Effective email writing boils down to one thing: Mind reading.
Really.
Sure, we’re all different, but in many instances our brains are
prone to react to psychological triggers in a similar manner. Understanding
these subtleties can help you hone in on creative ways to persuade others to
take a desired course of action, like reply to more of your meticulously
written emails.
Here are seven powerful psychological principles that can
help you get busy people to respond to your emails, backed by template
reply-rate data and examples from Yesware’s own sales team.
1. Social Proof
Peer pressure is one of the oldest
tricks in the book, and still one of the smartest. It accounts
for why emails have higher
open rates when sent to multiple people, and higher response rates when
mentioning other stakeholders at the company. Because when it comes to
making decisions –like whether or not to reply to someone’s email– we take cues
from other people.
What it means: If your prospect sees proof
that his colleagues are receptive to your ideas, he’ll be more likely to jump
on the bandwagon and give you the time of day. It’s one of the reasons
this prospecting template from Yesware’s Paul Hlatky has been so
effective at garnering replies:
2. Provide A Reason (Because I
Said So)
A study performed by Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer found that people were more
willing to comply with a request (in this instance, cut in line) when people
used the word “because.” Even when the reason was seemingly nonsensical (i.e.
“Can I use the copy machine first because I need to make a copy?”), nearly all (93%) people
complied.
What it means: When you ask someone to do you
a favor, you’ll be more successful if you provide a reason. Because (see what I
did there?) yes, in today’s world of 24-7-365
communication and mile long to-do lists, answering an email from someone
you don’t know is a favor.
3. Throw In The
Frog
You’ve been going back and forth with someone for weeks now, and
then suddenly, they’re MIA. No reply. Won’t return your phone calls. Nothing.
What’s your next move?
You throw in the frog.
In an experiment by O’Quinn and Aronoff, participants were
assigned to “buyer” and “seller” roles and asked to negotiate the price of a
painting. Half of the sellers received instructions to use the line “my final
offer is $_, …and I’ll throw in a pet frog.” This led to relaxation,
smiles, and increased compliance, with buyers agreeing to pay significantly
more money than when the frog joke was not used.
What it means: When you make someone smile,
they relax. Humor can help break down objections
and win over an otherwise unreceptive audience.Here’s an example
of how breaking the ice can earn you replies:
4. Choose Your
Numbers Wisely
Let’s look at three quick tips that can increase your chances of
getting your email opened and keeping their attention long enough to get a
reply, all backed by science.
1. Include digits in
the subject line. Numbers written out as numerals (i.e. 33 as opposed to
thirty-three) have been shown to stop
wandering eyes of online readers, making it more likely that your email will
get noticed in an overcrowded inbox.
2. Use statistics and
data. It makes you appear more credible.
3. Remember: Three is the magic
number. Numerous studies have proven
that the brain likes to be presented with three choices, whereas four choices
may trigger skepticism and anything
higher than that can lead to confusion. Try breaking your
email into three (short) paragraphs, offer three options for meeting times, or
describe your product using three adjectives.
5. Keep It Short
& Simple
Brevity is the soul of wit. So it should come as no
surprise that it’s the soul of effective emails, too. Drawing from data culled from
five years of emails in an executive recruiting firm, researchers found that
shorter emails result in quicker response time, leading to higher overall productivity.
What it means: Don’t waste their time. Be
considerate of your audience and use spacing, numbers, bulleted lists etc., to
visually break up your message so that it’s easy to digest and take action on. MIT’s Marshall Van
Alstyne argues that Twitter length - roughly 140
characters – is ideal. Here’s what that looks like:
6. Use Their
Name More Than Once
Remember that a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and
most important sound in any language. -Dale Carnegie
Dale wasn’t kidding. “Few things light us up quite like seeing
our own names in print or on the screen,” explain the folks at
Copyblogger, citing recent research on brain activation. “Our names are
intrinsically tied to our self-perception and make up a massive part of our identity. No surprise then,
that we become more engaged and even more trusting of a message in which our
name appears.”
What it means: Personalization is key. Try catching
their eye by placing their name in the subject line — i.e. “Hi Jim, it’s Bernie
from Yesware.” Asking for a reply that requires more than a simple yes/no?
Throw in a simple “Thanks for your time, Jim” to close out your email.
7. Be
Specific
Being vague isn’t going to help you clinch that important
meeting. According to research by psychologist Robert Sutton, people are more
responsive and willing to help if they’ve been given clear directions on how to
contribute. Research coming out of Carnegie Mellon also found that people
are more likely to respond to email requests that are easy to answer, as opposed to
complex messages that require more time and mental energy to address.
What it means: Ending your emails with open
ended statements — i.e. “Let me know what works best for you” or “how is your
schedule this week?” — does more harm than good. Rather than take the time and
energy to make the decision for both of you, they instead opt for “no decision”
and you get no reply to your email.
You should end every email with a pointed call to action. Buy or
not buy? Meet or not meet? Interested or hold off? Here’s an example
that’s worked particularly well for our team:
o
