Writing Email Subject Lines and Closings

Introduction to This Email Writing Training

The subject line often determines how quickly the reader will read and respond to the email. Use the subject line as a valuable tool in your strategy to communicate successfully with the reader. Your goal is to make sure your email is read and the reader responds as you expect. The subject line is the first part of your strategy to write emails that have impact. In this training video, you will learn how to write subject lines that will ensure the reader opens and reads your email, and you will learn how to begin the email so you are more likely to have a positive impact on the reader and get the response you want.

Training

Email Subject Line and Introduction Activities

Locate three emails you have written that are around a page long. Evaluate each email by answering the following questions.

Email Subject Line

  1. Do you always write a subject line?
  2. Do your subject lines words describe the contents of your email?
  3. Do your subject lines reflect the objectives you have for the email?
  4. Is the key term for the subject in the first three words?
  5. Do you capitalize words that normally should be capitalized, such as first letters of month names or “I” for yourself?
  6. Are the grammar and spelling correct?

Email Introduction

  1. Do you open with a courteous salutation?
  2. Do you introduce yourself if the reader doesn’t know you?
  3. Do you explain why the reader is receiving this now?
  4. Do you state the action or most important point close to the beginning?
  5. Do you explain what the reader is to do with the information?
  6. Do you include a buffer if the content might evoke a negative response?
  7. Do you state what is in the e-mail?

Improving Your Emails by Applying What You Have Learned

  1. How would you rewrite your email subjects and introductions to improve them?
  2. If you have someone who can give you feedback on your writing, revise your emails to improve them and ask someone to give you feedback about your subject lines and introductions.
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