The Black Hole of Business Communication
Posted on May 11, 2015 by Luanne Paynick
Not getting responses to your e-mails? Use the following guidelines when sending messages to encourage a quicker response:
Be specific in the description of your subject.
Subject: March 24, 2015 Meeting Update vs. Meeting Update
Subject: Questions About the Smith Project vs. Clarification Needed
Subject: Need Your Response by 5/12/2015 vs. Response Needed
Be concise and clear.
Consider using the VoicePro® PREPO model to craft your message.
Point – The point you would like to make.
Reason – Why you feel, think, or believe your point to be important or accurate.
Evidence – Supporting information for your point and reason in the way of facts, data, statistics, examples, and stories.
Point – Restate your point (best used when verbally communicating). It can be left off for e-mail communication.
Outcome – If there is an “ask” associated with the e-mail; a required action on the part receiver, this can become the Subject line.
Take a look at this Example:
To: Jim Jones
From: Luanne Paynick
Subject: Please Attend the March 25 Project Meeting
(P) We need to meet on March 25th to discuss our progress and our next steps
(R) When we meet things tasks get accomplished faster
(E) After our last meeting we far exceeded the original dates for completion of our preliminary goals.
(P) Not needed in an e-mail.
(O) Please come prepared to share your progress and recommended next steps.
If you are not getting a response . . .
Do not keep on sending the same message to the same person over and over again, if they don’t respond after a few days, send them an e-mail inquiring if they received your first email.
Image courtesy of chrisroll at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of chrisroll at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
