It’s hard to get a response to emails, especially when you need someone to take action. 

Schedule a call with a busy prospect? 

Convince people to fill out a survey?

These might sound impossible but they’re not! If you apply these 4 simple principles: 

Save your reader time with fewer words

Edit your email down to only the most important and relevant information. You’ll see a huge improvement in response rate. 

A study compared the response rate to two emails asking you to fill out a survey. One was 127 words long with lots of details of what the survey was for, and one was an edited version with only 49 words. Think explaining the survey would increase engagement? The short version had a response rate 78% higher!

Apply this to your own writing and review everything you write. Cut words and even whole sentences as much as possible.

Save your reader brainpower

The average person reads at a 7th to 8th grade level, according to the Literacy Project. A higher level might sometimes be necessary, but it's best to always keep it as low as possible (it's easier to read).

In another letter comparison, sent to parents of truant children missing school days. One had 50 words instead of 350, and a reading level of 5th grade instead of 10th grade. This change made the letter 40% more effective at reducing absenteeism! 

Consider using a grade-level calculator like the Hemingway Editor or Grammarly, which rates text based on readability with enhancement suggestions.

Direct your reader's attention to key information

Formatting helps readers to understand what's most important. Strong headings and highlighting text directs users to take action when skimming an email!

Did you know the human attention span taps out at around 8 seconds? That’s not a lot of time to grab someone’s attention. Make sure your email is clear and concise to avoid being ignored, or deleted.  

Clearly define the call to action

Be clear on the purpose of your email. Keep things short and sweet with an obvious ask of the reader. Eliminate the friction with bigger buttons, bolder text, and by removing unnecessary language.

With these principles on hand, you’re likely to see an uptick in your response times.  Is there one that you struggle with most? Let us know using the chat bubble in the bottom right. We'd love to hear from you!