There’s nothing more annoying than trying to get someone’s attention and having them ignore you. Maybe you’re desperate for an answer to something, or you’re just looking for a chat, it can be infuriating not getting a response. Of course, some people simply don’t have as much time as the rest of us, which means responding to things like their emails is more of a luxury than anything else. However, there are ways to catch their attention so that even the busiest individual will write back to you asap.
Keep it short and sweet
Just because someone isn’t responding to your email, that doesn’t mean they haven’t seen it. Unfortunately, if they’ve looked at it and aren’t writing back immediately, that’s probably because they’ve been intimidated by how long it is. They’ve seen how big the message is and don’t have the time to read it, meaning they’ll likely forget about it. To increase your chances of getting a response, always make your messages short and sweet. A brief email is easy to read and respond to, meaning there’s a good chance you’ll get a message back quickly.
Don’t be vague
The only thing worse than rambling in an email to a busy person is being unclear in what you’re saying. If you’re asking for something from the recipient, make sure it’s obvious what that is. If you just write several paragraphs that don’t really go anywhere, the chances of getting a response are slim to none.
If you’re unable to keep your email brief, make sure to clarify what it is you’re after at the very beginning. That way, the reader will understand what you want without reading the specifics. They might not be able to give you a detailed response straight away, but they’ll still be more likely to email you back.
Make it worth their while
A busy person barely has the time to read their emails, let alone respond to them. If you need something significant from the recipient, you need to make it worth their while. If they don’t think you’re worth investing their energy in, the chances are that you won’t be getting an email back any time soon.
Again, keep it simple and clarify what you’re after from the get-go. Tell them, or maybe even show them, why they should give you the time of day, and it could get you the response you’re after.
Don’t be pushy
When people aren’t responding to you, it’s natural to want to remind them that you’re waiting on an email back. However, this can quickly get out of hand. If you’re going to send a reminder, give it enough time that you don’t seem too pushy. If you urgently need a response and can’t afford to wait, make that clear in your email; just don’t be rude about it. That’s hardly going to incentivize anyone to write back to you, is it?
It can be frustrating waiting for people to send you a response, but don’t let it drive you crazy. Just keep these emailing tips in mind, and everything will be fine.
