How to Write Professional Emails
Use the subject line wisely., Identify yourself right away., Specify whom you’re writing to., Thank the recipient briefly., Maintain a professional tone., Present the most important information first., Keep the rest of the message concise., Convey a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use the subject line wisely.
Rather than filling the subject with one or two vague terms, let the recipient know up front what they can expect from your email.
Otherwise, it might fail to make the impact that it’s supposed to.
Be as specific as possible when supplying a subject for the email without becoming overly wordy.”Upcoming Health Inspector Visit” is a stronger subject title than just “Health Inspector”When in doubt, think about what prompted the email in the first place and describe the situation in a few words. -
Step 2: Identify yourself right away.
Stating your name and formal title or position will help the recipient tell who the message is from without the need for guesswork.
This is especially important if you’re writing to someone you've never met.
Even if your name is contained in your work email address, letting the other person know who you are is a common courtesy.Pique your recipient’s interest by highlighting a common connection or shared experience (“We met at the annual Women as Leaders conference in Toronto last year”).It's alright to skip the introduction if you're already acquainted with the person you're writing. , The header of the email should consist of a brief but friendly greeting and the name of your recipient.
In most cases, it’s perfectly fine to open with a simple “Dear Marie.” If the nature of your correspondence calls for something a little more formal, it's safest to use the recipient’s name alone as the greeting to keep things short and sweet.If you’re not on a first name basis with the person, stick with their last name to avoid potentially offending them.
When you don't know your recipient's name, or it's unclear who might be answering the email, you can either open with "to whom it may concern" or simply substitute the name of the company.
Keep in mind that most workplace emails are sent over public servers, and that other individuals may also be copied in your email.
If privacy is a concern, you may wish to find a more discreet method of communication., Your reader is a busy person, so acknowledging them for taking the time to read your email is a gracious gesture.
Additionally, this will be your first opportunity to inform them of your reason for writing. “Thank you for considering my research grant proposal” sets a friendly tone while telling the recipient what they need to know.Beginning an email by expressing your appreciation also demonstrates respect, which can keep the message from coming across as cold or impersonal. , When sending business emails, it's important to be especially mindful of the language you employ to avoid confusion or misinterpretation.
In general, you shouldn't say anything in an email to your boss or coworkers that you wouldn't say to them in person.
Your words should always be calm, polite and congenial, even in situations where you don't feel that way yourself.Once you've written your email, read it back to yourself to determine whether you've captured the right tone.
Though it should go without saying, refrain from using any type of slang or profanity.
While humor is often a valuable quality in the workplace, work-related emails are usually not the right vehicle for it., As previously mentioned, you should assume that your recipient has a lot on their plate and make an effort not to take up too much of their time.
After thanking them for their attention, get straight to the point.
Don’t mince words or feel the need to come up with an overly detailed introduction.
Unlike more casual methods of correspondence, professional emails should be polite yet direct.Try an introductory sentence like "I'm writing to inform you that your membership has expired and needs to be renewed in person before you can continue receiving member benefits." You can then follow up with whatever pertinent details the recipient needs in order to take action.
Most people tend to scan emails rather than reading each and every word.
The nearer your main objective is to the beginning, the more likely your recipient is to pick up on it., There’s no sense in rambling aimlessly once you’ve stated your purpose.
With the space you have remaining, provide any other details that you think are worth mentioning.
Always use short, simple words and phrases to take as much of the work out of interpreting your meaning as possible.Observe the “five sentence rule”—messages shorter than five sentences may come off as brisk or rude, whereas anything longer than five sentences puts you in danger of losing your reader’s attention.If for some reason you have to include a large amount of information, do it as a separate attachment. , Once you’ve stated your reason for writing, articulate to your reader exactly how you’d like for them to respond.
If there’s something they need to know, tell them; if there’s something they need to do, ask them.
By the time they finish reading your message, your recipient should be ready to formulate a response.Experienced communicators refer to this as a “call to action,” and it’s a good way to ensure that your dialogue maintains a distinct sense of purpose.A call to action in a professional email might say something like “it’s important that you memorize the security clearance number provided with this email” or “please update your summer availability by the end of the month.” , Confronting your recipient with too much information at once can leave them feeling overwhelmed.
It’s best to limit the scope of your email to one or two relevant subjects.
Not only will this allow the reader to understand what’s going on much faster, it will also help you keep your message succinct.Multiple topics or requests should be reserved for multiple emails. , Now that you’ve offered a call to action, give your reader a nudge in the right direction.
A request to look over a financial report, for instance, might be accompanied by an entreaty like “let me know what you think of these numbers.” That way, the other party won’t be left wondering what to do with the information they’ve been given.Offering a definite time frame in which you’d like to hear back (“it would be ideal if we could have these documents organized before the meeting on Thursday”) may ensure a swifter response.
Try to reply to important emails within 24 hours., The signature at the bottom of the email should offer the recipient all the information they need about who you are so that there’s no need to introduce yourself at length within the message.
Be sure to include your full name, the name of your company, your title or position, your preferred email address and a phone number at which you can be reached directly.
To save yourself some trouble, save your custom signature in whatever email platform you use so that it will be displayed automatically in future messages.Providing links to your social media accounts will give unfamiliar contacts a more complete picture of you.Don’t bog down your signature with unnecessary details, quotes or graphics., Go back over your message thoroughly to make sure it’s free of any typos, misspellings or unclear sentences.
Careless mistakes can reflect poorly on you and the company you represent.Use your email platform’s spell-checker feature to avoid accidental oversights.
You can also take this time to make any last minute changes to the formatting that you think may make your email easier to digest. -
Step 3: Specify whom you’re writing to.
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Step 4: Thank the recipient briefly.
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Step 5: Maintain a professional tone.
