Email is both a blessing and a curse, especially in the business world. Email allows us to respond quickly to problems and questions—completing transactions within a day or within hours. But so many emails are poorly written or missing essential information that these messages require further clarification, prompting an exchange of emails that consume our time and delay the transaction. Getting your message across clearly, concisely, and completely in your initial emails eliminates those nagging follow-up questions or cryptic one-line responses that require more of your time. One way to get your message across clearly and concisely is to follow a plan: The Action Plan.
Why do you need a plan?
Consider how readers are responding to your messages:
• Are readers asking for additional information?
• Are you NOT getting the information you need when you need it?
• Are readers overlooking key information that you send them?
• Are customers complaining that you didn’t solve their problem? Some customers simply may not like your solution—but did you clearly tell them how and why you arrived at this solution?
Assess your email messages and writing process:
• Do you dash off email messages without thinking through the issues?
• Do you unintentionally bury important information in long paragraphs or at the end of your message, where readers are likely to overlook this information?
• Do you overlook key questions readers need answered?
• Do you include unnecessary details that side-track readers?
• Do you omit next steps that tell readers what information you need and when?
These are common problems writers make and can result in miscommunication, delays, and customer dissatisfaction. You can avoid these problems by taking time to plan email messages. A few minutes of planning can save you time and energy clarifying issues and keep the business transaction on track.
What Is the Action Plan?
The Action Plan is a quick way to make sure your message addresses readers’ concerns, includes the necessary information readers need to take action, and completes the transaction by resolving problems, offering recommendations, or answering questions—quickly, clearly, and completely.
Before writing your message, consider your
• Purpose: Your reason for writing.
• Why are you writing this email?
• What do you hope to achieve?
• Audience:
• What do they already know about the issue?
• What do you want them to do?
• How will they respond to your message (receptive, indifferent, or resistant)?
• If resistant, what objections might they have about your approach, suggestions, resolution, etc.?
• If indifferent, how can you engage them? How does the issue relate to them? How will they benefit?
• Main Message: The main message—what you want readers to consider, do, or respond to—must be stated in your first paragraph. Readers expect the first paragraph to explain what the message is about, why they are reading it, and what they should do with the information. For example, reader’s will pay attention to first paragraphs that tell them
• Here’s how I’ve solved your problem.
• Here’s my recommendation for solving X.
• Our customer surveys show we need to improve our email communication.
• We can increase productivity by doing X.
• Next Steps: Who does what next? To get the information you need or to resolve reader’s issues or questions, you must make the next steps clear. Here is one example of a precise next step:
• “Please send me last quarter’s (Q2) sales revenues by Friday, April 9, so I can prepare Q3 budget for our regional meeting on April 12.”
Try this plan. See if it helps you get to the point and reduce follow-up questions. Then let us know how well it works for you. And download our PowerPoint “ACTION PLAN” presentation.
Our next blog will cover email writing strategies for quick reading.
