Tag Archives: email

Email: Use your subject line well

Document structure, Plain language / Plain English, writing tip, ,

Don’t waste the subject line in your emails – it is very valuable real estate!

The subject line is the first thing your reader will see – and you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Use the subject line to highlight your main point. Structuring an email in this way is an application of the general principle of writing ‘point first’.

Writing point first orients your reader to what follows. An effective subject line can prime your readers’ minds so they engage more readily with your message.

An accurate subject line respects your readers’ time, and helps them decide whether or not they will read on immediately or leave your message for later.

Email: A single chunk of information

Document structure, Plain language / Plain English, writing tip

Usually it is best to cover only one topic in an email. The most effective emails are short, clear, and focused on a single purpose.

When you try to include several different matters in the same message, it becomes cluttered and harder for the reader to process. Too many ideas can confuse your audience, delay their response, or even cause important details to be overlooked.

Deliberate brevity, focused on a single matter, respects the recipient’s time. Keeping to one subject makes your writing sharper – the reader can respond quickly to a single issue.

A single-topic email is also easier to file, track, and search for later in an email trail.

If you have multiple distinct matters to discuss, send separate emails with clear, specific subject lines for each topic.