Emails are a big part of any advancement professional’s toolkit. But with 360 billion emails being sent every day—about 70 emails for every person online—how can your organization’s emails break through the inbox clutter? Here are some things to keep in mind when writing an attention-grabbing email.

• Remember the two-second rule. Your recipients are not always sitting at their desks ready to consume 20 minutes of content. People read emails in all kinds of places—even the bathroom or in bed! Most people just skim or glance at their emails. This means you have about two seconds to capture their attention. 
   
• Trust is the most important factor. If recipients can’t immediately identify who the email is from and what it’s about, they are not likely to open it. Recipients will only open emails that they think are useful to them.
   
• Make it logical. Information in the email must be easy to follow, so keep copy short. Use subheads and bold key phrases to capture readers’ attention, so they can quickly figure out what the email is about and what action is expected from them. 
   
• Make it empathetic. Anticipate your recipients’ needs to create audience-centric content. Is the content in the email something that can help them? Is it content they have asked for? Or are you just talking about what you’re doing or offering? It’s also okay to send out content that is fun and puts smiles on people’s faces. 
   
• Make it authentic. Your email should be professional, but you also want to sound like you are a human and not just a brand. It’s okay to show emotion. And be honest—if you are sugar-coating or exaggerating, people will sense that and will not trust your email. If you express urgency, make sure it’s genuine; for example, “Deadline is tomorrow” or “Seats are running out.”
   
• Put action in the subject line. Don’t try to be clever—just tell your reader what’s in the email or what is expected of them; for instance: “Sign up for alumni tailgate.”
   
• Make sure the sender is recognized. The sender is even more important than the subject line, because it triggers trust. Be careful about using a person’s name as the sender (such as a college dean)—if the name is not recognized, the email probably won’t be opened. 
   
• Make links in the email specific. Instead of generic links like “Learn more,” tell readers what the link will show them: “View the program” or “Register now.”

This advice is based on a webinar for CASE staff by Dayana Kibilds, Vice President of Ologie and co-author of the recently published book Mailed It!