Simple Email Techniques

A much-researched psychological concept, "cognitive load" refers to limits on human brain processing. As more things weigh on someone's attention, it is harder for them to process new information or plan extra tasks.

Marketers should think anxious people confined to their homes for a long period of time. They worry about their family's health and try to cope with children around 24/7. These potential customers have a sky-high cognitive load.

Try the following techniques to help your email message get across. Despite readers' high cognitive load.

* Use simple, direct language at an eighth-grade level. Avoid clever euphemisms, company-speak and confusing hot air.

* Remember topic sentences from English Comp 101? Start each paragraph with a clear main point that you explain or develop in the rest of the paragraph.

* Avoid discussing many unrelated matters in one email. If you can't avoid it, insert subheads that announce each new topic.

* Specify one - only one - action that you'd like the reader to take after finishing the email.

* For a consequential matter, schedule a reminder email.

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