In this article, I share some tested and proven tips to write a fantastic business email. That is, writing emails that will get you that meeting booked, that sale or establish a better business relationship with a client.
You need to concentrate on the language, the grammar of course,
but also the tone of your writing and the structure of the message itself, plus
the words you choose. This even touches on psychology too, and then there are
also some cultural considerations about the way that we write emails.
Finally, the formatting of a business email so it looks
great, is pretty important too.
Back when emails first started being used for mass business communication, they were seen as an informal sometimes an inferior alternative
to written letters. However, today email is used for everything formal and
informal. Email has kept this informality to this day.
Now there are exceptions such as if you're applying for a
job or you're writing something that might be used in legal cases, but
generally emails are structured informally compared to a letter.
Get personal
In most cases it's okay to use the first name in business
communication. That is, if someone has sent you an email which includes their
name at the bottom, then you should use it. It is actually polite to do so. You
should avoid using the surname, as this can often sound too formal. Studies
show that personalized emails get more responses.
Likewise, at the end of your message sign it with your first
name. If you are writing to somebody then start the message with Hello John, or
Good afternoon Jane, or the like. Never start with just a hello if you have
their name. Not making an email personal, if you know their name, actually
comes across as rude, unless of course you have multiple recipients.
Be succinct
My next tip is keep your email short and succinct. People are
very busy - the average office worker receives thousands of emails every week. Just
say I hope you fine and then just get to the point politely and in a friendly
way.
Let’s talk subject lines
Ensure that your subject line is short, clear and gets attention.
Don't just write hello, make sure it gives the reader a taste of what to expect
in the email. Let’s say you are applying for a new job, then the subject line
could be something like ‘Well versed digital marketer looking for my next
opportunity’, instead of something dry like ‘job application’.
A good thing to do is to write a subject line that touches
the curiosity of the reader for example ‘Introducing my handpicked guide to Australian Software’. This creates
enough interest that the recipient will at least open your email.
Don’t skip the editing stage
Once you have written your email, you should review and edit
it. Go through your email and remove the word very and you'll see it makes no difference.
In fact, it enhances the text if you use very too much the email loses its
emphasis.
For example, it was a very nice day and I was very happy to meet you
last week and I enjoyed the talk very much. See what I mean?
Get active!
If you want your email to be easier to read and sound more confident
and convincing, then use the active voice. Instead of saying ‘the package was
delivered by John’ say ‘John delivered the package’, etc.
By using the active voice, you sound friendlier and more persuasive.
Now also try to avoid using negative sentences in business emails. It always
sounds more convincing to use positive language.
Avoid attachments
Avoid sending attachments. A lot of communication these days
is done through mobile and downloading attachments is frustrating and time-consuming.
If it's short, put the message in the body of the email or put it on a webpage
and just include the link to the webpage in the email and your recipient will certainly
appreciate it.
Consider using a sans-serif font or a serif font that's
fine. Please don't use a cursive font; I'm sure you know what a cursive font
is.
Summary
There you go, spending just a little extra time on your next
business email can mean the difference between ignored or trashed, and being
responded to. Using these tips will help you get fantastic business emails opened, read and
acted upon. Good luck!
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