Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

Do you write descriptive subject lines in business emails? How about the emails others send to you?

I've noticed that for me, when I delete a heap of emails, it's a good day. I'm trying to cut down the noise and sift through the email overload in a bid to get somewhere close to Inbox Zero email nirvana.

If you want to escape from email hell and do your bit to make emails more manageable, use a clear subject line.

An email subject line should be

• Descriptive of what is in the content
• Clear (not ambiguous)
• Succinct and to the point

A carefully written email subject line gets the reader into the mindset of what is to come. A subject line such as "Hi" may be passed over for one that says "Meeting agenda required urgently." Help your reader out.

Is Your Email Reallly Urgent?
On the other hand, don't be like the boy who cried "Wolf!". If you write "Urgent" in every subject heading when it's obviously not urgent at all, people will ignore it.

Be Specific
"Product sales meeting decisions" is clearer and more specific than "Product Meeting".

Change The Subject Heading As Required
If there is a to and fro of sending and replying on the one email, the subject line often remains unchanged. It's a good idea to change it. This is especially important when the conversation turns to a completely new subject.

We rely on the subject line to identify an email, so this is important. Of course, you can search for it using keywords, but this is not always efficient.

• Any other tips on writing and reading business email subject lines?