Boomerang offers an email plug-in for managing email. It’s a terrific product available for Gmailers and Outlookers alike. Last month, the folks at Boomerang posted a fascinating statistical analysis measuring response rates to their clients’ emails during 2015. What they found will change the way you use email.
Getting People to Respond
Boomerang crunched its big data down into seven simple rules for getting better response rates to the emails you send. Here they are:
- Use shorter sentences with simpler words. A 3rd grade reading level works best.
- Include 1-3 questions in your email.
- Make sure you include a [short] subject line! Aim for 3-4 words.
- Use a slightly positive or slightly negative tone. Both outperform a completely neutral tone.
- Take a stand! Opinionated messages see higher response rates than objective ones.
- Write enough, but not too much. Try to keep messages between 50-125 words.
- Send emails in the early morning or over the lunch hour. Both times experienced a slightly better response rate than mid-morning or in the afternoon.
You can read the full article here.
Less is Almost Always More
This post is reaching the recommended word limit, so we’ll stop here!