Short WhatsApp and Email Rules
One purpose per message, under about a hundred words, with the ask in the first two lines.
Supported by company data analyses of reply rates, not by peer-reviewed studies.
Why it works
Busy people read on phones between meetings. If the point is not visible on the first screen, they put it off and forget. A short message also shows you respect their time.
How to do it
- Write the ask first, then the reason.
- Keep one topic per message.
- Use short lines and, at most, three bullets.
- Read it on your phone before sending.
- Put the date, time or number they need right in the text.
What to say
Hello Mr Joshi, can we speak Thursday at 11 about the two area manager roles? I have three profiles ready. Ten minutes is enough.
Shortlist attached: 3 candidates for Nashik. Can you confirm interview slots by Friday?
Avoid
Long greetings, a story, then the ask in paragraph four. Most readers never reach it.
Example
Sunita used to send WhatsApp paragraphs to clients. She now sends two lines and an attachment. Her average reply time dropped from days to hours.
Practise it
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