Make Your Emails Stand Out

Do you "still" use email?

It's "still" my preferred way to communicate but I use it less often these days. Most of my communication comes through LinkedIn and text.

Notice the quotes around the word "still." I used them because I can't help noticing that I'm getting fewer emails outside my subscriptions. It's almost a surprise to get an email personally written to me!

Are Your Emails Overlooked?

A few months ago, I overlooked an important email. I felt really bad about this and adjusted my account to mark emails from this source as "important." I also got rid of the new Updates tab, which seems to add more email-related tasks. I'm also not clear on when emails graduate to the Primary tab.

This got me thinking - when I'm waiting for someone to respond to my emails, am I being ignored, or do people not see them for the same reason I missed that important email?

• Maybe the email languished in Gmail's easy-to-overlook Updates tab
• Perhaps people have become used to texting, messaging, or tools like Slack, which make email less conspicuous

We can customize email templates, but we can't customize how other people see incoming emails

I've been thinking about legitimate ways to make my emails stand out, right from when it appears in an inbox list.

The Hypnotist's Video Signature

I recently met a certified hypnotist through a LinkedIn outreach effort. She has clients here in the US and in Europe. Mental health professionals refer patients to her and she markets directly to individuals who want to quit smoking.

After we spoke via Zoom, I emailed her a proposal, which I believe remains the easiest way to safely share documents. She emailed me back and to my surprise, attached a couple of videos to her signature on mindfulness practices and breathing exercises.

What a great way to maximize an email!

Videos added to an email signature add value to an email once it's opened

Even though I was anticipating this email, my eyes went to the videos before I actually read anything. (I watched one of them later that day.)

Still, I had to open the email to see the unexpected and useful content inside.

The subject line caught my attention because it was familiar - I'd created it. I think this is the key - subject lines that attract attention - without being spammy of course - and maybe make a lasting impression that your emails are worth reading.

Be Sure Subject Lines on Your Emails are Relevant

Going back to that overlooked email, I discovered its subject line was an old one, on a topic that had already been settled.

Instead of creating a new subject line, the sender just continued the string. He also included others on it who may have looked at the subject line and assumed it was sent to them in error or wasn't particularly important for them. I know I didn't get any responses related to that particular email.

I've seen plenty of articles about creating engaging or otherwise irresistible email subject lines. How about just making them relevant to the actual topic? There's nothing wrong with creating a new email, especially if there's a new topic to discuss.

Here's a sample of subject lines from emails I found in my Gmail Promotions tab:

• "reconnecting"
• "Ruth Ann, Your Business Deserves More"
• "Google update & other SEO News!" (sic)
• "Creativity in Corporate America"

The first one was from one of those Famous SEO People who correctly assumes I'll read the email even though the subject line is so lame. While I agree with the subject line statement on the second email, I'm not particularly drawn to find out why because I see it's not from a person; it's from Office Depot. Props to them for getting my name right.

The third one reflects one of my professional interests. However, it's got a spammy subject line with poor grammar. Gmail does a pretty good job identifying spam so I feel reasonably safe opening it. However, Yoast may want to hire a copyeditor to look over emails. Maybe they should assign their new AI writer product to do this.

The fourth one has a subject line that's one of my newer interests. I clicked and was pleased to read a highly relevant email from a new contact who's a business coach.

Why Email is Still the Superior Way to Communicate

I'm not some kind of Luddite who's against progress. I use Slack and even created a Slack channel for a volunteer group I work with. I belong to two Slack channels for local small businesses and entrepreneurs and have even identified and negotiated new businesses through the channel.

But I'm still most comfortable with email. Lord knows that Gmail does a lot of prompting to get people to update their passwords. Many who claim they've been hacked have only themselves to blame. And since Salesforce bought Slack last year, I'm more comfortable using the platform for messages I'd normally send through email (I do check first with clients before sending sensitive materials through Slack.)

Emails, though, can have a very long shelf life unless, of course, IT admins set expiration dates. Outside of that, email is easy to archive. They're easy to classify and sort into categories.

I'm pretty sure my generation was the first to use email in business - even before chatting and messaging were options. Email is more than 50 years old now. I don't think it's going to retire anytime soon.