User habits analysis don't write long emails

If you can't write your thoughts on the back of my calling card, then you don't have a clear idea. ' ~david Belasco

The most serious problem I've seen is that the emails people send me have one amazing thing in common: they're too long.

I am a very busy person, but who is not busy? I tried to respond, but when I got an incredibly long email, I had no way to respond immediately. If the email is very brief, I will reply as soon as I read it.

So why send a long email?

Here's a rule: a long email is never necessary, never.

Why am I writing this? Are you complaining to the people who have been sending emails to me? No, this is a pervasive problem, and I hope this will help people write more effective emails.

How do I use email

I'm thinking about how to get rid of emails, but 90% of emails still have to be written. I still use emails in a limited range-mostly with people I work with (partners, designers, print workers, etc.). I also reply to the customer's email (refund, download question).

I use Twitter for feedback and comments from readers. For family communication (for example, in Guam and in other parts of the world), I use Facebook (I don't have friends outside my family, and I have less than 100 friends on Facebook).

In other words, email is not just my problem. No matter how you use email, no one wants to read a long essay or answer 10 questions. We are all very busy and we all cherish our time.

When I deal with emails, I hope to finish them soon. I don't like to deal with these emails all day, so I log in to the mailbox, read, then reply or file, and finally quit, these are all coherent.

When someone sends me a long email, I'm probably going to file it. If I have to respond, I may not be dealing with it on the same day.

Please note: This article is not just about myself. This concerns anyone who is busy and cherishes their time. If you send a long email to someone like that, you mean you don't cherish his time, and you haven't thought about what's important. Then it lowers your chances of getting a response.

Why long emails are disgusting

Some brief reasons are as follows:

1. It takes a long time to read. I do not have much time to read, by sending me an essay, you are stating that your mail is more important than other things, I have to read.

2. Don't respect my time. When you send me an email, you are doing a request for my time (read, process, respond). If you send an email very long, you haven't edited it yet. You don't know what's most important. In fact, you're saying that I have to do this for you. You are sending a message that your time is more important than mine.

3. You didn't catch the point. What is the point you want to express? What is your main problem? Speak it out, or it will be buried.

4. You ask too many questions. In my precious day, not half an hour, I can't answer those questions. So don't ask so many questions-just one or two.

5. I will not respond. If you want me to read your emails right away, or do something further for you, good luck. Although I am not the protagonist, but I also have things to do, can not deal with every long email. And there are many, not just yours.

The scale of the short and effective e-mail

Ignoring the following rules is dangerous:

1. Keep in 5 sentences. No more. Of course, I stole this concept from five.sentenc.es, but I've been doing it for years and it's working. I usually try to do less than 5 sentences.

2. Make your main point. If you think you need more than 5 sentences, you won't be able to identify the key to what you want to say. Well, think about it and stick to it.

3. Ask only one question. Don't ask 10 questions, just one, or up to two. You are more likely to get the answer soon.

4. Edit. If you expand to 8 sentences, remove 3.

5. Links. If you need to submit information, include a link to its web page.

6. Publish. If you need to share information, not on the network, put it there. Create a long reply or long background file (and then edit it into an essential message) and put it online. Use your blog or other free tools to publish this information. If necessary, create a FAQ to link to your email.

By the way, this post is an example of the last rule.

Translators also want to plug in a sentence, read this article, you should know that Weibo is so hot for a reason. Perhaps, great creativity is largely due to the hatred of reality! Dear readers, Please also look for things that are not satisfied with the reality around you to explore the potential of huge user needs bar. Perhaps the next unintended innovation in the rise is you!