Today in “How to Write Email That Gets Read and Gets Results,” which I presented for the Washington Society of CPAs,” we talked about our pet peeves, things that slow us down and drive us nuts as email readers. An auditor shared one of her pet peeves that I’d like to pass on to you. Here is what she said, as I recall it:
“As an auditor, I write to people about very specific topics. I am careful to craft a subject line that is very precise, and I continue to use that subject as we email back and forth on the same topic.
“The problem is that people include all kinds of information on other topics–not what I wrote them about–and they use the same subject. I have the hardest time filing those messages so I can find the information again.”
I couldn’t have described the problem better.
Here is my advice: To avoid driving your readers crazy as they read or attempt to file your messages, limit your messages to just one topic–especially when communicating with an accountant, attorney, project manager, financial advisor, or another person who works on specific projects or issues with you. Whenever you want to introduce a new topic, start a new message.
Happy emailing.
Lynn