How Effectively Do You Make Use of E-mail?

Volume IV, Issue 10
ISSN: 1547-7754
March 2007
printable version

Chris King, Editor
By subscription only, this monthly e-newsletter is loaded with short, "down and dirty" tips to help you with solving the everchanging and growing puzzle of the Internet. This e-zine serves as a place to ask your questions and find the answers. So, send me your burning questions.

In this issue of the Internet Tips E-zine, I am going to address the use of e-mail - the good, the bad and the ugly. You will find some of my strong opinions. And, I warn you up front, that you will not agree with all of them.

It is so quick and easy to send out an e-mail message that we sometimes forget our manners, our cultural differences, our attention to grammar and our transparency. I am writing the following tips from the experiences I face daily. I do not use spam filters, so receive in excess of 500 e-mail messages every day.

TIP #1: Be timely with your answers. It is just like the telephone. When someone takes the time and makes an effort to send and/or leave you a message, it is polite and also good business to answer it as quickly as possible. It not only shows that you care, it also stops the sender from wondering if you ever received the message to begin with.

TIP #2: Follow the e-mail rules - both the legal and etiquette related.

• Have permission from your recipient to send e-mail messages to them. In other words, they have opted-in by giving you their e-mail address.
• Always include a link for subscribing and/or unsubscribing. And, if they unsubscribe, take them off the distribution list immediately. I even e-mail them if they have unsubscribed with an address I don’t have on the list. It is amazing how many forget what the original address was.
• Also include your address and phone number. This gives you credibility and another way to get in touch.
• Avoid all CAPs in your subject, e-mail address and/or message. They denote shouting, so are in bad taste.
• If you are going to address the recipient with a title, make sure you check for his or her gender. Even though my photo appears on all of my websites, I get several e-mails where they address me as Mr. King.

TIP #3: Use e-mail to build relationships - not destroy them.

• It takes more time and effort, but I handle my distribution lists personally. If someone subscribes to one of my e-zines, I send them an individual e-mail welcoming them and letting them know when to expect the next e-newsletter. I feel that it is obvious when I receive a standard auto-response.
• Be cautious about the frequency of mailing. If I have given someone new my e-mail address on a “squeeze page” and they start e-mailing me close to every day or more, I stop opening their messages and finally unsubscribe.
• I must admit that I hate “squeeze pages” and, even more so, the requests for giving three of my friends’ addresses accompanied by a phony sounding letter. I won’t do it anymore.

TIP #4: Avoid blatantly bad and intrusive subject lines.

• Always include a subject line. It is so easy to delete a message with “No Subject.”
• It is important to include a descriptive subject line that catches the eye and guarantees that the recipient will open the e-mail.
• Of course, the ugly spam subjects are obvious, but how about the prolific use of “trick” subject lines, like, “Only two days left.” “Oops! I made an error.” “Someone wants to meet you.” “Congratulations!” “I made a stupid mistake.”“Your order (when you haven’t ordered anything).” And all of the phishing messages asking you to update your information. No wonder so many have become skeptical.

TIP #5: Finally, don’t send unnecessary e-mails. I think a quick response of “thank you” is OK when someone has answered a question or extended a favor, but it can get out of hand if it goes on and on.

I know that I could bring up some other e-mail suggestions, like never write or send an e-mail when you are angry. Be careful if you are replying to a group that you do want everyone to read your answer. And, for heaven’s sake, don’t forward cute and funny copies of e-mails you have received, unless you know the person to whom you are sending them really enjoys them.

Have a terrific and productive month!

Do send your comments and questions to me at chris@creativekeys.biz. I love to receive feedback and will answer your questions in future e-zines.

If you would like to subscribe to this e-zine and receive five free Internet tips, send an e-mail to subscribe@creativekeys.biz with subscribe in the subject line. If you ever wish to be removed from the mailing list, just send an e-mail to unsubscribe@creativekeys.biz with unsubscribe in the subject line.