Descriptive Email Subjects

As you write your next email message to a client, coworker, or connection, think about how you can make that person’s workday more efficient by having a clear descriptive subject line.

Many people receive an overwhelming amount of emails, including those unfortunate spam messages. They often rely on the from address as well as the subject line to identify which emails are a priority to read, and which are more likely spam to trash. When they receive an email with a subject line of “hello” or “help”, this is a mental flag for suspicion.

For example, instead of sending your colleague an email with the subject of “Proposal”, make it more specific like, “Smith Building Proposal”. Including particular details also helps the person to determine a clearer picture of what the message might be about and its importance level, such as “Smith Building Proposal, Need Revision”.

Trust me – this is one simple change that will not go unappreciated. Having worked in a customer service-oriented business for many years, I have seen my share of spam with the subject of “help” and “question”. Unfortunately, a few legitimate customer emails get lost in that bunch.