5 tips to communicate better in email messages
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 7:10 am
Although email is still a very useful tool, it is no secret that it is a communication channel that has lost importance.
According to statistics from SaneBox , 62% of the emails the average employee receives are not important.
So when it comes to internal communication, email is not the best channel for all types of messages.
Furthermore, according to this information revealed by Kayako , cash app database email is the least preferred customer service channel for consumers with 23%; above that are telephone and chat thanks to their immediacy in responses.
Let's be honest, we've all probably taken more than 24 hours to reply to an important email, and we've also received a very late response.
While, if it comes to mailing or sending mass emails as a digital marketing strategy, the average opening rate is just 21.33% according to MailChimp statistics . Although it has a great ROI , its effectiveness is not the best.
One interpretation of these statistics is that perhaps we are not using email messages in the best way.
Keep reading to learn these 5 tips to communicate better using email!
1. Optimize the “subject” line
2. Be concise, avoid over-communication
3. Use spaces to separate important ideas
4. If you are emotional, don't write emails!
5. Rely on tools
1. Optimize the “subject” line
Communication begins even before the first word of the email, as the subject is part of the message, as it contextualizes it and establishes a premise.
It's a first impression, so it counts a lot. Whether you're a networker building a network of contacts , just sending corporate emails, or sending an offer to a client, a good subject line will help you stand out.
And the matter is even more disturbing if the recipient of the message is using his smartphone:
While an email service displays 60 characters in a browser, it typically displays only 25-30 characters in its mobile app .
You have half the characters to be effective!
You can counteract this by using the most important words at the beginning, here are some examples:
Thai food for dinner?
Monthly follow-up meeting, Friday 11 AM
Pre-Black Friday Sale! 25% off today only
New security measures (IMPORTANT update)
If it's corporate or internal communication email, the recipient is likely to read it either way, but the subject line could make the difference between reading and responding quickly or leaving it for later or the next day.
Not to mention if the email is part of an email marketing strategy .
A good subject line does not guarantee that your emails will be read, but it will interest those who read the subject, increasing the likelihood that they will be read.
2. Be concise, avoid over-communication
Not only is there such a thing as over-communication, but it's very easy to fall into it when sending emails.
Remember the statistic that says 62% of the emails the average employee receives aren’t important?
It hides a great example of corporate over-communication; some organizations send their employees too many emails with information that is not necessary for everyone.
Furthermore, it is not just about the quantity of emails, but also the importance of the information contained in each one.
If you've ever received an email and weren't quite sure what to do with that information, or if after sending an email you thought there was a shorter way to say what you already said, then you've experienced over-communication firsthand.
But it is not only due to not knowing how to discern between what is really important, it is common to fall into over-communication to avoid an uncomfortable response. Here are some examples:
“Hi Alejandra, is the results report for the last month ready?”
“Hi Rafael, I was going to write to you. I started on Monday, but it has taken me longer than I thought. I think I will have it ready.”
We will agree that a “no” and a couple of details would have been a shorter and more effective response.
“Good morning to our customers, we apologize for the intermittent nature of our services. We have detected problems with the fiber optics and a team is working to solve the problem. The heavy rains have not helped the work of…”
You've probably received an email like this...
In adverse scenarios, some brands use email to inform their customers ineffectively, confusing some even more.
To avoid scenarios like this, it is key to keep the following in mind:
magnify only the important details;
say each thing only once;
simplify.
For some it may simply be over-communication, but over-communicating emails can make recipients feel cheated and disrespected.
This can lead to losing clients, reducing the effectiveness of your emails, or even raising questions about your communication skills or job performance.
3. Use spaces to separate important ideas
Just as a calm space in the middle of the storm is key to making good decisions, white space (or black space if night mode is on) is important for highlighting important information in email messages.
If you are in the world of online sales , it is convenient to use full stops to space out ideas and give each one the due relevance. Here is a practical example, instead of:
“2x1 in all our stores. And visit our headquarters in downtown Bogotá to find special discounts.”
Try this:
“2x1 in all our stores!
And at our headquarters in downtown Bogotá you will find special discounts.”
Each of the main ideas must have a space that allows them to highlight their importance individually.
It is even possible to apply this to internal communication emails, so that the recipient can easily remember what is really important and not have to discern the parts of a whole for themselves. For example, instead of:
“Subject: Final sales report
Hello Jacob,
Thank you for sending me the report yesterday. I read it this morning and I feel that Chapter 2 needs some statistics and general information about our indirect sales. I also feel that the overall tone of the report could be more formal and that the colors of some graphs are easily confused.
