It’s something we’re all guilty of. You get an email, quickly glance at the sender or subject, and immediately hit delete. If it’s not from a friend, prospect, or client, chances are you’re rejecting the message just as quickly as it arrived. But why? What is it about these emails that lead us all to the same conclusion? This month we’ve taken a closer look at the commonalities of ignored emails and will share with you the top five ways to get your email ignored:
1. Skip The Subject Line: The subject line is the first impression someone has of your email; making the lack of a subject a serious red flag. Similarly, subject lines with buzz words like ‘free’ or ‘limited offer’ are often associated with spam and give recipients strong reason to ignore your message. Write a real subject line that is genuine and provides a summary of what your message entails. It should be brief, straightforward, and enticing enough to encourage interaction.
2. Be Generic: Emails that are clearly sent to a mass distribution list present little motivation for response. Rather, these generic emails encourage individuals to ignore the message with the belief that their reply will not be missed among the large audience. Effective emails are personal and show that you’ve taken the time to learn about the individual’s business. Make the recipient feel as if the message is meant exclusively for them.
3. Keep Writing: There’s little worse than an email that rambles on and on through multiple topics and lengthy sentences. No one wants to dig for the meaning of an email or be challenged with understanding the sender’s purpose. Cut to the chase and get right to the point when drafting your emails. Messages should be clear, concise, and easy to understand.
4. No Call to Action: Emails lacking a specific call to action are the easiest to ignore. After all, if the sender is not asking anything of you, there’s no harm in ignoring the message. Effective emails contain calls to action that clearly communicate the desired next step the recipient is being asked to take. This may be replying with more information or clicking through to a campaign landing page.
5. Send Right Away: Everyone is granted a typo now and then, but poor grammar or spelling is one of the most effective ways to get your email ignored. Take the extra minute to look over your email and correct any misplaced commas or spelling errors. This attention to detail not only shows your credibility as an individual, but increases the chance of your email being opened and seriously considered.
144.8 billion emails are sent worldwide each day, 65% of which are classified as spam. Now more than ever we must overcome the clutter and be careful to avoid these top ways of getting your email ignored. Craft your emails with skill and tact to improve your chances of being heard; you might just convince someone to switch from delete to reply.
