Greetings,

Unlike other marketing newsletters, The Wonderworking Minute isn't simply about how to sell, sell, sell. It's about you. It's about being a whole, healthy person who's able to confidently market yourself and your clients to other persons. Geared towards novices and professionals alike, each edition of The Wonderworking Minute contains brief, informative mini-articles relevant to anyone who wants to be a better marketer, communicator, and person.

You spend a huge chunk of your day sending and receiving emails. Popular, quick, and convenient, emails have revolutionized business communications. Here are 7 easy ways to improve your email's readability and ensure a faster response from the recipient:

1. Make sure the recipient knows it's from you. Why would they open the email if they can't discern who it's from? Make sure your full name appears in the FROM field. If your email address, your first name only, or a nickname appear in that field, the recipient may not know it's from you.
2. Keep the formatting simple. Remember, even though it may look great in your email client, it may look like gobbledegook in your recipient's email client. People don't usually take the time to read a butchered email.
3. Don't have a lengthy and distracting signature. Two to four lines will suffice. Fight the temptation to include several paragraphs, quotations, or your biography. Provide your readers with a link to your website and trust that they'll click on that link if they want more information about you. Also, if you do choose to go with a longer signature, do not include it on your replies. No need to keep throwing the magnum opus in their faces throughout the entire email exchange.
4. Only one subject per email. If you want the recipient to respond now instead of later, don't give them more than one thing to do. If you clutter up your email message with multiple tasks for the recipient, you make it easier for them to procrastinate. Rather than sending out one message that covers multiple subjects, send out multiple messages, each with its own discreet subject.
5. Tell them what you need in the first sentence. Put your request at the top of the email and let the recipient decide if they need more information. If you give your recipient paragraphs, or even pages, of information that they have to wade through before they get to your request, chances are they will put off reading it until later. Worse yet, they may delete it without getting to the end because they think it's irrelevant.
6. Keep it short. If it takes longer than a couple of minutes for a recipient to read your email, they will likely delay reading it until they feel they have more time. If they set it aside, you run the risk that they may never get back to it! Some productivity experts advise you keep your email down to five sentences or less. Consider using a different form of communication (phone, meeting, formal report) if you don't think a short email can get the job done.
7. Tell them your request is urgent or time-sensitive. Most people want to be helpful, and they need help prioritizing. Be straightforward, but don't over do it. If you're constantly telling people you need things immediately, they may begin ignoring your emails. Say exactly how time-sensitive something is. For example, "It's not urgent, but I do need this by the end of the week." Then, track the request in a time management system and follow up on it.

Happy emailing!

For help with any of your copywriting or editing needs, be sure to give Steve or I a call. Websites, brochures, press releases, direct mail, you name it. We're good, fast, and affordable, and we'd love to be of service. To find more articles like this one, visit our blog at www.wonderworkingwords.com.

'Sustainability' is the watch word in the current business climate and companies are increasingly being held to higher environmental standards. Often, the high visibility of procurement and purchasing practices puts them under particular scrutiny. But improving your company's environmental buying practices may be simpler than you think. The following tips can save you money in the supply chain and boost your environmental profile:

1. Do your research- Find out to what extent your company already uses environmental purchasing practices. Any current systems can potentially be upgraded. Using 15% recycled paper? Why not upgrade to 30%? Buying fair-trade coffee? Why not try organic or bird friendly fair-trade options?

2. Screen your Suppliers- By requesting environmental information you are asking suppliers to become more accountable, and then the information you gather can be put into a balance scorecard to measure their performance, creating an incentive for them to improve.

3. Collaborate- By involving suppliers early and often in product, process, and strategic decisions that impact them, it is possible to reduce the potential negative fall-out from any changes. Add suppliers to planning teams to implement design for environment initiatives and, within your own company, seek to collaborate at multiple levels, involving the technical personnel who plan and manage day-to-day operations.

4. Buy Big- Just because you are a smaller company does not mean you can't afford to go Green. Purchasing collectives allow small business to get the benefits of buying in bulk and economies of scale.

5. Buy Green- Purchase raw materials that contain fewer toxic ingredients, are recyclable, or utilize recycled materials. Increased use of recycled products supports the use of waste as a resource. Research suggests that 12 jobs can be created for every 1,000 tons of waste paper recycled.

6. Reduce and Reuse- Even better than purchasing recycled materials-- reduce waste to begin with. A simple example is that instead of sourcing sustainable paper, you reduce your need for it by making scrap paper available and utilizing electronic documents.

7. Go Local- Sustainable procurement can mean more than just recycled materials. Purchasing from a locally owned company not only saves carbon when products are delivered, but also keeps money in the local economy and builds stronger communities.

8. Be Clear- Set clear, achievable goals and outlines for your green procurement strategy. Laying out guidelines in advance will make for smoother performance assessments and periodic reviews.

9. Go Slow- Take it one step at a time. Put your procurement plan through an initial testing phase to pinpoint and solve potential problems. Assume that it will take time for programs to take hold and to spread throughout all aspects of the company.

10. Communicate the benefits- Sharing the positive environmental impacts of purchasing policies with suppliers and procurement managers can help environmentally conscious programs maintain momentum and ensure that your organization benefits from your greener procurement policies.

Richard Hatton is Managing Director of Adjust PS, a UK company specializing in procurement consulting to professional buyers and suppliers. Adjust PS works with organizations to promote Green Procurement and co-presents seminars to educate companies how to adopt Green initiatives and save money in the process. Adjust PS' services are based upon constant discussion with a range of industries, governmental organizations, and small businesses combined with a continuous audit of the appropriateness and readiness of the latest technology offerings. Visit Adjust PS at http://www.adjustps.com

Are you doing something every day to reach your goal of financial freedom, a well managed life and spiritual fulfillment? Do you even have those goals? Any goals? Do you have a way to measure progress each day? Here's how I do it, and teach others to do it:

The Top Three

Each day, list three things, action items, that you will complete which will take you closer to your goals (ie. get out of debt, create a passive income, spend more time with family, etc).

The first item is your MUST DO. The other two are "bonus" items if you have time. At the end of the day, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have done at least one thing, one tangible action to get you to your dreams. And, you will not have the guilt or frustration of the "didn't have time" syndrome. You will be amazed at how satisfying and motivating it is to know that you are ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING about your life.

The number one reason very few people live the life they WISH they were living (financial peace, well balanced, spiritually fulfilling) is because they never actually DO ANYTHING to make it happen. Use the TOP THREE technique every day, and see how fast you start moving towards the life you've always wanted.

I have used this technique and taught it to numerous people, both experienced professionals and young adults just getting started. Without fail, they have found it to be the key each day to making sure they get the most important things done that done to move them closer to their goals.

G. Brent Riggs has over 20 years experience as an author, teacher, mentor and business owner. You can contact him from his main website: http://www.gbrentriggs.com or http://www.seriousfaith.com