The Secret to Writing
Emails People Want to
Reply To
Writing
an email is one thing. Writing an email that gets a response is
another.
Whether
asking for a testimonial from an industry A-lister, making an
introduction to a potential client, or probing the mind of someone
you admire, we've all cold-emailed
people
we didn't know to ask for something.
These
people are incredibly busy, and sometimes seem out of reach and
entirely untouchable. And, unless youwrite your email properly,
they'll continue to be those three things.
Here
are five ways to ensure that your email breaks the ice:
1. Brevity
You
don't need to write a novel or your life story as an introductory
email. Keep it short and to the point. If you receive a reply, then
you can get into more detail.
2. Genuine and specific flattery
You
don't need to brown-nose, but make sure those you write to know that
you've appreciate their specific work.
3. A clear purpose
If
you want a response, make sure you ask for something specific. Don't
use open-ended questions or pussyfoot around because you're too
scared to ask something. Never ask for anything that you could find
in a minute on Google or your recipient's website.
4. Easy yes
Make
it easy for your recipients to say yes. Don't ask for something
massive right out of the gate. Be considerate of their time and of
the fact that you don't have any rapport with them yet. Show them why
they should help you. If responding doesn't benefit them, make sure
it's at least easy for them to respond.
5. Read it out loud
Seriously,
before you hit send, read your email to yourself out loud. This will
force you to proofread it slowly and make sure there aren't any
typos. If it takes longer than a minute to read out loud, cut it
down.
Don't
take it personally if you don't hear back from someone. For every
person who doesn't respond, you can probably find three more people
with similar skills or reputation to reach out to.
But
before you send another email, make sure the way you're writing them
isn't the reason people aren't responding. (In other words, circle
back to the five points above.)
PAUL
JARVIS
http://www.inc.com/paul-jarvis/how-to-write-emails-people-want-to-reply-to.html?cid=em01014week48d
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