Here at Southwest Key, we send a lot of emails, especially to large groups of employees or partners. Sometimes they’re important updates on policies, messages of congratulations or even just reminders to take care of yourself in the wild world of living through the year 2020. But with over 7,000 employees, we have a lot of experience sending thousands of emails at once.  

Maybe your organization is just getting started or growing toward a new chapter. Whatever the case may be, here are some lessons we’ve learned through our 33-year history that can help set the standard as your org scales further and further. 

Friends Don’t Let Friends “Reply All” 

It’s easy to get excited and reply to a message containing good news, especially for things like promotions and milestones. But be careful not to hit “Reply All” on a message that will send your email to hundreds of other recipients. Be kind to your co-workers’ inboxes! 

Take Away the Temptation With BCC 

If you’re sending a message to a lot of people through your standard email tool, try using the BCC line (blind carbon copy)  for all your recipients and put your own email in the “To:” line (or leave it blank). That way, anyone hitting “Reply All” won’t set off a chain of email notifications to everyone else on the list. 

Set the Tone with a Salutation  

Start your email by addressing the audience. This shows the reader that, yes, this message does apply to them, unlike spam or unwanted emails. This simple step can help add context and inform the reader. “Good Morning Outreach Team” is much clearer about who should pay attention this than just “Good Morning.” 

Use Subject Lines To Share Context 

Never leave your subject line blank! If you don’t know what to put for a subject line, just include a quick phrase related to the body of your email. Sending an update about a project? “[Name] Project Update” works fine. Need something from a co-worker? “Request for [What You Need]” is perfectly good. 

Subject lines are critical to 1) getting your message opened 2) helping the reader quickly comprehend what your message is about and 3) helping the recipient search their inbox for your message later.  

When it comes to sending email to a huge group of people at once, these four tips will help cut down on a lot of your inbox problems. Looking for more? We recommend this guide from Purdue University. Until next time, remember to think twice before hitting Reply All!