ok, so this week i have discovered how to get someone's attention via email. grab someone by the balls, even if they are not physically equipped with any, and make them sit up and pay attention. in my line of work, i deal with people through email some of the time. however, people have an inclination to just read and move on, not taking the necessary action. i have been guilty of it once or twice, especially when i am checking my email on the move and then when i return to the office, i am too engrossed in catching up with work to remember. i do go through my inbox quite frequently to make sure that i have attended to the things that needed attention so that i am not one of those people who ignore emails.
so, what do you do when your first email has been ignored and there is no response whatsoever, not even a peep, from the recipient? give it a few days, then i forward the same email back to the same person, which quotes the first email and shows when it was first sent. that is the first reminder. a little knock, knock, hello, did you read the email? if that is also ignored, i then send another email, with words a little stronger, just a tiny bit because you don't want to go pissing people off and then you are just black-listed and you can scream till the cows come home and nobody will acknowledge you, but this time, i c.c. it to half a dozen people. people who are in the same company as the recipient and are vaguely related to the case in hand. the marketing department, the finance department, the admin department, the manager, the subordinate, the colleague, and to add a little weight on my side, i also c.c. to my husband. his work is roughly related to mine so it's not like i'm sending a copy to my grandmother, my mother, my daughter or my postman.
that little button near the name of the recipient, it is the holy grail of electronic communication. that is the little trick that makes them sit up and reply in the blink of an eye. because now everybody knows about this and they will know if you are ignoring the email. to be judged by your peers, or your superiors, is a fate worse than death. it is guaranteed to be 100% effective. if the recipient still does not reply, then please take a moment and pray because they must have come across serious grievous injury and are unable to return your email. pick up the phone and call their colleagues to offer them your condolence.
so, people, now you know the secret. go forth and put the power to the use of good. with great power comes great responsibility.
so, what do you do when your first email has been ignored and there is no response whatsoever, not even a peep, from the recipient? give it a few days, then i forward the same email back to the same person, which quotes the first email and shows when it was first sent. that is the first reminder. a little knock, knock, hello, did you read the email? if that is also ignored, i then send another email, with words a little stronger, just a tiny bit because you don't want to go pissing people off and then you are just black-listed and you can scream till the cows come home and nobody will acknowledge you, but this time, i c.c. it to half a dozen people. people who are in the same company as the recipient and are vaguely related to the case in hand. the marketing department, the finance department, the admin department, the manager, the subordinate, the colleague, and to add a little weight on my side, i also c.c. to my husband. his work is roughly related to mine so it's not like i'm sending a copy to my grandmother, my mother, my daughter or my postman.
that little button near the name of the recipient, it is the holy grail of electronic communication. that is the little trick that makes them sit up and reply in the blink of an eye. because now everybody knows about this and they will know if you are ignoring the email. to be judged by your peers, or your superiors, is a fate worse than death. it is guaranteed to be 100% effective. if the recipient still does not reply, then please take a moment and pray because they must have come across serious grievous injury and are unable to return your email. pick up the phone and call their colleagues to offer them your condolence.
so, people, now you know the secret. go forth and put the power to the use of good. with great power comes great responsibility.
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