Please let me know if you can make the modifications in time.
Thank you!
Jorge"
With a few small changes, Jacob will surely remember each point better.
“Subject: Review of final sales report
Hello Jacob,
Thank you for sending me the report, I just read it and I think Chapter 2 needs statistics and general information about our indirect sales.
The colors of some graphics are easily confused, please modify some shades.
I also feel like the overall tone of the report could be more formal, can you see that with Claudia?
Please let me know if you can make the modifications in time.
And thank you for your effort in this! It is very important for the team.
Jorge"
This is what an email message looks like when each idea has its space and is expressed concisely, without over-communicating and with more details about each important point.
Additionally, there is a slight change in the subject that helps to better contextualize the body or message of the email and a modification in the acknowledgement that denotes leadership .
4. If you are emotional, don't write emails!
We are human, we do not have to deny our emotions.
However, it is often a good idea to avoid sending emails when emotions are running high.
It is common to do and say things without thinking about the consequences when carried away by strong emotions such as anger.
In a face-to-face interaction, an apology might be enough to minimize the consequences, but written communication leaves stronger impressions because the receiver sets the tone for the message and the lack of gesticulation emphasizes what is written as literal.
But anger isn't the only emotion that can lead to mistakes in an email message.
Euphoria can cause certain communications protocol to be ignored. Some recipients may not care or may let it slide, but if it is a communication with a client, they may not like the informality or cronyism in the message.
In general, very vivid emotions can cloud the reason necessary for optimal communication.
5. Rely on tools
Writing an email is easy enough, but that doesn't mean support is out of the question.
The Microsoft team suggests three essential tools for writing better emails:
Word counter: It will help you stay concise.
Text editor with dictionary: Gmail has its own spelling tool, but it doesn't hurt to use a text editor's dictionary to find possible errors.
Templates: If the emails you send out are similar, you can use templates to make the exchange of messages easier. Just remember to personalize them so that the messages feel relevant.
Important aspects such as rereading messages before sending them and maintaining education and courtesy were left out of this list .
Now that we've mentioned them, it's worth remembering that both are just as important as these 5 tips for better communication in email messages.
And keep in mind that omnichannel messaging tools like JivoChat can facilitate internal communication between teams and also with clients (and visitors to your website) by centralizing everything within a single messaging application.
According to statistics from SaneBox , 62% of the emails the average employee receives are not important.
So when it comes to internal communication, email is not the best channel for all types of messages.
Furthermore, according to this information revealed by Kayako , cash app database email is the least preferred customer service channel for consumers with 23%; above that are telephone and chat thanks to their immediacy in responses.
Let's be honest, we've all probably taken more than 24 hours to reply to an important email, and we've also received a very late response.
While, if it comes to mailing or sending mass emails as a digital marketing strategy, the average opening rate is just 21.33% according to MailChimp statistics . Although it has a great ROI , its effectiveness is not the best.
One interpretation of these statistics is that perhaps we are not using email messages in the best way.
Keep reading to learn these 5 tips to communicate better using email!
1. Optimize the “subject” line
2. Be concise, avoid over-communication
3. Use spaces to separate important ideas
4. If you are emotional, don't write emails!
5. Rely on tools
1. Optimize the “subject” line
Communication begins even before the first word of the email, as the subject is part of the message, as it contextualizes it and establishes a premise.
It's a first impression, so it counts a lot. Whether you're a networker building a network of contacts , just sending corporate emails, or sending an offer to a client, a good subject line will help you stand out.
And the matter is even more disturbing if the recipient of the message is using his smartphone:
While an email service displays 60 characters in a browser, it typically displays only 25-30 characters in its mobile app .
You have half the characters to be effective!
You can counteract this by using the most important words at the beginning, here are some examples:
Thai food for dinner?
Monthly follow-up meeting, Friday 11 AM
Pre-Black Friday Sale! 25% off today only
New security measures (IMPORTANT update)
If it's corporate or internal communication email, the recipient is likely to read it either way, but the subject line could make the difference between reading and responding quickly or leaving it for later or the next day.
Not to mention if the email is part of an email marketing strategy .
A good subject line does not guarantee that your emails will be read, but it will interest those who read the subject, increasing the likelihood that they will be read.
2. Be concise, avoid over-communication
Not only is there such a thing as over-communication, but it's very easy to fall into it when sending emails.
Remember the statistic that says 62% of the emails the average employee receives aren’t important?
It hides a great example of corporate over-communication; some organizations send their employees too many emails with information that is not necessary for everyone.
