The Email Manifesto
It’s time to rant. If you’re anything like me then you work hard every day but find that you spend to much time on your computer. You don’t normally mind all the computer work save one problem: your email in-box. It never stops filling up. Ever. For every email we delete, move, or reply they come back a hundredfold. Creative entrepreneurs think that if they could just get a handle on their in-box then all will be okay; that’s bull-crap. EMAIL SUCKS!
Do you like my Pixton comic? I LOVE drawing my own comic strips – what a cool site!
There’s no real solution – for the most part email is a giant waste of time. But it doesn’t stop there. There’s a million things wrong with this pesky form of communication. We need to beat this thing before it beats us. Every good rant deserves a list of principles to back it up so here’s twenty things that come to mind about ‘all things wrong’ with respect to email – the list will grow over time I’m sure. Here’s the beginning of my email manifesto (in no particular order):
Creative work used to take place prior to the personal computer – use the telephone once awhile. Pull a Mad Men and get on the horn.
Don’t spend too much time sending and sorting email because in the end, the more you send the more you have to sort and you probably don’t get paid to do email.
Don’t BCC, it’s gross.
When replying to one persons multiple emails aggregate your responses into one – show them the light.
Let us not continue our destructive ways by proliferating this spoiled and rampantly perverse form of communication (more than 88% of all email sent is unsolicited) – be kind and send less email.
Emails that are longer than a few sentences are stupid. Less is more.
Don’t use backgrounds or giant, coloured fonts.
If you have an email signature – remove the graphic or make sure the file size is super small.
Replies go at the top of the email string. Yes, that’s right – the top.
When replying or forwarding remove extraneous text from previous strings.
Email is for making a quick connection NOT for information between co-workers or collaborators and it’s not for managing projects. Use Smartsheet or Action Method for crying out loud!
Save very important emails only – stop sorting email into 100+ sub-folders.
Don’t send email blasts from your inbox or by using mail merge – it’s not 2004 anymore. Welcome to the new world: use Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
When asked to reply to a question that has more than one option don’t simply answer with “yes”. That’s not an answer.
Read the whole email, THEN reply. Geesh!
Don’t use sarcasm unless you know the recipient really well.
Don’t be a hero. Don’t drink Malibu Rum or Tequila prior to attempting to clear out your in-box.
When sending a file, attach it first then start writing because forgetting the attachment is so not cool.
Don’t harass people with a “Did you get my email?” email. That’s what losers do.
Email is the root of all evil. Write that on your mirror in lipstick or deodorant.
Tip: If you still feel there’s hope then read 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris. He’s got a great perspective on efficiency verses effectiveness and email is a prime example of his. You may be very efficient with email (flagging, sub-boxes, bla bla bla) but unless it’s making your life simpler, and making you more money, making love to your in-box can be a colossal waste of energy. Focus on being an effective communicator not a prolific emailer.
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And, for Christ’s sake, don’t ALWAYS “reply to all”.