Sometimes when I open a new letter, I get the impression that the person was writing and crying. And I didn't want to send this letter at all, but they forced him. And he certainly does not expect an answer to this letter.
Usually, I don't answer such letters. Because if a person writes me a letter "fuck off", then I obviously don't want to work with him.
In general, I am one of those people who believe that everyone around knows everything as well as me. And if I understand some obvious things, then those around me also understand it. Therefore, sometimes, when letters come to me, I do not understand a little ...
Sometimes people seem to ask me for something, but they write as if I owe them something.
And sometimes they write as if they are being charged for each word, as in a telegram. Therefore, they save. Therefore, nothing is clear from their letter. " Hello! Designer Glafira Tsvetkova makes very cool jewelry! They are praised by stylist Yuliana Potapieva". Eeee ... Cool, cho. Congratulations! But what exactly do you want from me? The conclusion suggests itself that your main desire is for me to answer you and talk to you about life. Or for me to drop everything and go to search on the Internet who Glafira and Juliana are.
By the way, I don't mind receiving letters at all. I even really love it. And I really love and appreciate it when the designers themselves or their friends or fans write to us and introduce themselves. It often happens that these designers are really cool, and I am happy to write about them to the magazine .
And after the hundredth letter "about nothing", I thought: maybe, in reality, people just don't know, how should you write a letter to be answered?
If anyone needs it, then I'll tell you!))
(of course, I do not undertake to guarantee that a letter of this kind will be answered by, say, VVP, but I will answer for sure)))
1. Theme rules!
The subject line should not be empty. There should be a brief indication of the actual topic, why you are writing at all. "Resume", "questions for an interview", "Publication on ...", "I want to be in your magazine", "my details."
If this is not a weekly newsletter, not a commercial offer, then the goal is not to come up with some kind of offensive headline that will interest the person and force him to open the letter. Most often, you need a topic so that later in a heap of letters it would be easier to find what you need without opening everything. Well, and so that a letter with an empty subject from an unfamiliar address is not leaked into spam without opening it.
2. Greetings
It is surprising, but for some reason very few people greet in letters. Of course, if this is already a correspondence and dialogue, then each letter with "hello" is optional. But if this is the FIRST letter, and even to a stranger, and even at work ... In general, no one canceled politeness.
But "hello" it will be, "good evening" or "hello", in my opinion, is already secondary. At this point, it depends on who, who and why writes.
3. Introduce yourself
Of course, many people have an automatic signature at the end of the letter. However, if this is the first letter, it is still better to briefly introduce yourself at the very beginning, so that the person immediately has a personal relationship with you. Otherwise, he will think for a long time that he is reading some kind of auto-link and does not understand at all what's what.
For example, I begin such letters with the phrase “my name is Elena, I represent the magazine about accessories little-thing.ru”.
4. Who leaked the info
If a person has not published his contacts in the public domain, then it is better to immediately inform him who passed it)) Yes, and the mention of a mutual friend disposes to friendly communication.
"Vasya Petrov gave me your address", "Found you on Instagram", "I saw your post in the community ..."
5. Tell about yourself in detail (but without fanaticism)
Here you can already introduce yourself more specifically and attach links to all your sites, work, portfolio and everything that can positively characterize you. After all, the letter needs to be answered, which means you need to show yourself in the most favorable light.
6. Why do you write at all?
When you introduced yourself and told everything about yourself, it's time to get down to the point and clearly write what you need.
I want a photo session, I want to study with you, I want to be in your magazine ...
The wording, of course, depends on what and to whom you are writing. If the letter is very formal, then instead of "I want" it would be more appropriate to write: "I would be very grateful to you if you tell me how you can enroll in your courses."
But if your peer is at the other end and you know for sure that you are on the same good-naturedly simple wave, then you can write in a human way. Humanly, even better.
7. Say goodbye
Auto signature often does a great job with this. Like, with respect, Masha Ivanova. But if you need some specific action (so that you will be called back or answered before such and such a date, or something else), then this is definitely worth mentioning.
In the end, if you go over the points, then a good letter turns out like this:
1. designer Margarita Sivakova. I want to be in your magazine!
2. Hello!
3. My name is Margarita Sivakova, I am a jewelry designer.
4. I searched the Internet for articles about jewelry and found your magazine. And it contains your address and a message about what you can write!
