Write an Impressive Email or Post in 15 minutes
Get it Done
I took a sick day this week. Since I started my business in 2017, I can count the number of sick days I've taken on one hand. But I'm not going to use that as an excuse. My editorial background engrained in me that I will meet deadlines.
And so, if there's less time in a week, I have to do certain things faster. As many of you can identify with, to give client work the same number of hours, what gets pushed and squeezed in times like this is my own branding and marketing efforts.
Full disclosure: I've gave myself 15 minutes to write this email--and I'm challenging myself to make it as valuable as one I'd spent 60 minutes on. So, how do I do that? Here's my process:
1 minute: Duplicate a template you've used before. This way you'll be swapping out images and plugging in content. It takes the time you might otherwise spend on design out of the equation.
1 minute: Pick a topic you know BY HEART. What's a question you answer for clients all the time? What can you debunk in five minutes or less because you've explained it so many times? Pick that topic.
2 minutes: Write a personal intro. Frame out the issue. This could be sharing something that you've recently dealt with, an example of a time a client encountered this issue, or an analogy; you want to picture your reader nodding along as they get through the intro.
3 minutes: Write the content. Stick to the basics. This is not the time to include extensive examples and caveats. That client you're picturing walking through an FAQ--now imagine she told you she has a hard stop in 3 minutes. How would you explain the issue concisely?
2 minutes: Proofread in the email app. Send yourself a test email. Proofread that too.
4 minutes: Rewrite. Fix typos, add in anything that's missing. (Yes, I left almost twice as much time here as for the initial draft.)
1 minute: Resend test email and do a last look for typos.
1 minute: Pick the most straightforward subject line you can think of. Push for clarity not creativity, because it's easier to find that quickly.
Of course, I wouldn't plan to do this every week. These emails can be a nice breather from lengthier reflections, but there are only so many topics where you can add value in such a short period of time, and you want every email to have the same level of quality.
