This morning, I received another email that had a WORD document attached. When I opened the WORD document it had a few sentences that could have easily been put in the body of the email.

It takes time to open attachments. Recipients might not have the program you sent the attachment in. I especially hate PowerPoint attachments because they take so long to open. Or worse yet, Publisher documents that cannot be opened on a Macintosh computer.

I’m encouraging everyone to think just a little bit before they send an email or an attachment. Here are five easy tips to get your emails read:

1. Use the subject line. Make it informative and change it if the email’s topic changes.

2. Keep your emails brief. Research has shown that six sentences is a maximum. Get to the point.

3. Be kind. An email can be easily misunderstood. Take extra effort to be kind and say something friendly.

4. Provide contact information. This enables the recipient to call, email or check out your website.

5. Use a pdf, png or jpeg attachment format. They can be quickly opened and read by almost anyone.

We’re all being asked to do more in less time. Let’s make the world a little easier and communicate clearly. What tips do you have?

The Huffington Post reported that a US Postal Service survey shows mail at an all time low.

Take heart. This is the perfect opportunity every business has been looking for. Write a note to your customer. Your small note (that you can send for a mere 46¢) will make an impact because no one receives letters anymore.

The post office reports that an average home received ONE personal letter roughly every seven weeks. That is absolutely amazing. But I have to admit, I opened my mail last night and threw away 90%. Most of it was junk and form letters. People don’t consider a letter “junk.” Especially if you have something nice to say or share – and you write it by hand. People keep letters because they leave a lasting impact that you can read again and again. it’s like sharing a little piece of yourself and your life.

Go write a note to someone you care about. Consider writing a thank you note to a customer and make a difference in your business.