Ogilvy's 10th Tip is the Solution to All Our E-Mail Problems

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I got an email from Ragan's PR Daily today that pointed me to David Ogilvy's famous 10 tips on writing. Although he wrote these in 1982, Ogilvy concludes with a rule that everyone who uses e-mail should always follow:
If you want ACTION, don't write. Go and tell the guy what you want.
Or at least make a phone call. E-mail was once a nice tool to share information, faster than regular mail and more cheaply than a messenger. Today, it's a stage upon which co-workers can soliloquize and demonize (thanks to CC), and a quick and easy way to pass the buck.

So, if you're really committed to solving a problem, if you really want to move things forward, take Ogilvy's advice. Get off your seat or pick up the phone and have a conversation.

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