7 tips to avoid becoming the ‘Reply-All hero’
We all get plenty of emails every day. Luckily, at OVO, a few simple rules make inboxes much more pleasant. Here’s the short version:
We all get plenty of emails every day. Luckily, at OVO, a few simple rules make inboxes much more pleasant. Here’s the short version:
1. Subject lines make the difference
Choose a clear and specific subject line that immediately tells what the email is about.
👉 Example: Project A – who can help with fundraising? instead of Quick question.
Indicate urgency if needed.
Put people from whom you expect an action in the To field.
Put people who only need to be informed in CC. (By default: if you are in CC, no reply is expected.)
2. Reply All is not a hobby
Reply only to those who really need to know.
Colleagues love many things – a full inbox is not one of them.
3. BCC = your best friend
Use BCC for big groups, and keep CC to a minimum.
Not everyone needs to read everything (and that’s okay).
4. Short mails = happy mails
State your point in the first two lines.
Novels belong in libraries, not inboxes.
5. Use group addresses wisely
Minutes, agendas, key updates = perfect.
Questions or comments = better by phone or in a meeting.
6. Keep it friendly, but skip the extra mails
A warm tone works wonders – a friendly email always reads better.
But avoid unnecessary messages like “ok” or “received”, as they only add one more email to the inbox.
7. Weekends = inbox calm
The OVO team does not work in the evenings, on public holidays, or on weekends.
✨ With these rules, your inbox becomes a zen place – for you and your colleagues.