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Step 6: Present the most important information first.
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Step 7: Keep the rest of the message concise.
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Step 8: Convey a clear idea or request.
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Step 9: Limit your email to a single topic.
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Step 10: Tell the recipient how you expect them to follow up.
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Step 11: Sign off with a custom signature.
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Step 12: Proofread your email before sending it.
Detailed Guide
Rather than filling the subject with one or two vague terms, let the recipient know up front what they can expect from your email.
Otherwise, it might fail to make the impact that it’s supposed to.
Be as specific as possible when supplying a subject for the email without becoming overly wordy.”Upcoming Health Inspector Visit” is a stronger subject title than just “Health Inspector”When in doubt, think about what prompted the email in the first place and describe the situation in a few words.
Stating your name and formal title or position will help the recipient tell who the message is from without the need for guesswork.
This is especially important if you’re writing to someone you've never met.
Even if your name is contained in your work email address, letting the other person know who you are is a common courtesy.Pique your recipient’s interest by highlighting a common connection or shared experience (“We met at the annual Women as Leaders conference in Toronto last year”).It's alright to skip the introduction if you're already acquainted with the person you're writing. , The header of the email should consist of a brief but friendly greeting and the name of your recipient.
In most cases, it’s perfectly fine to open with a simple “Dear Marie.” If the nature of your correspondence calls for something a little more formal, it's safest to use the recipient’s name alone as the greeting to keep things short and sweet.If you’re not on a first name basis with the person, stick with their last name to avoid potentially offending them.
When you don't know your recipient's name, or it's unclear who might be answering the email, you can either open with "to whom it may concern" or simply substitute the name of the company.
Keep in mind that most workplace emails are sent over public servers, and that other individuals may also be copied in your email.
If privacy is a concern, you may wish to find a more discreet method of communication., Your reader is a busy person, so acknowledging them for taking the time to read your email is a gracious gesture.
Additionally, this will be your first opportunity to inform them of your reason for writing. “Thank you for considering my research grant proposal” sets a friendly tone while telling the recipient what they need to know.Beginning an email by expressing your appreciation also demonstrates respect, which can keep the message from coming across as cold or impersonal. , When sending business emails, it's important to be especially mindful of the language you employ to avoid confusion or misinterpretation.
In general, you shouldn't say anything in an email to your boss or coworkers that you wouldn't say to them in person.
Your words should always be calm, polite and congenial, even in situations where you don't feel that way yourself.Once you've written your email, read it back to yourself to determine whether you've captured the right tone.
Though it should go without saying, refrain from using any type of slang or profanity.
While humor is often a valuable quality in the workplace, work-related emails are usually not the right vehicle for it., As previously mentioned, you should assume that your recipient has a lot on their plate and make an effort not to take up too much of their time.
After thanking them for their attention, get straight to the point.
Don’t mince words or feel the need to come up with an overly detailed introduction.
Unlike more casual methods of correspondence, professional emails should be polite yet direct.Try an introductory sentence like "I'm writing to inform you that your membership has expired and needs to be renewed in person before you can continue receiving member benefits." You can then follow up with whatever pertinent details the recipient needs in order to take action.
Most people tend to scan emails rather than reading each and every word.
The nearer your main objective is to the beginning, the more likely your recipient is to pick up on it., There’s no sense in rambling aimlessly once you’ve stated your purpose.
With the space you have remaining, provide any other details that you think are worth mentioning.
Always use short, simple words and phrases to take as much of the work out of interpreting your meaning as possible.Observe the “five sentence rule”—messages shorter than five sentences may come off as brisk or rude, whereas anything longer than five sentences puts you in danger of losing your reader’s attention.If for some reason you have to include a large amount of information, do it as a separate attachment. , Once you’ve stated your reason for writing, articulate to your reader exactly how you’d like for them to respond.
If there’s something they need to know, tell them; if there’s something they need to do, ask them.
By the time they finish reading your message, your recipient should be ready to formulate a response.Experienced communicators refer to this as a “call to action,” and it’s a good way to ensure that your dialogue maintains a distinct sense of purpose.A call to action in a professional email might say something like “it’s important that you memorize the security clearance number provided with this email” or “please update your summer availability by the end of the month.” , Confronting your recipient with too much information at once can leave them feeling overwhelmed.
It’s best to limit the scope of your email to one or two relevant subjects.
Not only will this allow the reader to understand what’s going on much faster, it will also help you keep your message succinct.Multiple topics or requests should be reserved for multiple emails. , Now that you’ve offered a call to action, give your reader a nudge in the right direction.
A request to look over a financial report, for instance, might be accompanied by an entreaty like “let me know what you think of these numbers.” That way, the other party won’t be left wondering what to do with the information they’ve been given.Offering a definite time frame in which you’d like to hear back (“it would be ideal if we could have these documents organized before the meeting on Thursday”) may ensure a swifter response.
Try to reply to important emails within 24 hours., The signature at the bottom of the email should offer the recipient all the information they need about who you are so that there’s no need to introduce yourself at length within the message.
Be sure to include your full name, the name of your company, your title or position, your preferred email address and a phone number at which you can be reached directly.
To save yourself some trouble, save your custom signature in whatever email platform you use so that it will be displayed automatically in future messages.Providing links to your social media accounts will give unfamiliar contacts a more complete picture of you.Don’t bog down your signature with unnecessary details, quotes or graphics., Go back over your message thoroughly to make sure it’s free of any typos, misspellings or unclear sentences.
Careless mistakes can reflect poorly on you and the company you represent.Use your email platform’s spell-checker feature to avoid accidental oversights.
You can also take this time to make any last minute changes to the formatting that you think may make your email easier to digest.
About the Author
Steven Ellis
A passionate writer with expertise in hobbies topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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