Writing a professional email: A how-to guide.
This is my first How-to Guide to Business English with simple step-by-step instructions on how to carry out various daily tasks effectively and trouble-free. Just follow the instructions to get bottom-line results by ensuring your communications are audience-focused and professional. I’m launching this series with a guide on optimising the most common form of written communication in the business world – the email. Wonder how you can write a business email that hits the mark while saving yourself quite a bit of time and hassle? Keep reading!
Before you write.
First things first, take a moment to answer the following questions:
Who is the recipient of my email?
A colleague? A prospective client? A supplier? What do I know or can assume about their role, level of understanding and personality? A little research will take you a long way as you will adapt the content of your professional email, as well as your language in a more targeted manner.
What is the purpose of my message?
► To inform?
► To request?
► To instruct?
► To propose?
► To persuade?
Business email structure and useful language.
A business email has 3 distinct parts. Make them work for you! Find below how to get all 3 of them just right.
A. Subject Line
B. Body
C. Signature
A. Subject Line
The Subject Line of the email is like the title of a book or article. When the title captures your attention, you are compelled to learn more, otherwise you just don’t bother.
✓ Keep it brief. The subject should be short – up to 10 words, clear and precise.
✓ Hook them! Use powerful words to create a catchy subject line.
✓ Offer value. Convince the recipient that your email contains useful, interesting or important information.
✓ Be consistent. The contents of your email ought to be consistent with what you tell the recipient the message is about.
B. Body
The centrepiece of your business email is the Body. It consists of 4 parts: Salutation, Opening, Main and Closing. Keep in mind that emails are meant to be skimmed over. To facilitate the reader you should:
✓ Write shorter sentences and paragraphs.
✓ Leave plenty of white space.
✓ Format your text.
Salutation
- Dear [Name],
- Dear Sir/Madam,
- To whom it may concern,
Opening
Pleasantries (if appropriate)
- I hope you had a…good weekend/great trip/nice break.
- I hope…you are well/this email finds you well.
- I hope you enjoyed the event.
- Hope you found the workshop useful.
- It was great to see you on Monday.
- It was a pleasure to meet you at the conference reception last evening.
Reason for writing
- I am writing about…our last meeting/your presentation yesterday/our next event etc.
- I am writing to you…with regards to/regarding/concerning/in connection with…
- I am writing to…ask/inquire/let you know/confirm/check/invite you to/update you on…
- I am writing you to follow up on…
- I am taking the opportunity to write to you in response to…
- I am contacting you to…request…
- I am reaching out because…
- Might I take a moment of your time to…
- It’s [Your Name] from [Your Company].
Main
Additional details
This is where you elaborate on the purpose of your email. Bullet points and numbering are highly recommended, as they are ways to organise and make important information stand out. To keep your message looking nice and neat, add attachments with more details.
Closing
Call to action
- Read/download/call/contact, etc.
- Do…send/reply/call/hand in/review, etc.
- Please…contact/complete/report/view attachment, etc.
- Don’t hesitate to contact me should you…have any questions/require further clarification.
- I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.
- Looking forward to hearing from you.
Be polite
- Thank you for your…time/time and attention.
- Thank you in advance.
- I appreciate your consideration/time/help.
- Have a wonderful day.
- Will follow up soon.
Sign-offs
- Sincerely, (if you know the recipient’s name)
- Faithfully, (if you don’t know the recipient’s name)
- Regards,
- Best/kind regards,
C. Signature
A strong professional email signature makes a good impression and provides additional key details, like your website address and social media.
Business email example.
Here’s what a business email should look like.
Before you press the send button.
Well done! You are just one click away from sending your business email. Always check 3 things before you hit send.
✓ Proofread for spelling and grammar slips.
✓ Is your message clear enough for the recipient to read and understand?
✓ Make sure all files are properly attached and that there are no dead links.
Professional email writing made easy.
Now, next time you write an email, have this guide at hand and put it to the test! My How-to Guides will walk you through the maze of Business English and take a load off your mind. What to expect? All skills covered, in due time, including Writing, Speaking, Reading, Listening as well as useful Language. So, stay tuned and watch out for my upcoming How-to Guide to Business English! Don’t miss out!
Online education: Boon or bane? Find out the benefits of e-learning!
https://open.lib.umn.edu/businesscommunication/chapter/2-1-what-is-language/
https://www.klientsolutech.com/uses-of-email-in-business-communication/