I don't know if this is a tangent or what, but here goes...
I think a lot of us are slinging around first-draft emails. They're thoughtless, cold, impersonal. We've turned email into a task-list and nevermind who's on the receiving end of our productivity.
Call me maybe, but I think we need to go for second-draft emails. This is where you take a second stab at the note before hitting send. You add the person's name. You respect them by capitalizing the first letter in their name. You add a note of kindness and if you're really crazy, maybe an encouraging sign-off.
Put a nice second coat on that message to make it pop.
Win some friends and influence some people.
Maybe,
I enjoyed the content of this post very much. I think you are onto something.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Felicity
Posted by: Felicity | January 18, 2013 at 03:39 PM
haha =)
Posted by: Ben Arment | January 18, 2013 at 03:56 PM
Agreed. Sad that so many seem to be sacrificing thoughtfulness for speed without realizing they are giving up impact along the way.
Posted by: Daniel Decker | January 18, 2013 at 11:35 PM
And Ben is not just writing this--he really does this!!
Ben, even the first email you ever sent me in response to an inquiry was written with great intention and sincerity--even though you didn't know me from Adam! Even from one email, I felt seen and heard. That's big.
Thanks for modeling this, Ben, and for speaking to it now! It matters a great deal in this day and age.
Posted by: Thea Nelson | January 19, 2013 at 05:41 PM
Amen, and amen.
Posted by: Hilary | January 19, 2013 at 06:07 PM
I love the tangent and agree (and am guilty).
Here is something that I use to keep me from sending first draft emails: http://www.boomeranggmail.com/
It is something that works with Gmail and allows you to schedule emails that go out as well set a follow up reminder if the other person has not gotten back to you.
Great free service
Posted by: Kyle Reed | January 20, 2013 at 11:13 AM
I didn't do it. It wasn't me!
Posted by: Jim Gray | January 21, 2013 at 11:45 PM
I am chief of sinners on this one. I knock out emails 99% from my phone, in a hurry, and get very lazy. You've encountered this from me, no doubt! :(
Good reminder to pause and consider the impact (especially in an ask!) of our communication.
Posted by: Sam Mahlstadt | January 22, 2013 at 09:48 AM
Ben,
I 100% agree with this. This makes me feel way less guilty for the amount of time I "waste" editing and perfecting my emails. For me it is all driven by one of my professional goals i set a few years ago: "I want people to eagerly read & respond to my emails."
Posted by: Ryan Fitzgerald | January 25, 2013 at 02:44 AM
So good! Thank you for being that kind of person! you influence many, and helping to redefine communication. THANKS!
Posted by: Tracee | February 08, 2013 at 01:29 PM