How To Get People To Respond To You Promptly

People Mirror your speed of responses. Six actionable tips that you apply straight away.

Have you ever seen some email threads that get responses instantaneously and some other languish for days?

It has nothing to do with the sender. It is the content of your email and the sense of urgency you show. While the content is purely subjective and you are the best judge of its quality; let’s talk about the speed at which you respond.

If you respond to someone’s query instantaneously, it is likely they would respond immediately too. You both are in a “flow” state of mind to move forward — this is where optimal productivity lies.

But you can’t possibly show this sense of urgency each time, right? Life happens — there are meetings, conflicting priorities, and a hundred different tasks vying for your attention. I have a few tricks you can employ right away to get answers quickly — here’s how.

A higher rate of urgency does not imply ever-present panic, anxiety, or fear. It means a state in which complacency is virtually absent. — John P. Kotter

1) Avoid fillers

Have you come across emails that have a lot of fluff — “Good morning,” “Trust you are well,” “Thank you for responding to my email,” “Have a great day,” or “Please feel free to reach out in case of any queries.”

They are great ice-breakers, but when you have established a strong working relationship — keep them to a minimum — no one is doing a favor on you. They are all doing their job and so are you.

Be polite, not sweet.

Be thankful, not obliged.

Be sincere, not apologetic

In a nutshell, sound affirmative and professional, but don’t go over the top.

2) Put the context in the body of the email and not in an attachment

Again, when people see an attachment, they think of it as something extensive and time-consuming. So they don’t click on it.

But when you articulate the issue in the body of the email, they will surely read it.

Also, when you copy-paste that same information on the email, ensure you cut all the unnecessary fluff and highlight only information relevant to the other person.

3) Pick up the phone

Instead of going back and forth over long chats, just give them a quick call.

A 5-minute call is almost equivalent to a 30-minute chat conversation. Spend your time wisely.

Especially as we now work from home, calls can be a great way to discuss, clarify or decide. Don’t duplicate it with a follow-up email or chat. Once you get your answers, move forward — don’t be bureaucratic in documenting each little thing unless it is warranted for you to do so.

4) Action your emails right away

It doesn’t matter whether you are responding to chat or emails, if it’d take you less than 5 minutes, just do it.

Don’t keep it for later. Touch your emails only once — respond, ignore, or archive them.

Don’t mark them as unread or flag them to action later unless it requires at least 10–15 minutes to respond to them.

5) Be short and specific in your ask

Trust me, no one has the time to learn the history and science behind an issue.

Just cut to the point and ask in simple words what you need from the other person.

It is highly likely they’d give you an instant reply if they understand what you are after.

6) Connect with the organizer offline

Have you been in a meeting/workshop where you felt you didn’t get a chance to voice your thoughts? It happens often with limited time and overflowing conversations.

But the next time you are in such a situation, reach out to them immediately after the call — it’s fresh in their minds and it’s a great segue to connect with them to get any of your questions answered or ideas highlighted.

Showing urgency is showing you care. When people see your level of commitment, it motivates them too — they want to help you in your endeavor.

But, they need to be told — it doesn’t matter how you choose to communicate with them, what matters is the “what” and “why.”

Have you articulated this in a way that evokes a response easily?

Wish to stay connected — Let me know your email here and I will send you an email worth your time once in a while. I respect your inbox. No spam promise.