Ask HN: How to become more effective at email communication?
10 comments
My advice is to keep emails short and try to focus on as few different points as possible - this will get you a much quicker response.
I tend to request confirmations a lot (i.e. "can you confirm x") to make sure there's a shared understanding: just because you've written something in a previous email doesn't mean the recipient actually read it.
I tend to request confirmations a lot (i.e. "can you confirm x") to make sure there's a shared understanding: just because you've written something in a previous email doesn't mean the recipient actually read it.
There are a few principles that make email effective:
1. Make sure email is the best way to communicate. Email is great when you or the recipient need to reference the material later. Email is also good when you don't need an urgent response. Otherwise, a phone call, text message, or meeting in person might be better.
2. Only ask one question/topic in an email. Multiple questions rarely work well in an email. If you must ask more than one question, you should probably send one email about the most important question and then follow up with a second question once you get a reply. If you ask too many questions in one email, the recipient may get overwhelmed and not respond.
3. Have a clear call to action at the end of the email. It could be a final question that asks for the recipient's opinion. If you have no need for a reply, say "No reply needed." That will let the recipient know that you don't expect a response.
I wrote more about how to write effective emails on my website with 2 sample emails for common workplace situations: https://www.climbuptheladder.com/getting-the-most-out-of-ema...
1. Make sure email is the best way to communicate. Email is great when you or the recipient need to reference the material later. Email is also good when you don't need an urgent response. Otherwise, a phone call, text message, or meeting in person might be better.
2. Only ask one question/topic in an email. Multiple questions rarely work well in an email. If you must ask more than one question, you should probably send one email about the most important question and then follow up with a second question once you get a reply. If you ask too many questions in one email, the recipient may get overwhelmed and not respond.
3. Have a clear call to action at the end of the email. It could be a final question that asks for the recipient's opinion. If you have no need for a reply, say "No reply needed." That will let the recipient know that you don't expect a response.
I wrote more about how to write effective emails on my website with 2 sample emails for common workplace situations: https://www.climbuptheladder.com/getting-the-most-out-of-ema...
Predictive scheduling. With clients I like to let them know when "office hours" are open. So let's say you subdivide your day into blocks of time. 8-12am is set aside for actual uninterrupted work / coding. 12-2pm for lunch / long walks in nature. Then you can reserve 2-4pm for communications. My preference is actually for video chat. Delegating email to transfer design and business docs via attachment.
Since 90% of that session tends to be putting out fires and lowering their blood pressure around whatever panic they have worked themselves into that day about the project not moving forward quickly enough for their liking. Having a set time each day when you make yourself available is itself soothing and a way to instil confidence into your process.
Of course it all flies out the window during a crunch anyway ;)
Since 90% of that session tends to be putting out fires and lowering their blood pressure around whatever panic they have worked themselves into that day about the project not moving forward quickly enough for their liking. Having a set time each day when you make yourself available is itself soothing and a way to instil confidence into your process.
Of course it all flies out the window during a crunch anyway ;)
- Keep them as short as possible.
- If you're presenting options, label them with numbers/letters so people can easily reference them in a reply.
- Instead of leaving follow-up actions open-ended, specifically call out what you're going to do, when you need a response by, etc.
- If you're presenting options, label them with numbers/letters so people can easily reference them in a reply.
- Instead of leaving follow-up actions open-ended, specifically call out what you're going to do, when you need a response by, etc.
After you write each email, and before you hit 'send':
1. Split any long sentences.
2. Identify any list-like information (anything with multiple 'ands' or 'ors' or commas) and turn those into bulleted or numbered lists.
3. Summarise what you want the person to do in a short sentences at the beginning of the email.
4. Go through the rest of the email and delete anything that the person isn't going to need, in order to do the thing specified in (3).
5. Now think about it from the reader's perspective. If they get this email and read it from start to finish. What are they going to do in the next 15 seconds? After you empathise with them, you may want to add/remove some more info.
1. Split any long sentences.
2. Identify any list-like information (anything with multiple 'ands' or 'ors' or commas) and turn those into bulleted or numbered lists.
3. Summarise what you want the person to do in a short sentences at the beginning of the email.
4. Go through the rest of the email and delete anything that the person isn't going to need, in order to do the thing specified in (3).
5. Now think about it from the reader's perspective. If they get this email and read it from start to finish. What are they going to do in the next 15 seconds? After you empathise with them, you may want to add/remove some more info.
If you are programmer then try to think of email as code for brain quantum networks and use automation tools. I have coded email about that here https://gitlab.com/dzmitry-lahoda/dzmitry-lahoda.gitlab.io/b...
1. Find an editor you trust enough to give you very candid feedback. Work with this person to figure out where you are right now and where you want to be in the future. Ideally, you're looking for someone who will tell you what's wrong without killing your spirit. Or as I often say, you're looking for someone who is kind but picky.
2. Practice.
2. Practice.
In the absence of elaboration on what you mean:
- Be brief.
- Use simple language.
- If you're asking for things to be done, bullet item or number them and make your request clear and flesh out the details up front. Provide them with the information that will make their work easier.
- Do not send needless emails and responses (such as "Thanks" replies).
- Be brief.
- Use simple language.
- If you're asking for things to be done, bullet item or number them and make your request clear and flesh out the details up front. Provide them with the information that will make their work easier.
- Do not send needless emails and responses (such as "Thanks" replies).
My rule is that you lose half your readers after each sentence. And the subject line counts as a sentence!
Plan accordingly.
Plan accordingly.
As much as we love email, it depends on the context and message you are trying to get across. The medium is the message and when you need to get a response or communicate urgency, you call or do F2F. Email is great for short conversations and simple topics. Think about what you're sending and what you'd like to get out of the email conversation.