How to get your email read – the practicalities

If you want to use email for an advocacy campaign there are a few things to consider

• Use a clear and compelling subject line. This is probably the most important part of the content of the email since this where they will determine if they want to read the body of the email. Be careful not to use a heading that may filtered out as spam, such as 'urgent'.
• Send your email in plain text format. Your email programme or browser will have the option to email in plain text or HTML format (laid out more specifically with images and stylised headings like a web page) . However it’s better to send a message in plain text format for the following reasons: plain text messages are often regarded as more personal than HTML; ISPs (internet service provider) sometimes screen out html messages as spam.
• Personalise the greeting. ‘Dear <name>’
• Make sure the main points you wish to make are viewable in the first part of the email – called ‘above the fold’ – as people often make a decision whether to read on in this initial part of the email.
• Break your paragraphs up so none are more than 4 lines.