Tag Archive for: effective emails

Outlook Social Connector: A cool email helper

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Outlook Social Connector

You can see multiple categories of information using Outlook Social Connector

Better email communication results from a better understanding of the person with whom you’re exchanging messages. It’s hard to keep all of the relevant information in your head, or even to collect it in one place. This is why I like Outlook Social Connector, which I learned about in consultant Bill Winterberg’s presentation on “Transformative Technology You Can Implement Today” at FPA Experience 2012. While Winterberg highlighted the tool as an aggregator of social media activity, I especially like its email function.

Email history display

When I write anything more than a simple email, it helps to see an overview of my recent emails with the recipient. Sure, I can get that by doing a search, but Outlook Social Connector automatically presents that information to me.

Eyeballing this history may remind me of something that will strengthen my email. Another tab shows me attachments we’ve traded recently, which is handy if I want to confirm that I’ve sent the latest draft or invoice.

Social media information

I’ve connected Social Media Connector to my LinkedIn account. When I click on an email, I see my contact’s LinkedIn

  • Photo
  • Recent activity (New connections)
  • Status updates

This helps me to personalize emails to the recipient. For example, I may comment on a blog post link posted by the recipient.

Facebook is also an option

Outlook Social Connector connects to more than just LinkedIn. The most noteworthy other option is Facebook. I wish they’d add Twitter. However, LinkedIn, in my opinion, is the most helpful option for business.

If you’re using Outlook Social Connector, I’d love to hear how it has helped your emails, client relationships, or marketing.

If you missed my email presentation at FPA Experience 2012…

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Tips for writing effective emails were the focus of AdvisorOne’s interview with me, which appeared the week before my presentation to FPA Experience 2012 in San Antonio, Texas. If you missed my presentation, you can still get my advice in “Are Clients Deleting Your Emails?” on the AdvisorOne website.

Want to learn more about writing emails that get results? Here are links to some of my earlier posts about them:

Meanwhile, the Q&A in San Antonio spurred ideas for new articles about email, so stay tuned. Feel free to add your own ideas and questions in the comments section.

Speaking of email, if you sign up for my e-newsletter, you’ll receive convenient links to my blog posts in your email inbox.

 

Email writers, boost your effectiveness with this quote

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Think about your reader if you want your communications to get results.

When you want the recipient of your email or letter to act on your information, heed the following advice from Lee Wood, as quoted by Kenneth W. Davis in The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course: Business Writing and Communication.

 

…give me the information in the order I can use it.

—

For example, don’t start by talking about the envelope you’ve enclosed with your letter.

Instead, first ask your client to read the form and then sign it in the spots you’ve marked with a big red X. Only then should you ask the client to mail it in the self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Be kind to your readers. It’ll pay off in better results and relationships.

Want to learn more about writing better emails and letters? Check out my presentation, “Writing Effective Emails.”

Reader challenge: How can investment and wealth managers apply this tip?

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“You can differentiate yourself by communicating in a likable, authentic manner,” says author Sue Hershkowitz-Coore in Power Sales Writing. Her book emphasizes email communications.

To write in a likable manner, the author suggests you use the following techniques:

1.      Create a message that genuinely revolves around your prospect.

2.      Use more you and your words than I or me words.

3.      Reflect the prospect’s style.

4.      Start with something that matters to your reader.

5.      Be positive.

6.      Be brief, but not blunt.

7.      Be authentic!

How do YOU rise to this challenge?

Differentiation is a challenge for investment and wealth managers. Please tell me how YOU make yourself likable in your professional communications.

I recommend Power Sales Writing as a good read for any business person who needs to write emails that persuade.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from McGraw-Hill in return for agreeing to write about it.

"Email Subject Lines: 15 Rules to Write Them Right"

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“Email Subject Lines: 15 Rules to Write Them Right” on the LyrisHQ blog offers some tips that can help even with your routine client communications.

For starters, remember that “Fifty characters could be all that stands between you and success in your next email campaign.” 

Why? Because our reader will probably see only 50 characters–that’s about eight words–of your subject line before deciding whether to read your email or delete it.

Here are four particularly useful rules from the LyrisHQ blog post. 

Rule 1. Read the newspaper.

Modeling your subject lines on newspaper headlines is another good suggestion. Newspaper headlines get to the point fast. They’re also good at pushing readers’ hot buttons.

Rule 5: List key info first.
If you’re making a request, use an action verb. For example, if you’re asking a client to send you something, start your subject line with “Please send.”

Rule 7: Personalize.
If I really want to get a response from Jane, I might start my subject line, “Jane, can you….” That way she knows my email is directed specifically to her. 

Rule 15. Can you pass the must-open/must-read test? 
People’s email in-boxes are jammed. You’ve got to give them a compelling reason to open your email.

You may find the other 11 rules of interest if you’re sending an email newsletter or selling something using email.

 

July 2014 update: The blog post I referred on the LyrisHQ blog is no longer available.