How to send a meaningful email.

I've sent a ton of emails this last week; cold emails, intros, follow ups, you name it. No rest for the wicked. I've decided that it's about time someone wrote about this.

Your subject line is important.

In your subject line, have a meaningful, honest sentence or question. That's it. Don't camelcase. Don't use ALLCAPS. Don't just write "Follow up" or "Intro".

Bad: Follow Up

Good: Brian wheeler following up on last weeks crowd-investing conference

Bad: Intro

Good: Intro between Jane Doe and John Smith

Bad: TRY OUR FREE TRIAL

Good: Would you be interested in working with software that « insert description here »

Don't tautologize

A.K.A. Don't repeat yourself

Getting to the point is important. Shorter emails are better.

Examples of tautology you have probably used in your emails:

• working on developing (working and developing are essentially the same word)
• new innovation (innovations are intrinsically new)
• added bonus (bonuses are always "added")

For more examples of tautology, and how to avoid it, see http://examples.yourdictionary.com/reference/examples/examples-of-tautology.html

Don't talk about yourself

It's easy to start an email off with

John Doe,

my name is So and So and I would like to me me myself I us our blah blah blah

Don't fall into this trap. Remember that if you sign your emails correctly, your name will appear at the bottom. Explain why your email, introduce yourself later.

Sign your email

Intro,

body copy of the email ends. Put a "thank you" somewhere here or in the signature.

Brian Wheeler
Position
Company
805.452.6222
email@example.com

Follow these basic tips, it will make your emails more concise, easier to read, and easier to respond to.