7 Proven Ways To Write Emails That Get

Replies, Backed By Science

By Bernie Reeder in Work Smart

Effective email writing boils down to one

thing: Mind reading.
Really.
Sure, were all different, but in many instances our brains are prone to react to
psychological triggers in a similar manner. Understanding these subtleties can help you
hone in on creative ways to persuade others to take a desired course of action, like reply
to more of your meticulously written emails.
Here are seven powerful psychological principles that can help you get busy people to
respond to your emails, backed by template reply-rate data and examples from Yeswares
own sales team.

1. Social Proof
Peer pressure is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and still one of the smartest. It
accounts for why emails have higher open rates when sent to multiple people, and higher
response rates when mentioning other stakeholders at the company. Because when it
comes to making decisions like whether or not to reply to someones email we take
cues from other people.
What it means: If your prospect sees proof that his colleagues are receptive to your
ideas, hell be more likely to jump on the bandwagon and give you the time of day. Its

one of the reasons this prospecting template from Yeswares Paul Hlatky has been so
effective at garnering replies:

2. Provide A Reason (Because I Said So)

A study performed by Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer found that people were
more willing to comply with a request (in this instance, cut in line) when people used the
word because. Even when the reason was seemingly nonsensical (i.e. Can I use the
copy machine first because I need to make a copy?), nearly all (93%) people complied.
What it means: When you ask someone to do you a favor, youll be more successful if
you provide a reason. Because (see what I did there?) yes, in todays world of 24-7-365
communication and mile long to-do lists, answering an email from someone you dont
know is a favor.

3. Throw In The Frog

Youve been going back and forth with someone for weeks now, and then suddenly,
theyre MIA. No reply. Wont return your phone calls. Nothing. Whats your next move?

You throw in the frog.

In an experiment by OQuinn and Aronoff, participants were assigned to buyer and
seller roles and asked to negotiate the price of a painting. Half of the sellers received
instructions to use the line my final offer is $_, and Ill throw in a pet frog. This led
to relaxation, smiles, and increased compliance, with buyers agreeing to pay significantly
more money than when the frog joke was not used.
What it means: When you make someone smile, they relax. Humor can help break down
objections and win over an otherwise unreceptive audience. Heres an example of how
breaking the ice can earn you replies:

4. Choose Your Numbers Wisely

Lets look at three quick tips that can increase your chances of getting your email opened
and keeping their attention long enough to get a reply, all backed by science.
Include digits in the subject line. Numbers written out as numerals (i.e. 33 as
opposed to thirty-three) have been shown to stop wandering eyes of online
readers, making it more likely that your email will get noticed in an overcrowded
inbox.
2. Use statistics and data. It makes you appear more credible.
1.

3.

Remember: Three is the magic number. Numerous studies have proven that the
brain likes to be presented with three choices, whereas four choices may trigger
skepticism and anything higher than that can lead to confusion. Try breaking your
email into three (short) paragraphs, offer three options for meeting times, or
describe your product using three adjectives.

5. Keep It Short & Simple

Brevity is the soul of wit. So it should come as no surprise that its the soul of effective
emails, too. Drawing from data culled from five years of emails in an executive recruiting
firm, researchers found that shorter emails result in quicker response time, leading to
higher overall productivity.
What it means: Dont waste their time. Be considerate of your audience and use spacing,
numbers, bulleted lists etc., to visually break up your message so that its easy to digest
and take action on. MITs Marshall Van Alstyne argues that Twitter length - roughly 140
characters is ideal. Heres what that looks like:

6. Use Their Name More Than Once

Remember that a persons name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound
in any language. -Dale Carnegie
Dale wasnt kidding. Few things light us up quite like seeing our own names in print or
on the screen, explain the folks at Copyblogger, citing recent research on brain

activation. Our names are intrinsically tied to our self-perception and make up a massive
part of our identity. No surprise then, that we become more engaged and even more
trusting of a message in which our name appears.
What it means: Personalization is key. Try catching their eye by placing their name in
the subject line i.e. Hi Jim, its Bernie from Yesware. Asking for a reply that
requires more than a simple yes/no? Throw in a simple Thanks for your time, Jim to
close out your email.

7. Be Specific
Being vague isnt going to help you clinch that important meeting. According to research
by psychologist Robert Sutton, people are more responsive and willing to help if theyve
been given clear directions on how to contribute. Research coming out of Carnegie
Mellon also found that people are more likely to respond to email requests that are easy
to answer, as opposed to complex messages that require more time and mental energy to
address.
What it means: Ending your emails with open ended statements i.e. Let me know
what works best for you or how is your schedule this week? does more harm than
good. Rather than take the time and energy to make the decision for both of you, they
instead opt for no decision and you get no reply to your email.
You should end every email with a pointed call to action. Buy or not buy? Meet or not
meet? Interested or hold off? Heres an example thats worked particularly well for our
team: