Try these tips to reduce email overload inside your organization

Use informative headings*

Use an informative text message for the subject line. Your reader doesn’t even have to spend time opening the email. They can read and delete. They get the message and they save time.

Use headings in the body of your email too. Think about reading a newspaper. How often do you just scan the headlines? The same applies to your email. Structure your email logically, and provide a heading for each paragraph. Your reader will be able to find key information quickly by either scanning or searching.

Differentiate between urgent and non-urgent emails

Is your message critical, urgent, or just nice-to-know? Assist staff by flagging emails. Don’t forget that your reader may have a very different idea of what is urgent. Mentally put yourself in their shoes. Decide how important the email is to them. You can then indicate the level of urgency in the subject line or by using standard email symbols.

To ensure that staff have received important messages and then track who has read them, you could use Desktop Alert tool. Alternatively a screen allows the administrator(s) to turn employee screen savers into a series of dynamic sequencing billboards. This format is ideal for messages that may not be urgent but are important from an employee ‘awareness’ perspective.

Employees who are suffering from email overload are unlikely to notice these types of messages when they are sent as emails. Screens savers however, can act as a subtle but very powerful way to raise awareness and communicate key themes.

Consider utilizing an internal IM (Instant Messaging) system to communicate

Many emails can be avoided by utilizing an internal IM system to communicate with each other quickly and effectively without emailing at all.  If your message is important and you need documentation then email is the best tool – If it’s not, try Instant Messaging instead. 

Group your internal communications and send them through at the same time each day

It is often more efficient and more productive to deal with emails at set times each day. You can assist, by sending through internal communications at the same time each day.

An email aggregation tool enables internal email aggregation into a company newsletter. So, rather than IT sending an email update about an outage, marketing sending product information updates and HR sending their staffing updates out via email, all of these messages can be consolidated into the same magazine quickly and easily.

Manage group email lists and don’t deal in internal spam.

How often do you or your staff open an email and then spend several minutes deciding if you need to read it or not? What a waste of time and email storage space! Try appointing an email gatekeeper: someone who knows each email group, what information is relevant to each group, and what each group needs to know. The gatekeeper ensures each group receives only relevant emails. The Gatekeeper could also assist with developing clear email policies and procedures, so staff knows which emails to delete, which to keep on file.

Target your audience and make emails relevant to them.

So when you are writing an email, think about the people who will read it. Then write to them in language they will understand. Make the message relevant to them and their role. Tell them why you are writing to them and what you want them to know, think or do. Whether you are sending informative emails or publishing an internal magazine, you need to know your audience.

Use Communications tools that allow you to target communications to specific employee groups. Ensure they have reporting options that allow you to see exactly what people are reading and what is being ignored.

Keep the content brief.

Use simple language and make use of informative headings. Busy staff don’t want to spend time getting to the message, or working out what the message means. Emails in particular need to be brief and clear. Think about your reader and what you want your reader to think, know or do. In other words, what do you want your message to achieve? Decide on a logical order for your message. Then, keeping your reader in mind, write your message using Plain English.

If you don’t have a clear idea of what you want your message to achieve, or if you don’t have a clear understanding of your audience, then stop writing.

Manage your emails and archive them effectively

If your organization does not have clear guidelines for managing emails, you may find that more and more staff members have in-boxes that are groaning under the weight of hundreds of emails. This puts pressure on IT capacity, but there is a more sinister problem. Have you or your staff ever failed to fully digest an important update or new information because your in-box is just too full? It may be time to look at your email management policy.

You could start with agreeing a folder structure, so that employees know where to save email and just as importantly, where to find them. Agree on clear rules around which emails should be kept, how long they should be kept, when and if they should be archived and which emails should be deleted once they have been read.

Once you have developed clear email polices you could use staff quizzes, posters and screen savers to reinforce and test your staff’s knowledge and understanding of your organization’s email policies.

Before you email, ask yourself ‘Is email the best way to communicate this message?’

Email is used at times to convey sensitive or even unpleasant messages, but this is simply NOT good practice. Examine and promote alternative ways of conveying the message. Why not use a staff meeting to think about all the different communications channels? You can involve staff by asking them to discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each option.

 

 

 

*Sarah Perry is a Director of Snap Comms, a company which provides specialist Internal Communications Solutions 

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10 Marketing Musts!

Marketing Musts!
1. Market effectively and keep generating leads in a down economy.
2. Drive leads into your sales funnel with effective lead generation campaigns
3. Use social media technology such as Twitter to complement and enhance your marketing activities
4. Implement SEO in-house
5. Establish metrics that demonstrate marketing effectiveness, efficiency, and value
6. Evaluate and improve your email marketing content and design
7. Create a navigation and content structure on your website that moves buyers and influencers through the decision process to qualified leads
8. Develop an on-going loyalty program that will engage customers and keep them loyal to your brand
9. Provide relevant, informative and entertaining web content that will keep your prospects and customers coming back to your site
10. Call on My Marketing Solutions to help you with any or all of the above!

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NORTH ANDOVER DIRECT MARKETING & FULFILLMENT COMPANY

North Andover, Mass., June 5, 2009 – Laura Harper, President/CEO of FPMSI, a premier North Andover-based Direct Marketing & Fulfillment Company, was recognized at the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Recognition Day as one of the areas most valued small businesses in the services industry.

The Small Business Recognition Day is an annual event that awards local businesses and individuals that have contributed to the small business community in a positive and beneficial way. The day began with a breakfast held at DiBurro’s function hall in Bradford, MA to recognize each of the recipients in a variety of categories. Guest speaker, Robert H. Nelson, Mass. District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration talked about new opportunities for small businesses today.

FPMSI has managed direct marketing and fulfillment programs since 1993 for companies of all sizes and industries locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Laura Harper, President/CEO has been actively involved with the surrounding communities employing upwards of 50 employees and being a solid contributor to the local economy and supporter of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce.

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"Begin with the end in mind." -Stephen Covey

Recently, we attended the PSDA Show in Danvers, MA (FOCUS ‘09) and the NE Xpo at the Boston Convention Center. Many of the companies we spoke to were feeling the effects of the down economy, and business was stale. In a time of economic woe, it is important to remind yourself that it is natural for the economy to experience cycles. At this time, it is also important to remind your current clients, and potential clients, that you are there to help them through it, and that you will be there when the times are good again. Gaining new clientele can be hard, and discouraging in a time like this, but everyone is in the same situation. We must persevere through these times and let the company grow in a new direction. Take this time to re-evaluate your company and determine what you may be missing, or what you need to do differently. Is it possible that you can avoid being affected once the economy reaches this point again? If so, what is your plan of action?

We have taken this time to evaluate the company structure and review our processes. We have simplified where we could, and added steps and procedures as needed.

Has anyone else come up with some ideas on how to utilize this economic climate for good?

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Laura Harper chosen as TOP 10 Women in Advertising and Marketing

Each month, Women’s Business asks readers for nominations to create a Top 10 list in a particular category. In the May issue, they present the region’s leading women in Advertising and Marketing. “They’re the professionals our readers rely on for their eye-catching collateral, increased recognition and great results.”

Laura Harper
President
My Marketing Solutions
A Division of FPMSI

“Laura has provided me with remarkable insights about direct marketing. She is widely acknowledged as an expert in implementing and executing the distribution plan. She does whatever it takes to make things happen. It’s so refreshing to know that I can just hand things over to her and trust without a doubt that my marketing is in the best of hands!”

- Suzanne Bates
President & CEO
Bates Communications

For the full article  click here.

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“Make Everyday Earth Day”

The US Department of Energy encourages us to treat every day as if it is Earth Day. They have also noted that United States is one of the top offenders in carbon emissions. Like most companies, we have been trying to do our part for the environment. We offer digital printing and recycled papers, and we recycle anytime we have the option. In a more recent effort to reduce our carbon footprint, we have decided to cut back on our Energy usage.
Being in a large facility of 75,000 square feet, we can use up more than our share of energy. In order to do our part, we have cut the lighting down by nearly 33%. Turning off every other light within the large fluorescent overheads has maintained the dispersion of light, while reducing our carbon emissions.
For more tips on saving energy visit http://www.energy.gov/energytips.htm

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The way a sandwich should be…or at least that’s what they’ll charge you for!

So the other day I went down the street to a chain sub shop and I ordered a sub off the menu. It was your standard turkey B.L.T. with cheese. Well I am not a fan of the lettuce or the tomato, so I asked that they hold those toppings, and I requested cheese in their place. I was upset to find that they had charged me an additional $0.50 for my cheese. Now I understand that the cheese is more costly than the lettuce and maybe the tomato, but that’s not what really bothered me. What got to me was their readiness to charge me additional for the cheese, with no compensation for my withheld toppings! Where was the discount on the lettuce and tomato that I didn’t get?! Why didn’t they discount these just as quickly? I would gladly pay the difference, but this was highway robbery!

This really got me thinking…this occurrence happens several times a day in all different industries and is completely acceptable to so many patrons – but, why? Why are we so ready to give up the fight and accept these charges? Sure it’s only $0.50 here, but it’s the principle. Where does it end?

This just made me realize that we, as a company, have been overlooking something that makes us stand out from others. Aside from the fact that we specialize in creating full marketing programs, we don’t have set rates that don’t change regardless of your job or requirements. We individualize and customize every program, every project, every quote and every standard, to meet our customer’s needs. Doing this allows us to create a program that matches your budget and your needs.

We will come up with the best plan to suit your “tastes,” because not everyone wants lettuce, and you shouldn’t have to pay for something you’re not getting!

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A quick reminder…more postal changes!!

New addressing requirements take effect March 29 for several classes of mail. These guidelines apply to Presorted First Class Mail Flats. Periodical Flats, Standard Mail Flats & Bound Printed Matter, Media Mail and Library Mail Flats. The new requirements are:

• Mailers must address each piece using a minimum of 8-point type. Each character must be at least 0.080 inches high.

• If the mail piece bears a POSTNET or Intelligent Mail barcode with a delivery point routing code, mailers may use 6-point type in all capital letters. Each character must be at least 0.065 inches high.

• Of all automation pieces, and Bound Printed Matter pieces claiming a barcode discount, the characters in the address must not overlap, the address lines must not touch or overlap, and each address element may be separated by no more than five blank character spaces. (A blank character space can equal the width of the widest letter used in the type.)

• Mailers must place the delivery address in the “top half” of the mail piece (except First Class).

Another major change taking place is the schedule implementation of Intelligent Mail barcode beginning in May. Talk to your contact at the USPS for more information about new requirements. A resourceful web site to being at is www.newenglandpcc.com. That is the link of the New England Postal Customer Council.

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Talk is CHEAP! ..and cheap is good!

Today, more than ever, money is tight, and companies need to stretch their dollars as far as they can. Advertising budgets are tight, but luckily, talk is cheap! Getting your company name on the lips of others just requires a little insight. You need to give your customer what they need, not what you or they THINK that they need off hand. A customer may come to you with a challenge, and think they already have the answer. They are simply looking for someone to carry out their wishes. Rather than accepting the client’s request immediately, start a conversation with them. Have them explain to you what they hope to accomplish, and use your expertise to develop the best way to get them there. This approach, when executed correctly, will leave you with a satisfied customer. The voice of every customer is vital to your business, and offers you an opportunity for free publicity. An article in Advertising Age cites some information from Roper research. This article states that, “Atop the list of influences was “word of mouth,” cited by 71% of respondents. Direct mail was a distant second at 48%.” Even after all of the innovations and technical advances we’ve seen over the past decades, the internet has made another form of word of mouth available to the public. People can blog, post, chat, and so on, without even picking up the phone or leaving their house! So to this day, Word of Mouth marketing remains the most effective! Of course, it should ALWAYS be backed by a strong product/service and good collateral!

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USPS Postal Rate Increase, May 11, 2009

On May 11, 2009 the USPS will be adjusting prices for mailing services – First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services and Special Services. A First-Class Mail stamp will be $0.44. Customers can continue to use the Forever Stamps that they purchased prior to May 11th at $0.42, even after the price change. Below is a list of the basic increases.

First-Class Mail 1oz
Straight First-Class
Letters
$0.44
Postcards
$0.28
Flats
$0.88
First-Class Automation
Letters
Postcards
Flats
5digit
$0.335
$0.205
$0.380
3digit
$0.357
$0.218
$0.542
AADC
$0.360
$0.220
$0.603
Mixed AADC
$0.382
$0.230
$0.725
First-Class Mail Int’l
Canada
Mexico
All Other Countries
Letters
$0.75
$0.79
$0.98
Postcards
$0.75
$0.79
$0.98
Flats
$1.03
$1.03
$1.24
Standard Mail 1oz
Standard Automation
Letters
Flats
5digit
$0.233
$0.346
3digit
$0.251
$0.418
AADC
$0.253
$0.486
Mixed AADC
$0.270
$0.496
Std NonProfit Automation
Letters
Flats
5digit
$0.132
$0.212
3digit
$0.150
$0.284
AADC
$0.152
$0.352
Mixed AADC
$0.169
$0.362
Priority Mail 1 lb Zone 1
thru 8
$4.95

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