5. I have been making jewelry using the suntundai technique for 100,500 years. You can see my works here and here.
6. Please tell us on what conditions do you publish information about designers in the magazine?
7. Really looking forward to your answer! Yours faithfully……
It seems that everything is so simple, but in fact, for some reason, not everyone works))
And as for further correspondence, by the way, there are 2 more bonuses.
I. NEVER DELETE THE ORIGINAL LETTER! Let there be a huge tape stretching, but it is much more convenient when all the long correspondence is in one letter. And you can find the phone number or details you need by simply opening the last incoming one, and not searching through all the correspondence in search of that same fucking letter.
II. ALWAYS WRITE YOUR ANSWER UPPER! Just due to the fact that a huge tape stretches below. And when you receive a letter, you scroll down this whole damn tape, and there you see just "ok", you want to ban the sender forever.
There are many reasons for parting: misunderstanding, accumulated resentment, betrayal and just a feeling that the relationship is at an impasse. Almost all stories have a beautiful beginning, but not everyone is able to put a beautiful end. It is difficult to collect your thoughts and say calmly: "Sorry, we have to part." The voice may tremble treacherously, and tears will flow from the eyes. If breaking up is unavoidable, try writing a farewell letter to your boyfriend or loved one. Girls, of course, are subtle creatures, but often they are the ones who take the liberty and say the last goodbye. In writing, breaking up is much easier to say.
Honesty is the best policy
This should be a good honest letter so that he, imbued with your mood, understands that you have serious intentions and that your decision is irreversible.
If you are in love, you also need to report this. It is clear that without names and surnames. It is more difficult with the wording “we are too different”, “I felt good with you, but ...”, “we are not a couple for each other”, “I am not worthy of you” (or “you are me”), “I no longer love you” ... It is advisable not to use the last thesis at all. A person is very offended to hear this, it's even easier to hear about another man. You can somehow soften, for example, plagiarize: "love has a battery in our village." A little humor will not hurt, after all, the moment is difficult, it is necessary to defuse the situation.
Well, it's better not to list the full list of boiling grievances, firstly, with each item your now ex-boyfriend will have a desire to argue, and secondly, why spoil your nerves?
Examples of letters
When feelings have cooled
“Hello, Zaya. You will probably be surprised that I am writing you a letter. We are used to talking to you. True, lately all our conversations have ended in quarrels. I thought for a long time, understood myself, analyzed our relationship and realized that this could not continue. Unfortunately, we were unable to keep our feelings. We need to part. Forgive me for the pain I may be causing you. I've already forgiven you. And goodbye! "
Whom you love
“Dear, good, beloved! I pulled myself together and decided to write to you in a letter everything that I cannot express in words when we meet. Our love has turned into some one-sided ugly entity. I see that my efforts to improve relations are not leading to anything. You rarely call, you perceive our meetings as a heavy duty. I'm not made of stone, and I feel it all. It hurts, it's hard, I won't pretend to be strong. I will cry, miss and worry about you. But, so be it, I let you float freely. Fly towards your happiness. Unfortunately, I failed to make you happy. Let it work out with the other girl. Maybe you already have someone, but you're afraid to say. Fly, my dear, fly! I let you go. Forever and ever. Goodbye!"
Who offended
"Hi baby. I am writing you a farewell message in prose. There is not enough mental strength for poetry and rhyme. My strength went away along with tears, which I stopped with great difficulty in order to put an end to our story. We began to quarrel often, saying hurtful words to each other. We have become strangers and incomprehensible to each other. Hands have ceased to be affectionate, there are no previous strong hugs and ... nothing at all. Let's confess to each other that our love has become nothing, we have destroyed it with our efforts. My insult is too great to continue the relationship. We are breaking up. Sorry and goodbye!"
Who changed
"My dear! How difficult it is for me to collect my thoughts and tell you everything. Even in a letter when you can't see my tear-stained face. I know you betrayed me. No not like this. You betrayed our love, our beautiful days and nights. Your act showed that I mean absolutely nothing to you. Apparently I've become your habit. You call out of habit, come out of habit and even apologize out of habit. Somehow insensibly and insincerely you do it. Why do we need extra problems? We both need to change something in life. You've already started. Bon voyage, dear! I forgive you and let you go. Forever and ever."
Former
"Hi Hi! I don't even know how to contact you now. The heart beats and shouts to you "beloved", "dear", "the only one", and the mind is sobering and speaks about you "former". Yes, you were a wonderful, wonderful moment in my life. Now it seems that everything was a dream. Morning has come and our love has dissolved. "
You don't love
"Dear friend! I am glad that I met you on the path of life. You are a wonderful, sincere, interesting person. You know how to love and look after beautifully. I'm sorry I can't reciprocate. My heart does not respond to the call of your heart. You probably know this yourself. I can no longer meet with you and continue this deception. Thank you for the love and warmth that you generously give, but believe me, I am not the one who will reciprocate you. Let's part as friends before our relationship comes to a standstill. Keep this farewell letter and remember that I was honest with you. "
With mixed feelings
“My dear, I never thought that the hour would come when I would have to write these words to you. Unfortunately, we can no longer be together, and therefore - try to forget me. I know how difficult it is, because even now the most touching moments of our relationship are flashing through my head, for which I am incredibly grateful to you. Thank you for your sincerity, warmth and understanding. I believed you from the very beginning, and I will never regret it. Until I understand how I will live without you, what I will do alone, and how my heart will calm down ... But I want you to know that I wish you all the brightest and most real. Life goes on, despite the sad circumstances offered by our fate, which may one day give us another chance. "
Farewell letter step by step
- Make a plan. Don't laugh, this is important. Think carefully about everything you want to say, try to take into account all the details, because you are writing the last letter, which should dot the i. Do not neglect it: if you feel that an answer is coming out, it is better to put down your pen and collect your thoughts.
- Write on a draft. Gradually add thoughts, important nuances, forgotten words to it. Perhaps you will sit down and write a heartfelt message in 15 minutes, but do not rush to send it. Better re-read the letter the next day, make sure that you wrote everything really and the way you wanted. Otherwise, you risk either getting bogged down in endless correspondence, or tormenting yourself with the fact that you have forgotten the most important thing.
- Less pathos. Remember that men are more down to earth than women. Where you see a wonderful castle in the clouds, he sees a white spot. There is no need to use all sorts of epithets and tiered comparisons. Just write what you think is important.
- Consider the character of the man. Your letter should touch him, evoke emotions, which means write a message in his language. If he hates diminutive words or is deliberately rude, do not use them. You need to express your thought and convey to him, and if he gets irritated while reading, you are unlikely to get the desired result.
- Be clear about the purpose of your letter. You can write four pages in small handwriting and say nothing. Start with what worries you. "It's hard for me to think about it, but our relationship is over." “I would like you to hear me. Perhaps reading, you will understand what you did not understand when you listened. " Remember, men are rationalists, it is important for him to understand why you started all this.
- Don't use writing as an emotional outlet. If you want to tell a man what a scoundrel he is, just have a fight with him, you better not send what you wrote. In this message, you only threw out anger, but it is unlikely that a man will understand your feelings. More precisely, he will understand that you hate him and do not want to see him, and why exactly, you cannot convey to him. Write with a cold head.
- Avoid cliches. If you read a lot of love stories, were inspired by the fate of the heroine and now write a poem filled with high feelings and suffering, then you can get another novel, and not a message to a living, real person. Formulate the thought so that the man does not feel like a character in a love story.
- Write correctly. Do not be lazy to use the auto-check, re-read the message before sending, correct typos. Even the most penetrating and clever thought loses its power if it is presented in an inappropriate form. No matter how upset you are, write competently so that while reading, the man is not distracted by correcting your mistakes, straying from the main idea.
- Write if you have anything. This is perhaps the main condition. The meaning of the letter is to convey your thoughts to the man. There are no thoughts for a full-fledged letter, you can drop a note: “Honey, we are parting. Did not get along. It was good with you, I do not regret anything. Good luck in your personal life. "
Farewell letter to a guy in the army
A girl who didn't wait for a guy from the army is a sore subject for many military personnel. Unfortunately, this happens: while the couple is nearby, the feelings seem indestructible, but the separation proves the opposite. How to write to your former beloved that you are not expecting him from the army.
- Write honestly. There is no worse than being sure that your loved one is faithful to you, and then find out that he was deceiving you. Do not think that hiding the disappearance of feelings from the guy, you will do a good deed. Especially if you have already found a replacement for him, and your mutual friends and acquaintances know about it.
- Don't expect forgiveness right away. You hurt your boyfriend a lot. In the army, partings are especially painful, so be prepared that the reaction will be far from benevolent. Accept that in fact you have become a traitor.
Farewell letter to a married man
None of the women are immune from being noticed by a married man. It even happens that he manages to achieve reciprocity. Perhaps you immediately knew that he was married, but it may be so that this circumstance was revealed to you only now. Be that as it may, you decided for yourself that you do not need such a relationship. In this case, your unwillingness to meet in person for parting is understandable.
You need to do everything to turn this page of your life. You should not hope that with this letter you will provoke his divorce - if he has not left his family until now, the letter will not change this. And there is nothing good in "taking" a man away from another. Write to him that he could not make the final choice, so you have to take this step, and you choose a full-fledged relationship. It won't work with him, and you no longer want to carry avoidable experiences into your life. Wish him to understand himself and his desires, and ask him not to bother you anymore - there can be no love and friendship between you.
This situation is very delicate, so it is worthwhile to think carefully about the appropriateness of the letter. The message may end up in the wrong hands, bringing unnecessary problems not only to the man, but also to you, so make sure that it hits the eyes of the right addressee.
How to get out of this relationship with a letter
Do not write to your lover that you have feelings for him, and you would like to be together, but leave because of the presence of a wife. In such a message, it is generally advisable not to describe the emotions you experienced. The best thing would be if you tell them that you have had enough time to evaluate the pros and cons of such meetings, and you realize that this relationship has been exhausted.
Note that you do not expect any decisive steps from him, and do not try to manipulate him, you have only one goal - to forget about this romance and give yourself a chance to find personal happiness with another person. If you wish, you can hint that you recently met a man who shows you courtesies that you would like to answer, but you do not want to play a "double game". Summarize that, however, you do not intend to keep in touch with him anymore, and ask him not to seek contact with you. Indicate that you are grateful to him for many pleasant moments, but the status of a lover has long ceased to suit you.
Perhaps after that he will try to lead you into conversations, but if you have the willpower not to react to attempts to return everything to the same channel, then pretty soon you can start a new life.
How to write a letter to bring your loved one back?
As a rule, relationships collapse from misunderstanding and inability to find a compromise in a couple. Who knows, perhaps your farewell letter to your loved one will give you another chance, of course, provided that there are still feelings between you. If you count on it, writing a letter will require maximum effort from you.
- Use shared memories. Instead of describing your future together, abstract for a man, use what connects you. Does he remember your first kiss, your first walk, how he bought you cotton candy, and you dropped it into the pond? How did you realize that you need each other? How did you call him at night to pick you up from your girlfriend's birthday, and he got lost? Everything that connects you, that makes you family. Put these emotions into the letter, and if he does not respond to it, then, indeed, nothing will be returned.
- Write down everything you were afraid to say and hid. It so happens that even a loved one is scared to open up. If you did not show enough tenderness, now is the time to correct yourself and do everything so that your loved one feels his need in your life.
- Give the letter yourself. Do not send it by mail, but hand it in and wait for a response. If you cannot say what you wrote, let him read it, and you sign at the end with a kiss. It is more expressively difficult to declare love.
How to break up with a guy without offending him via SMS
When referring to a guy by name, do not use the diminutives "Koljunchik", "Danka", "Lyoshechka", all the more do not use intimate names such as "cat", "baby doll", "giraffe" and "sun". This is a break in relations, you are no longer close people, do not pour excess salt on his wound.
- I thought for a long time and decided - it's time for us to leave ...
- I can't be with you anymore, I'm leaving for good ...
- It's always hard to leave, but you have to ...
- It's time for us to live our lives ...
- I can’t say that when we meet. It's easier this way. We are parting ...
- Let's be honest. Everything has cooled down between us for a long time. It's time to leave ...
- One of the simplest and most effective options: I am not ready to continue our relationship.
Merciless sms
And it happens that a guy has already given you a reason: he offended, cheated, said that he did not intend to marry, spat in his soul or did not buy a chocolate bar. That is, I have already taken the first step. Then, with the help of SMS, parting with a guy will not be so painful. You simply respond to his actions. And here the text directly depends on the severity of the "crime".
But no matter how he pisses you off, try not to use obscene language. Reading this is even more unpleasant than listening.
And you can offend without a mat:
- I also went from hand to hand. But for good.
- How on time I did not marry you!
- Womanizer and liar mno noneeded.
- My life is closed to you.
- Youboor, andhamamthere is no place in my life.
- I also love another! Bye!
Resentment will certainly tell you the most poignant wording that will not give your former lover any pleasure.
