Figuring out how to structure an email so people won’t ignore it can be tough. If you’re struggling with this in particular, Harvard Business Review suggests you lay out your emails like a story with a clear chronology of events.
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One reason people might not want to read your email is because it appears to be a bunch of unorganised information. The easiest way to make it more readable is to structure it like a simple story:
When a serious dispute arises at a company, the lawyers will typically ask their clients to produce a “chronology of relevant events,” detailing the most important incidents leading up to the dispute. This document helps everyone involved think more clearly about how things unfolded. Try taking a similar approach when writing your e-mails. It will help you organise your thoughts into a coherent narrative. A story with a clear beginning, middle, and end will hold your readers’ interest more effectively than jumbled facts interspersed with opinions.
If you’re having a hard time organising your thoughts in an email this advice can help you cut out the fluff and get to the point quickly. Head over to Harvard Business Review for a few more ways to improve your email writing.
Write E-Mails That People Won’t Ignore [Harvard Business Review]
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