Four Ways to Make Sure Your Emails Get Read

If you regularly send emails to friends or co-workers, the likelihood of your message getting ignored or lost in the crowd are high. Anyone with an email account receives tons of messages daily. Even if you have excellent spam filters, it seems like the most insignificant messages can find their way into our inboxes. Emails such as mortgage offers, work at home opportunities, and so-called freebies can make checking your email a nightmare. Of course, there is always the solution of replying with "unsubscribe." While this method can effectively reduce your email load, the results are temporary.

Massive email campaigns may benefit a corporation's marketing department, but they create email headaches for the average Joe. Disregarding an important email message is common when your inbox is overloaded. Furthermore, the recipient of your email may unknowingly lump your message with unsolicited mail and delete the email without reading.

To guarantee that your emails are read, the recipient must be able to quickly identify the message as important. Stay away from blank subject lines or generic lines such as "Hi," or "got your message." When your email address is recognizable, the recipient will pay attention. On the other hand, if you send an email to your friend using your work email account, or drop your co-worker a funny line using your personal or home account, the message may receive a visit from the "delete" button.

Here are four ways to make sure that your emails get read.

1. Write a Clear Subject Line

Do you need to give a co-worker or friend directions to an event? If so, include a recognizable subject line such as "Directions to Friday's Open House."

2. Use a Recognizable Email Account

Whenever possible, use an email account familiar to the recipient. If a subject line is vague, and the account unknown, many persons will assume the email came from a spammer and delete the message. Since there is no way to check the status of Internet mail, it is impossible to know whether an important email was deleted or disregarded.

3. Provide Detail Information in the Email

Provide the email recipient with sufficient information. Failure to include pertinent details such as date, time, and place of an event will result in the recipient sending a reply email requesting additional information. Unnecessary back and forth communication may result in an overlooked message, especially if the subject line stays the same.

4. What Actions Should the Recipient Take?

To make sure a friend or co-worker read an important message, ask the recipient to carry out an action. Finish the email with a question. Consequently, they respond to your email with specific information, which also serves as confirmation that the email was delivered and read.