Girls mistakes
This, of course, is not about grammatical errors, although their absence speaks in your favor. But even a farewell letter can become not a point in a relationship, but a meaningless ellipsis. To prevent this from happening, consider a few points.
- Don't write a letter if it's better to talk. Still, it is difficult to convey all the intonations and nuances in writing. It may happen that a man will see in your message a completely different meaning than you put it. If you want to sort things out once and for all, do it personally.
- Don't wait for an answer to your farewell letter. The point is for them to end the relationship. If you want to attract the attention of a man with his help, to interest him, to show that you are offended, do not hope for the result. Men think straightforwardly, and not even every woman will understand such a veiled hint.
- Don't threaten or blackmail. Don't literally turn a letter into a goodbye message. Sending a guy a note in which you threaten to do something to yourself because of him is mean and sorry for you.
E-mail has always been and remains the main mode of communication in the business world. A well-written letter is already half the success. But not all of them know how to write such letters. Sometimes, reading a letter with a business proposal, it becomes not entirely clear what exactly they want to offer you, what kind of benefit you will get from this and why you even spent your time reading and understanding this letter.
The ability to write correct, persuasive letters comes with practice. And it is good when the accumulated experience is shared, thereby allowing other people not to step on the same rake. Jeffrey James, author of Business to Business Selling: Power Words and Strategies From the World's Top Sales Experts, offers his simple 6-step system for writing convincing letters.
Copyright Shutterstock
1. Always be clear about what you are going to write about
The main purpose of the letter is to make the recipient make a certain decision. So before you start composing your letter, ask yourself again what exactly do you want from the recipient? What decision should he make after reading your letter?
In this case, uncertainty is your nemesis. The clearer your purpose, the more convincing your letter will be.
2. Start your letter with your conclusion
Your conclusion is a statement of the decision the recipient should make based on the content of your letter.
At school we were taught to always start with an introduction. In the case of writing convincing letters, this statement is incorrect. In the business world, everyone is too busy to judge your literary ability. Therefore, you must get straight to the point.
For example, you want to get permission from your superiors to install a gym in one of your company premises.
Wrong:
"Jim,
As you know, employee absenteeism is currently a major problem that has a fairly strong financial impact on both our company and other companies in our industry ... blah blah blah ... So we should consider allocating money for arrangement of a gym in the head office of our company. "
Right:
"Jim,
I want you to approve the installation of a gym in our office. "
3. Divide your arguments into several easily digestible paragraphs
To make the arguments in support of your idea easy to read and understand, divide them into several paragraphs.
Wrong
“Physical activity groups are extremely important, according to a recently released government report, even though few companies have demonstrated their commitment to such employee rewards. Many firms define such groups as undervalued assets, but they do not have a plan to introduce such groups in the industry, even though fitness is closely related to corporate and personal success. I believe that if we do not introduce such physical groups in our company, we will be far behind the competition. "
Right
“The gym in the office will allow:
- reduce absenteeism
- to increase overall productivity "
4. Support each argument with evidence
If you write a letter consisting of solid arguments, it may be perceived as a solid personal opinion and nothing more. Every argument needs proof. Otherwise, how do you know if it really works?
Wrong
“A gym in the office would be the right decision because people would rather go to work than stay at home. It will also help reduce overall office sickness. "
Right
“Reducing absenteeism. According to a survey by the National Institutes of Health of 1,000 firms that have gyms in their offices, absenteeism in these companies is 20% lower than in those companies that do not have such equipment. "
5. Repeat your conclusion as a call to action
At the end of the letter, repeat your conclusion, stated at the very beginning. Only now as a call to concrete action. Thus, you bring the recipient to a specific conclusion, which he must make after reading your letter. This call should be simple and specific.
Wrong
"We will be very grateful if you support this project."
Right
"If you answer in the affirmative to this letter, I will immediately initiate the process."
6. Include the benefit in the subject line of the email
The subject line in an email is almost the most important part. Since she should anticipate the main subject of the letter and tune the recipient in the way you want. And that is why you should complete it last after you have written all the arguments and evidence that support your main conclusion.
Ideally, the subject line should solve two important problems: it should interest the recipient so much that he opens and reads the letter; and it should contain the conclusion that you want to convey to the recipient.
In most cases, the best way to accomplish both tasks at once is to write about the benefits to be gained from making the decision you want.
Wrong
"Impact on the health of employees of the program for equipping gyms in offices"
Right
"How can we reduce employee absenteeism"
Your opinion is interesting. How would you react to both options and what rules do you follow when writing such letters?
What to do if your email has not been answered. How to write so that you will always be answered.
In Eastern countries, writing a letter is a whole art. It uses words that are never used in oral speech, they necessarily discuss the weather, ask the addressee for his opinion about the beauty of natural phenomena, and only then get down to business. Everything is simpler here. If you don't state what you want in the subject line or the first paragraph, your letter will be considered boring and drawn out, and they will stop reading. How to write letters so that they are always answered?
Why aren't you responding to your letter? Errors in writing
The addressee may have many reasons for leaving your letter unanswered. Do not immediately suspect him of dislike or unwillingness to communicate.
Perhaps it is more convenient for him to contact you by phone or talk in person. Or he took your letter into consideration, believing that an answer was not needed. Sometimes people do not answer the letter right away, but wait for the correspondence to accumulate. After all, it is easier to reply to several messages than to send one at a time.
But if your letters go unanswered more and more often, there is reason to think. What mistakes do people make when writing messages?
- Errors in the literal sense. Grammatical. You may be missing a lot of punctuation marks and the sentences become unreadable. Remember the famous phrase "you cannot be pardoned to execute." It is completely unclear what the author wanted to say. At the same time, spelling mistakes can change words beyond recognition. It takes much more time and effort to read a letter with errors. In our dynamic world, it is easier to discard a "defective" letter than to correct it
- Your email looks like spam. This happens when you forget about the addressee and write to some "average" interlocutor. This letter does not contain any address by name, or individual questions. And it is not accepted to respond to faceless mailing lists
- You cannot isolate the main thing. Among the details and small details, the topic can be lost. Perhaps the person read your letter, but did not understand what you want from him
Which emails are answered immediately? What do you need to add to the letter so that it gets noticed and answered?
The famous publicist Gleb Arkhangelsky shares his experience: what letters do you want to answer right away?
- In a good message, the idea should be clearly articulated and stated in the subject line. Take the trouble to "compress" your text to two or three paragraphs. If you need more details, please explain in further correspondence
- Do not forget to hit the sentence with a period and a capital letter, add paragraphs. If you have not decided how to address the interlocutor - "you" or "you", it is better to choose the last option. And the most unexpected thing: never forget to leave feedback in the body of the letter. Maybe your return address is just lost
- If you need to attach something to the letter, mark it in the text and briefly describe what kind of information is there. After all, downloading, finding, opening and viewing a separate file is also work for the addressee. The same goes for links
If you are using email or mail as a means of communication with this person for the first time, do not be lazy to call back and clarify: did the letter arrive? Sometimes the anti-spam settings can "swallow" your email. Not to mention our famous (not from the best side) post office in Russia.
Bright first line: "Very urgent!"
Letters often begin with the phrases “Very urgent!”, “Important information!”, “Attention here”. Catchy sentences always attract attention. Therefore, they have been used a million times already. This is a hackneyed trick. It is more efficient to formulate what will be discussed in the letter itself in a short and catchy manner.
Capacious text of the letter: when they don't want to read your letter for a long time
Previously, letters were made up of whole novels. They struck with the depth of thought of the interlocutor, the elegance of his style, wit and erudition. Now, when the pace of life has accelerated incredibly, the addressee will appreciate brevity more.
Think over the letters. Then summarize each point in this plan. These will be paragraphs. If, in addition to basic information, you also want to talk about life, then leave all the "lyrics" for last.
How to write a letter competently to always get a response: advice and feedback
Most emails have the same structure. If you master the technique of composing messages in accordance with it, the letters will be easy to read. This means that the answer will not be long in coming. This structure is as follows.
- Greeting. On the Internet, the phrase "Good day!" It is permissible in both personal and business correspondence. Mention the name of the other person. So he will know that he is not part of a large mailing list, but the letter is intended for him personally.
- Performance. Do not forget to write not only your name, but also something that will help your interlocutor to identify you. “This is Mary” - such a phrase will not tell a person anything. “This is Maria Ivanova from the next office. We took a taxi together last Friday "- and now your addressee has definitely remembered you
- Main part. Try to keep it short. If this is a personal email, you can add a couple of jokes or links that are relevant. Don't use long sentences. You can easily get confused about punctuation, and your interlocutor will get tired of reading. Use questions more often
- Instead of writing: "Send me photos from the corporate party," use the phrase: "When can you send me photos?" Now your interlocutor has an incentive to write to you too, because it is indecent to leave a question unanswered. Don't overuse introductory words
- "Lyrics". Now you can discuss issues indirectly related to the topic. These may be routine questions: how is your mom doing? how do you like this weather for the beginning of spring? Or shared memories, experiences: have you already seen the boss's new tie? you don't know when our broken cooler will be replaced
- Parting. Don't forget to add a phrase like "thanks in advance for your answer"
- Complete the email with your contact details. Don't be limited to email and address. Perhaps the person wants to call you back or write an SMS
Respect is the key to trusting relationships
Sometimes people don't respond to emails because they thought you weren't showing enough respect. Each has its own criterion in this regard.
- errors. Illiteracy or sloppiness in the text can be considered disrespectful. There are people who, in principle, will not read a letter where there is no space after the comma or dash is replaced by a hyphen
- no greeting or goodbye
- other forms of politeness. If you have a request, add the word "please"
In order not to become a victim of an embarrassing situation, be sure to re-read the letter after writing. At the same time, try to see it through the eyes of the addressee. Check not only errors, but also the address, subject, correctness of links and attachments. Make sure that the letter about the “new tie of the chief” does not go to the chief himself.
Motivation to respond: ask what the respondent is knowledgeable about
To establish communication, you can first force the interlocutor to "saddle your favorite skate." A rough example: if you want to borrow money from your mother, first ask her for a recipe for a signature borscht, and only in the next letter hint that you do not have enough for good beef.
The hardest part is motivating the person to answer you the first time. Then, when communication is already established, the interlocutor will answer you "on autopilot".
If still there is no answer
- Make sure your letter reaches the addressee. To do this, use other means of communication. If it was received, please clarify, maybe another time it is better to contact not by e-mail, but via social networks or skype
- When composing the next message, try to give the responder some kind of deadline, that is, a specific date by which he must respond.
- Example: “Please send me the lecture schedule. Vacation ends on Monday. I don't know what time I should go to university. You can do it until Friday
- And most importantly: make it a rule to answer letters addressed to you. Both etiquette and business rules teach this. 10 minutes a day - and your correspondence will not accumulate
Competent examples of writing texts "with answers"
Personal letter
Hello dear Misha! This is Oleg. We were together in a summer camp on Lake Salt.
Do you remember we had a conversation about the Kino group? You said that you can send me a link to a site where you can download their songs in karaoke format. Next week we will have a war song evening. I want our class to sing Blood Type. But we need a phonogram. Can you give me a link this week?
By the way, how is the red-haired Katka, with whom you danced at the disco? She was not transplanted with you at the same desk? How did you celebrate the past New Year? I traveled from Moscow and attended the Kremlin Christmas tree. If interested, I will tell you about this in the next letter.
Semi-official correspondence
Good day, Irina! This is Alexey. We got stuck in the elevator with you last week, remember?
I still want to get the website address from you. Remember when you said you booked a big discount bowling session there? This Saturday I have a free day off. I'm going to remember what kind of sport it is. By the way, how is the situation there? Are there enough balls? Do you provide replacement shoes?
And further. I have a proprietary technique that allows you to knock out the first time, if not a strike, then a spur. I can tell you more. Or I'll show you with an example. I will be glad if you will join me this Saturday.
See you.
Video: Email Etiquette
Are you sure that among the hundreds of emails the recipient is viewing, your email really stands out? Career development professionals and marketers talked about how to correctly indicate the subject of an email so that the recipient will open it and respond in a timely manner.
1. Always include a subject line
Ignoring the subject field is one of the biggest mistakes a sender makes when they expect to receive a timely response. The subject line of the letter usually tells the recipient the content of the message and forces him to make a decision - to open or not open the letter. An email message with an empty subject field is likely to be deleted immediately because it annoys the recipient because he will need to open the email to find out what it is about.
2. First, specify the subject of the letter, and then start writing your message
Many people feel that the subject line of the email is a secondary concern after writing it. However, Amanda Augustine, career consultant at The Ladders, emphasizes that the subject line is a priority for the author. Firstly, it is the topic that sets the tone for the message, and, secondly, it does not allow to be distracted by other topics.
3. Be brief
Whereas when you open an inbox with an incoming mail on a computer monitor, you can see 60 characters in the subject line, on a smartphone you can see only 25-30 characters. So fit your subject line into 6-8 words. This will be more than enough.
