammers created attachment anxiety. Spam-blocking software stops even legitimate business attachments. The following are a few ideas for attaching documents to business emails.

Reduce large files. Businesses may limit the size of the attachments accepted through email. The following are different methods for reducing file size.

• Cloud-based services (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive) allow you to send a link that recipients can use to access the large files
• File compression programs (e.g., WinZip, 7-Zip) reduce file size and some offer extras like encryption
• File-sending services (e.g., Securely Send, YouSendIt) offer another large file management option

Discuss capabilities with recipient. You can avoid problems by finding out in advance the best way to send attachments. Ask for the file limit size and the version of software the recipient uses. By converting PowerPoint, Excel and Word documents to the pdf format you reduce the size and eliminate potential software version problems.

Label attachments appropriately. You can make your life and your customer’s life easier by labeling attachments with an easy-to-find name. For example, instead of Report.pdf, label it [Insert Year] 1st Q Income.pdf.

To keep a positive experience, take care with your business emails. By following a few simple guidelines, business emails still provide an effective means of communication.

Business emails live on. Only the sender can kill the message. Don't become a serial killer. Share on X

What tips do you have for delivering good business emails? Share your suggestions in Comments.

==========

This is an update of a post that originally published on May 5, 2010. I took a detour from my Bitstrip updates to supplement the last Bitstrip post with this one.

Canva and BigstockPhoto credit