How to write emails that get read (and responded to)

On January 15, 2020, I participated in the NetSquared “Trends” event in Vancouver, Canada. We each had 5 minutes to share our message. As a project communications geek, I spoke about writing email for mobile.
Here are the key takeaways:

  • Ensure the subject line is clear and memorable – this could be the only thing that gets read
  • Include a one-line summary or Call to Action (CTA) at the top
  • Address the salutation to the person with a CTA – leave those being looped in for informational purposes only on the CC list
  • Use bold formatting or bulleted lists for skimming so the key points jump out of the prose
  • Put the story, detail or other background at the bottom (after the CTA)
  • Avoid responding to an existing thread with a new topic

Edit: I was snowed in the day of the event, so I recorded my presentation to share instead. The event was later cancelled due to the blizzard, however here’s the content anyway!