Email is one of the most common written communication tools in and outside the office. A well-crafted work email sends a message to the reader that is accessible, readable, concise and actionable. It might take some experience and training to know how to craft an e-mail which meets all criteria.
Apart from the review of sample emails and providing answers to some of the commonly asked issues about email communication, the significance of knowing how to send a professional email will be discussed in the course of this essay.
Why is it important to write a professional e-mail?
Whatever your profession or business, you will most likely use email in one way or the other because it is fast and efficient.
Knowing how to write a clear and correct business email is very important since email and other digital tools for communication do not allow us to read body language or other natural communication clues. Professional e-mail writing skills can
1.Save time
2.Provide clarity
3.Show competency
4.Establish a reputation for a person or business
- Use business-oriented e-mail address
A professional email address is the one which you use only for work-related or formal correspondence. Even though it would be provided by your employer, you can still create a professional email address in case you are sending it prior to joining a company. Usually, it is just your name@ [the domain]. Example:
yourfullname@thedomain
firstname.lastname@thedomain
firstnamemiddleinitial.lastname@thedomain
Tip: An overview of the components of a professional email includes the subject line, the greeting, the body, the closure, and the signature.
2.Include a clear, informative subject line.
This is one sentence that describes the nature of your e-mail or the main idea of your message. If you are sending a business email, there is great importance in including a subject line to let your audience know what to expect from the email and for them to be in a position to have easy access again if they want to revisit your message. Consider the following when composing your next business email:
Use less than 60 characters.
Clearly state the email’s goal in one sentence.
Consider starting with the recipient’s name.
For example:
Subject: Follow up: Product presentation
3.Greet the recipient with the proper situation
This is your email greeting and is usually the opening line. This greeting of an email should be in tone with the body of your email, which in this case is professional. The greeting may differ with your relationship to the person.
You can start with “Dear” if you are addressing someone you have never met, or if your professional acquaintance with the person is/has been formal-such as a hiring manager or a new client.
You can start with the words “Hello” or “Hi” if you are writing to someone you know well or if you have an informal working relationship, which would be with your boss or colleague.
Professional emails have to be in the form of a letter; first, it is the salutation, then comes the closing. While writing business emails, language should be neutral and not contain any colloquial sayings or slang.
Here are a few examples of greetings:
Hi Mr. Samson,
Hello Maria,
Dear Dr. Smith,
Dear colleagues,
Dear Jay Gupta
4.Write the body of the Email
This is where you’ll spell out your entire message, just as you would in the body of a letter. Regardless of length-your email should be actionable with a closing statement and tends to be fairly short and to the point. Example:
We want to thank you for coming to this afternoon’s introduction of the new product. You can share the complete recording with your colleagues by using the attached video file. If you have any questions, let me know.
5.End emails with a sign-off and signature
Your name, address, and any other relevant details of yourself. You can set up a static signature that most email programs will attach to the bottom of each email you send.
Some standard closing expressions include:
Regards
All the best,
Kind regards,
Respectfully,
Best regards,
5.Check your email for any errors.
An error-free email shows professionalism and that you actually care. Take a minute or two to check over your email for spelling, grammatical, and syntax errors before hitting that send button. Double-check to make sure you have attached any files or attachments you may have referred to in your message.
When writing a professional email, it needs to be clear and concise, free from all sorts of spelling and grammatical errors.
When you have finished proofreading your email, read it once again, as if you were the recipient. That way, you might notice something that you could have overlooked at one of the previous steps-writing or editing, for example.
Tips :You can request a valued colleague or your direct supervisor review an important email before sending it to key stakeholders.
6.Plan and send your email.
Sometimes you will write emails in advance, or in your free time. You can manage your time more effectively and make sure to send emails at a time that is optimal for the receiver by scheduling your email. This can be done in every email client.
7.Remember follow up
Lastly, because most people receive multiple emails on any given day, they may forget or simply not reply to yours. You would do well to send a friendly follow-up email if the recipient hasn’t replied after two business days.
Tips for Composing an Email Here are some things you want to consider when you write emails:
Define your purpose Before you start writing that email, ask yourself: “What do I want the recipient to do after reading my message?” When you have defined the purpose of your message you will be able to make sure everything you say in your email helps facilitate and support that action.
Keep your message brief: Assume your reader has limited time to devote to reading your e-mail. Make your message as short as possible without omitting essential information.
Do not address too many topics in the same message because your message may be too long and complicated for the reader to act on.
Be courteous: Start with a friendly greeting and end with a friendly closing.