Furthermore, it is not just about the quantity of emails, but also the importance of the information contained in each one.
If you've ever received an email and weren't quite sure what to do with that information, or if after sending an email you thought there was a shorter way to say what you already said, then you've experienced over-communication firsthand.
But it is not only due to not knowing how to discern between what is really important, it is common to fall into over-communication to avoid an uncomfortable response. Here are some examples:
“Hi Alejandra, is the results report for the last month ready?”
“Hi Rafael, I was going to write to you. I started on Monday, but it has taken me longer than I thought. I think I will have it ready.”
We will agree that a “no” and a couple of details would have been a shorter and more effective response.
“Good morning to our customers, we apologize for the intermittent nature of our services. We have detected problems with the fiber optics and a team is working to solve the problem. The heavy rains have not helped the work of…”
You've probably received an email like this...
In adverse scenarios, some brands use email to inform their customers ineffectively, confusing some even more.
To avoid scenarios like this, it is key to keep the following in mind:
magnify only the important details;
say each thing only once;
simplify.
For some it may simply be over-communication, but over-communicating emails can make recipients feel cheated and disrespected.
This can lead to losing clients, reducing the effectiveness of your emails, or even raising questions about your communication skills or job performance.
3. Use spaces to separate important ideas
Just as a calm space in the middle of the storm is key to making good decisions, white space (or black space if night mode is on) is important for highlighting important information in email messages.
If you are in the world of online sales , it is convenient to use full stops to space out ideas and give each one the due relevance. Here is a practical example, instead of:
“2x1 in all our stores. And visit our headquarters in downtown Bogotá to find special discounts.”
Try this:
“2x1 in all our stores!
And at our headquarters in downtown Bogotá you will find special discounts.”
Each of the main ideas must have a space that allows them to highlight their importance individually.
It is even possible to apply this to internal communication emails, so that the recipient can easily remember what is really important and not have to discern the parts of a whole for themselves. For example, instead of:
“Subject: Final sales report
Hello Jacob,
Thank you for sending me the report yesterday. I read it this morning and I feel that Chapter 2 needs some statistics and general information about our indirect sales. I also feel that the overall tone of the report could be more formal and that the colors of some graphs are easily confused.
Please let me know if you can make the modifications in time.
Thank you!
Jorge"
With a few small changes, Jacob will surely remember each point better.
“Subject: Review of final sales report
Hello Jacob,
Thank you for sending me the report, I just read it and I think Chapter 2 needs statistics and general information about our indirect sales.
The colors of some graphics are easily confused, please modify some shades.
I also feel like the overall tone of the report could be more formal, can you see that with Claudia?
Please let me know if you can make the modifications in time.
And thank you for your effort in this! It is very important for the team.
Jorge"
This is what an email message looks like when each idea has its space and is expressed concisely, without over-communicating and with more details about each important point.
Additionally, there is a slight change in the subject that helps to better contextualize the body or message of the email and a modification in the acknowledgement that denotes leadership .
4. If you are emotional, don't write emails!
We are human, we do not have to deny our emotions.
However, it is often a good idea to avoid sending emails when emotions are running high.
It is common to do and say things without thinking about the consequences when carried away by strong emotions such as anger.
In a face-to-face interaction, an apology might be enough to minimize the consequences, but written communication leaves stronger impressions because the receiver sets the tone for the message and the lack of gesticulation emphasizes what is written as literal.
But anger isn't the only emotion that can lead to mistakes in an email message.
Euphoria can cause certain communications protocol to be ignored. Some recipients may not care or may let it slide, but if it is a communication with a client, they may not like the informality or cronyism in the message.
In general, very vivid emotions can cloud the reason necessary for optimal communication.
5. Rely on tools
Writing an email is easy enough, but that doesn't mean support is out of the question.
The Microsoft team suggests three essential tools for writing better emails:
Word counter: It will help you stay concise.
Text editor with dictionary: Gmail has its own spelling tool, but it doesn't hurt to use a text editor's dictionary to find possible errors.
Templates: If the emails you send out are similar, you can use templates to make the exchange of messages easier. Just remember to personalize them so that the messages feel relevant.
Important aspects such as rereading messages before sending them and maintaining education and courtesy were left out of this list .
Now that we've mentioned them, it's worth remembering that both are just as important as these 5 tips for better communication in email messages.
And keep in mind that omnichannel messaging tools like JivoChat can facilitate internal communication between teams and also with clients (and visitors to your website) by centralizing everything within a single messaging application.