No matter who you’re emailing – prospects, clients, or internal teammates – here are some basic email best practices (BPs) that should drive your approach.

1. Shorter is better. And even then, more shorter is best. (Yes… "more shorter.")

2. Re-read ’em THREE TIMES before sending. You’ll catch errors, for sure.

3. Have you made your intent and action request clear? Make it easy for the recipient to respond.

4. After a few back-and-forths, grow some you-know-whats and recommend that everyone jump on the phone. It may not always work, but ya gotta try. If you’re not writing, "Let’s get on a call to chat this out," at least ten times a day, you’re falling back into default email reaction mode and probably getting what you deserve. (Sure, you may only net 2 out of 10 phone calls, but that’s 100% more calls than if you don’t ask for a call.)

There are other important BPs, but focus only on the above, and you’ll see a change in how your prospects, clients, and teammates respond to you.

Mostly, stop writing long emails…you’re not only boring the recipient, you’re probably boring yourself. (Sorry, but true…no?)