Have you noticed that seeing an email and reading that email are two different things these days? We all check our email regularly – many of us multiple times a day. But when we’re pressed for time (all the time?), we see it and often tell ourselves we’ll read it later. The same is true for busy parents.
Many school administrators feel like their communications to parents are being lost in a sea of email overload. Here are a few tips for securing the attention of today’s busy parents.
Keep it singular
Gone are the days when a fully packed monthly newsletter sufficed for communicating to parents about all that is happening at school. In today’s information-packed world, many of us operate on a ‘need to know’ basis. We give our immediate attention to what we need to know right now. What time is my flight next Wednesday? I don’t really need to know that until Tuesday. Today I need to know when to pick up the dog from the groomer.
When communicating with parents, more frequent, shorter messages limited to a single topic are more likely to be seen and remembered than a long monthly list of everything that is happening at school in the coming weeks. Stick to a single topic for each email and your readers are more likely to remember what you’ve communicated.
Use an eye-catching subject line
Like many, I prioritize my email as I scroll through the list of new messages. Some I see and pass by, intending to return to them for a more thorough reading. Often I end up moving on to something else before I get back to those emails that seemed less critical at first glance.
To combat this prioritization problem, make sure your subject line is eye-catching and encourages parents to give it their immediate attention. “April Newsletter” lets readers know what it’s about, but doesn’t encourage recipients to open it and read it right away. “Conferences are next week: sign up today” is specific and communicates the importance of the content.
Let them know if it’s urgent
If you need their input right away, make sure your subject line lets them know. Use the subject line, or the first line of your email, to indicate a response is needed. Your first 10 words will display in their inbox before they click to the full content of the email. If you are including more than one topic, make sure you begin with what is urgent. Also keep time-sensitive details at the front end of your message to encourage parents to open and read it as soon as they see it.
Make it easy to find again
Don’t forget to maintain a digital ‘bulletin board’ of all the messages you’ve sent by email or text. Host it on your website, or within your school’s online administration system, someplace that parents can access and search at any time. This helps parents find that email they skimmed last week but didn’t read. When they remember seeing the email, but can’t find it in their inbox, your repository helps them get to the information quickly and dig your messages out from under the avalanche of email they’ve received since.
Make it easy to take action
If you need them to respond to your email, make it easy to do so. Remind them that they can click ‘reply’ and provide feedback. Or take advantage of the flexibility of Google forms.
Google forms are a versatile tool for gathering information from busy parents. Embed a link in the body of your email to your customized google form, so they can click through and respond to your request when they first see your email. Making it easy for them to take action reduces the likelihood of it getting overlooked later or buried under other priorities.
Include images or video
Pictures and videos are a great way to encourage attention to your message. Make some time to take photos of your students engaged in learning (those with photo permissions on file, of course), and incorporate an image or two in your emails. You could even shake things up and shoot a video of yourself saying what it is you need your parents to hear. If your email includes a link to the video posted on your repository, or on one of your social media accounts, you’ll have made it accessible and fun at the same time.
Email is not dead
Email remains one of the most widely used communication tools, surpassing even social media for engagement. (Social media engagement rate: .6%; email open rate: 22%, according to studies at Optinmonster.) It remains a valuable tool for communicating with parents. Make sure you are doing everything you can to command attention and make it easy for your recipients.
Reach out if you need some help with your email communications.