In this microlearning video, Randy Dean expands on his email etiquette series by focusing on two core practices for improving email effectiveness in a business setting. First, he emphasizes crafting specific, informative subject lines that reference the relevant project, client, task, or event, and that include urgency cues (e.g., “Urgent,” “ASAP,” “Critical”) and concrete due dates when applicable. Second, he advises that truly time‑sensitive, critical messages should be reinforced with an immediate phone call or text after hitting send, ensuring the recipient is aware of the urgency even if they cannot check email promptly. Dean explains why vague subject lines hinder response rates, how clear urgency markers help recipients prioritize, and why the sender bears responsibility for ensuring timely action. The video concludes with a promise of higher open rates and faster responses when these practices are applied.
Chapters
Alright, hi everybody. Taking a little break from several consecutive days of getting the yard in shape yard work to do video number 2 in my new email etiquette series with some microlearning tips on how to make your emails more effective, uh, read, more often and getting the appropriate responses that you're hoping for, as well as actions from those emails. And so since this is the second video in the series, building on the last video about, you know, keep it short and focused, I think what I'd like to do is start right at the top and discuss subject lines, because I think there is a massive opportunity in the business world for professional email users to write better subject lines. And specifically, one of the things that I've noticed after teaching email management strategies for the past 20 years is how many emails have subject lines that are terribly vague, really don't give the recipient any idea of what the email is referencing, and, you know, sort of are lacking the necessary information to give the person what they need in order to be able to act appropriately upon that email. And when I say that, what I mean is things like, you know, give some reference in your subject lines to the project, the person, the client, the customer, the activity, the event, the task. What is it that this email is related to? Make sure that that is somewhat represented in the subject line. Additionally, if, um, you're going to be creating an email that has like an urgent timeline on it, using the code words at the beginning like urgent, ASAP, critical. That can be super helpful for the person that's quickly scanning their inbox, all the new stuff coming in, to determine what's the first thing they may want to look at. And if it actually has a specific due date, whatever's inside of that, you know, Meeting by, meeting on 3/20, or, you know, task due by, you know, 5:15. You know, put in the dates on that subject line right at the start. So that way the recipient understands that there is something timely. And one last thing on this one. I mean, you know, like I said, key points, try to be succinct, but Give some indication of the project, person, client, activity, event, customer, task, whatever, what's going on inside of that email. Second, if it's got some urgency to it, you know, use those code words at the beginning: ASAP, critical, urgent. You know, and of course, if it's got a relevant and specific due date inside the email, put that due date up in the subject line. But one last thing, if you're truly sending a critical urgent email that has needed quick response, I'm strongly recommending you consider picking up the phone or sending a text right at the time you hit send on that email. Because here's the thing, if you send a critically urgent email and you don't follow that up with the phone call and/or the text message, to let the recipient know you just sent them something red-hot urgent, and for whatever reason, either A, they're not able to check their email, or B, they are simply out of the office and not in a situation where they can get access to their email, you are probably the person that's responsible when that thing does not get done on time. You as the sender, not the recipient. You can't put that on the recipient if they're not there and they have no way to see that email. And, you know, maybe they're trying to only check their email every hour or two. You send something that's got to be acted on in the next 10, 15, 20 minutes and you just hit send and hope. That's not a good strategy for email management. So when you're sending critical very time-sensitive information. When, and when I say that, something that needs to happen within the next hour or less, back it up with a phone call or a text message or both. Make sure the recipient knows they got that message. And with this combination of basically two tips, better subject lines and utilizing a secondary communication method on critical urgent items, I think that you're— what you're going to see is significantly greater, you know, opening rates of your messages, but also better reaction and response in a timely manner. So hopefully this is a tip that you'll find super useful. And now I can get back to cutting down more things in my yard. Bye now.
