Most emails are skimmed in less than 60 seconds.
Most office-based workers get nearly 300 messages a day.
Theyâre interrupted by some sort of alert, ping or message every 2 minutes.
And 11 am is the worst time to get their attention because thatâs when everyone else is trying to.
These are some of the key points from Microsoftâs own âInfinite Workdayâ report.
If it sounds exhausting, it is.
If youâre exhausted, itâs no wonder.
If youâre trying to influence people hereâs what it means.
Cut to the chase, kind of
Front load your message with what itâs about AND why itâs important to THEM.
Do it in your first paragraph and make sure itâs from their POV, not yours.
Most writers warm their way into the point.
Most readers want to get to the point and fill in the gaps once theyâve decided itâs worthwhile.
Careful though.
Being too blunt can backfire, particularly if itâs bad news. You need sufficient context to land your message without bogging them down.
For example, announcing a price rise.
Donât start with âhey, your price is increasing.â
Instead, âAs you know, economic conditions have changed. As a result, your price is being adjusted.â
Format for low engagement
Key words are important when readers skim.
For example, when I first wrote that sentence, I lead with âWhen readers skim, key words are importantâ. Wrong.
People are more likely to jump to the start of a sentence to get the gist.
And, highlight and bold key points. Use sparingly.
Timing
Thereâs a reason I send my newsletter out at 6am rather than 11am. Thereâs a reason mea culpaâs often go out at 5pm on a Friday.
Send your message at a time that coincides best with the state of attention you want them in. Too often I see people fire off an email because it suits them rather than their reader.
Action at the end
Most people expect the action to be at the end of a section or message. You can include it earlier, but reiterate it at the close.
You can read the report here: microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index/breaking-down-infinite-workday
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