Email Subject Lines ...

Have you ever sent someone an email that you needed them to reply to? Or, do you frequently send emails that are "information only" and don't expect or need a reply? Do you ever get messages that have vague or non-descript subject lines? Here are several tips to make email life a little easier.

If you really need someone to reply to your email, try indicating that fact in the subject line. For example, suppose you send a message asking for some input for an upcoming meeting about a new restaurant idea called the Dog House. Try a subject line like this:

Subject: Menu Ideas for the Dog House ... Reply Requested

When the recipient receives the email, there should be no question that the you are expecting a reply. If you send a message that is for "information only", indicate that in the subject line like this:

Subject: Menu Ideas for the Dog House ... Information Only

How many times do you get an email with a subject line so vague, that you have no idea what the message is about? Or, how about the person that sends a two or three paragraph message just to tell you they will be out of the office next Friday? Here is a way to make the subject line be the message ... use EOM (End of Message) like this:

Subject: I will be Out-of-the-Office Next Friday, August 1, 2008 ... EOM

That's it! You don't need to put anything in the body of your message. Here are some benefits of using EOM:

1. EOM saves your recipient's time. Don't you value your time? Isn't it nice when others value your time too? By keeping your subject line short and using EOM you are showing the people you send to you value their time. They'll thank you for it (when they know what it means).
2. It saves you time. Why write the body of a message if you don't have to?
3. You craft better subject lines. One of the reasons people might glaze over when they receive your email is a subject line that doesn't grab them or give enough information. With EOM, you have no choice but to create a powerful subject line. The space for subjects is limited. You create better subject lines because you can't write a whole paragraph.
4. EOM encourages others to EOM. Once people see the resulting effectiveness of EOM, they will begin crafting EOMs of their own. It's win-win. You get concise, non-time wasting emails and they get the same.
5. EOM forces you to keep email messages focused on a single topic. Good email etiquette says you should keep the number of topics in an individual email to only one. If you have only one subject line to work with, you cannot cover more than one topic.
6. EOM guarantees 100% readership. We've all had the frustrating experience of waiting on someone to read our important email and respond. Sometimes we wait a long time and follow up to find out they haven't even read the message at all. Perhaps the most powerful advantage of EOM is 100% readership. Why? Because your entire message is in the subject line. Your message becomes impossible to ignore because it comes in front and center—no need to double click.

Give these ideas a try. Email is an essential part of our lives - both business and personal. Because most of us send and receive many emails every day, why not be as efficient as possible with our time and the time of those who receive our messages.