Despite the obvious fact that this is an email and you are reading it now, most of us don’t bother reading them.

How many do you get every day?

I get between 50 and 100 emails every day and almost half are stupid bulk emails from people like Groupon offering me cheap towels or something. I unsubscribe often but it seems (mysteriously) not to work….

So I get about 50 that require me to do something or respond somehow. I’m trying to do a days work as well as respond to emails so I have a (sort of) system for them. It goes like this (and I don’t think I’m unusual or special):

Is it from someone I know and like or do regular work with?

If so, I’ll read it quickly and decide whether to respond immediately or save it for when I’m back at my desk and not trying to type on a mobile phone.

(Sometimes I get to my desk, I forget the email – they drop below the fold and they might as well be gone forever)

Is it interesting or short enough to be dealt with in one go?

Well maybe I’ll read it or deal with it while I’m between meetings or having that coffee, then.

Anything else tends to fall into the last category – perhaps I’ll read it or deal with it later when I have time. Which is usually not soon.

Now maybe this just illustrates what a retard I am and that I need to rethink my email management (probably something there) but I suspect that email overload applies to a lot of us too.

20% is a good open rate for an email list that is opted in.

So rethink your communicating. If it is important – call them up.

Follow up with a confirmatory email if you need to reinforce something or give them info – they’re already past the filter.

And, if your staff think that sending an email absolves them of responsibility for stuff, don’t let them get away with it.

Hands up whose email marketing, or even direct email communications, sometimes (often) go unanswered?

Jon Dale
Small Fish Business Coaching Byron Bay
www.smallfish.com.au