Email is an odd phenomenon. No one who is over the age of 12 grew up with it. Many of us are still learning the ins and outs and idiosyncrasies of our email programs. While I receive and send a couple of hundred emails every day, I still don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know all of the intricate aspects of my system. But I am learning more about how to handle incoming and outgoing email messages so that only the important ones are received and read and fewer of those are lost.<\/p>\n
Think about this, do you often feel rejected because your email messages are ignored? Do you envision a black hole where your outgoing email is swallowed up, never to be read by human eyes? Well, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s exactly what happens to thousands of valid email messages each year. And it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s mainly because of what we put (or neglect to put) in the Subject Line.<\/p>\n
What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the big deal about the subject line? Right up there with the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153to\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153from,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the subject line is the most important aspect of any email. Why? This is what causes the recipient to open it or discard it. Think about how you determine which email messages to open and which to delete. <\/p>\n
You will open email with information or words that are familiar to you or that relate to someone you know or something you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re involved in. I typically open email from people I know and those that look as though they relate to one of my books, writing, publishing or SPAWN. If the email lands in my bulk\/spam box, it has an unfamiliar return address and the subject line reads, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m confused,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Waiting to hear from you,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Need information\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or another generic phrase, I may delete it. Occasionally, however, I follow my intuition and open one of these messages. Often, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m glad that I did because it is from a potential client. But I wonder how many email messages I delete every year just because it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t appear to be legitimate.<\/p>\n
Folks, think before you click \u00e2\u20ac\u0153send.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d If you want your email to be read and, especially if you want a response, pay attention to what is in your subject line. Maybe you have a question about our networking organization, SPAWN (Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network). Or you read my book, The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book,<\/em> and you need help with your book proposal. Instead of typing, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Question,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Interesting Proposal\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the subject line, type, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Question about SPAWN,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Need help with my book proposal.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Likewise, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s all pay closer attention to the email we delete. Just because it lands in our bulk\/spam email box or just because it has an unfamiliar email address, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t discard it. <\/p>\n Look at the name. Read the subject line. Is it familiar? Check closely before deleting because it may just be the response you are waiting for. <\/p>\n We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re all guilty of deleting legitimate emails. But this will occur much less often if we will type reasonable, clear messages in the subject line and if we take a little more time to review the messages in our email and spam mail boxes. <\/p>\n My 6-week, online article-writing course starts Tuesday, April 10, 2007. Sign up at http:\/\/www.matilijapress.com\/course_magarticles.htm<\/a><\/p>\n