Email Anatomy
| Element | Best Practice |
|---|
| To | People who MUST act or reply. Fewer is better — diffusion of responsibility is real |
| CC | People who just need visibility. If you want action, move them to To |
| Subject | Specific + actionable. "Q3 report draft for review" not "Question" |
| Body | Most important first. Use bullet points. Bold key dates and actions |
Response Timing
| Urgency | Respond Within |
|---|
| Urgent (client issue, deadline) | 1-2 hours during business hours |
| Standard (internal request) | 24 hours — even if just "on it, will get back by Friday" |
| Low priority (FYI, newsletter) | Within the week |
Tone Check
| Instead of | Write |
|---|
| "As I said before..." | "To reiterate from our earlier conversation..." |
| "You forgot to..." | "Just following up on..." |
| "This doesn't make sense" | "Could you help me understand...?" |
Pro Tip: If an email thread hits 5+ replies, pick up the phone or schedule a 5-minute call. Email is terrible for nuanced discussion — it amplifies tone misinterpretation.