4. Include the most important at the beginning of the subject line
Dmitry Leonov, vice president of SaneBox, said that about 50% of emails are viewed from mobile phones. Consider this, and write the most important thing at the very beginning of the subject line. Otherwise, in 50% of cases, important parts of the message may simply be cut off by mobile devices and not read by recipients.
5. Avoid unnecessary words
Do not clutter the subject line with unnecessary phrases such as "Good afternoon", "Nice to meet you", "Thank you" and so on. First, they mean nothing to the recipient. Secondly, you can safely use them in the letter itself, which will be even more logical.
6. Be clear and specific in the subject line
The subject of the letter should indicate exactly what the letter is about. It is on the subject of the letter that the recipient must prioritize and decide when exactly he needs to answer it. For example, a message in the subject line "Do you have free time now to resolve my question?" very vague, since it does not give the recipient an understanding of what exactly they want from him, and forces him to open the letter. Therefore, if you are sending a resume, then feel free to write your name and the name of the vacancy for which you are applying in the subject line. And if you want to ask a question about the current project to your colleague or partner, then in the subject indicate the name of a specific project.
7. Make the theme simple and call-to-action
This tip is especially useful for marketers and those who send marketing emails. Kip Bodnar, vice president of Hub Spot, recommends writing a subject line that encourages the recipient to take action and gets them interested.
8. Use keywords for further search and filtering
Many e-mail professionals have thematic folders, and they also actively use filters to search for certain letters. Therefore, if there are no such tags in the subject line of your letter, then your letter will most likely simply not be noticed. Therefore, it is very important to use keywords that reflect the subject of the letter so that later the recipient can easily find it through the search system.
9. Indicate if you need an answer
When a person receives a letter, it is also important for him to know whether he just needs to read it or whether it needs to be answered. So, says Amanda Augustine, put "Please answer" or "Please read" in the subject line. You can also use the expression "For your information". It is used to inform the recipient that the message will be of interest to him. In business e-mail, he emphasizes that the sender wants to inform the recipient, but the message is not an order and does not require the recipient to perform actions directly related to the message.
10. Enter a deadline in the subject line
If you send a lot of information in the body of the letter, but you need to be responded to within a certain time frame, then indicate them in the subject line. This will greatly increase the chances of reading and responding to the message in a timely manner. For example, you might specify, "Please respond to this email by Friday end of business."
11. If someone sent you to this recipient, let us know
If the recipient's contact was given to you by any partner, client, colleague, then indicate his name directly in the subject, and not in the letter itself. First, a familiar name will grab the recipient's attention. Secondly, it will give the recipient an idea of \u200b\u200bthe project or question with which you can refer to him.
12. Highlight what you want to offer
If you're sending a cold letter, you don't know if your offer will interest your recipient. Therefore, indicate in the subject line what you offer, and also tell about bonuses - discounts, special offers.
13. Enter the recipient's name or company name
You need to know who you are sending the letter to. And the recipient should also immediately realize that this letter is intended specifically for him. Kip Bodnar states that one of the best ways to show this is to include his name or company name in the subject line. For example, you can write this: "Vladimir, take a look at these numbers: the company's sales increased by 25%."
14. Use words that limit the time for responding to the letter.
If you want to attract someone's attention and convince the recipient to answer you, then in the subject line of the letter indicate the period of your proposal. For example: "Registration is required today", "The number of places is limited - hurry up to sign up for the event."
15. Do not start a sentence in the subject line that ends in the letter itself
If you start to write any question or sentence in the subject line of the letter, then end it immediately, without continuing in the letter itself. This annoys the recipient, as it forces him to open the letter and continue reading. Think, maybe a messenger or even a call is more suitable for a short question?
16. Re-read the message in the subject line
Amanda Augustine recommends rereading the subject line before submitting. Why is this? Very often, when the sender sends a whole bunch of letters to different recipients, he forgets to change the name or company name in the subject line. This can annoy the recipient or even offend. Therefore, before sending the letter, re-read it and check for inconsistencies.
17. Don't write in uppercase
Using uppercase words grabs attention, but in the wrong direction. This way makes the letter difficult to read and makes the recipient worry on a subconscious level. Instead, you can use dashes, colons, to draw a line between words and emphasize something.
The translation of the article was prepared by Ekaterina Nikitina based on materials from Business Insider
