Inside or outside of the office world, email is commonly used as a means of communication. You are very likely to use email in some form, irrespective of your position or area of functioning, due to its effectiveness and speed. Professional emails might be written for a variety of purposes. You may need to summarize any meeting, convey information, or an essential update, or send an introductory letter.
People usually get many emails every day, and it’s easy to overlook or simply ignore them. So, when you’re sending an email, you want to do all you can to make sure the recipient sees, reads, and responds to it in the way you want.
A well-written email sends a message that is actionable, succinct, clear and pleasant to a receiver. It takes experience to learn how to compose an email that fulfills all of these requirements.
To help you create successful, professional emails, you need to keep in mind certain guidelines. Consider your target, make it short, proofread your email, practice appropriate etiquette, and make sure you follow it up.
Ingredients required for writing a professional email
Whatever the subject of your email, it can be broken down into the same fundamental components. You may not need to employ all of these aspects in every scenario, but you should constantly think about them.
- Subject Line
Although your subject line appears in its own box above the content, it is still an important component of your email. And you should never leave it off?otherwise, whether the reader skips it or it ends up in their trash folder, your email is likely to be unread.
This brief sentence will be the first thing the recipient sees before deciding whether or not to open your email, so be sure you’re presenting your message clearly and creating the proper expectations. Unless you know the individual well, avoid subject lines that simply state “Hello” or “Please read.”
- Salutation
Would you approach a coworker you don’t know well and start chatting about the upcoming report without saying “Hello” or even their name? Most likely not. So don’t do it over email, and especially don’t do it if you’ve never spoken with the individual before. Begin your message with a suitable salutation (most often “Hi,” “Hello,” or “Dear”) and, if you know him or her, the recipient’s name.
Unless the person is working with a more formal firm where using their full name would be more acceptable (or you’re contacting the head of a division or company), a first name alone is OK in most professional interactions. It’s always better to provide a first or complete name than to unintentionally use the wrong gender for someone with a “Ms.” or “Mr.” For professors and physicians, however, their title followed by their last name is generally the best option.
If you are not sure who your email is going to, you may occasionally omit the name completely and just start your message with “Hello” or “Hi there.” It’s possible that “To Whom It May Concern” will suffice. Use it in an email to a customer care department or anything similar, but never in a cover letter.
- Body
This is where you will write the information you wish to deliver to the individual to whom you’re emailing. Every email includes a body, which may be as short as a single word (?Thanks!?) or as lengthy as several paragraphs?but don’t write it too lengthy! Keep your language suitable for the circumstances when sending business emails, and clearly express why you are sending the message and what action you’re expecting the receiver to take after reading it.
- Closing
The single line before your name and/or signature is your email closing. Unless you’re communicating with someone you know or you’re sending numerous emails into a thread, don’t forget to add one. ?Best? and ?Thanks? are the most popular professional email closings. However, you may alter it according to your preference and circumstances.
- Signature
In most cases, you just sign your name at the conclusion of an email. In most cases, your first name is sufficient, but in more official emails (such as a cover letter), your complete name may be required. Additional information, such as your contact, company, title, or links to some more information about you or your firm, might be included after your name (typically on the lines below). You may also make a standard email signature that includes any or all of these elements.
Steps to Write a Professional Emails
Keep the following steps in mind to make your emails seem more professional:
- Keep it Short and Sweet
People receive a lot of emails since they are one of the primary ways we communicate at work. When someone is browsing through an inbox with 50 (or 500) unread messages, they are more likely to react to something that is only a few paragraphs long rather than something that is considerably longer. As a result, be considerate of people’ time and make your emails brief and to-the-point.
- Give it a Human Touch
Getting professional does not mean being robotic. So, before you get into the core of your message, we recommend pausing to ?add a short pleasantry? to recognize the person on the other end of the line. ?I hope this email finds you well,? or ?I hope you’re having a fantastic week,? might suffice. You might mention anything you know about the person you’re emailing to get friendly with them.
- Your Intent should be stated clearly
You should state the reason you’re emailing and what you’re searching for or asking for in all professional messages. Don’t leave the reader guessing about what you’re trying to say.
?I am excited to be applying for the sales executive role,? for example, could be the opening line of a cover letter. Alternatively, you could say, ?I just wanted to confirm about the presentation tomorrow,? or ?Going to follow up on yesterday’s meeting…? after greeting a coworker.
You might also put a call to action at the bottom of your email, or perhaps a direct indication that no action is required, to ensure that the receiver gets the information they need.
- Proofreading
It’s easy to miss this step if you’re sending numerous emails each day, but we recommend reviewing all of your emails for spelling and punctuation. We also suggest storing your email as a draft and returning to it later to make sure it looks fine with fresh eyes if you have the time. This is definitely not essential for a message to that coworker you email numerous items to every day, but it could help you spot that embarrassing typo or error before you click send on a particularly critical or delicate email.
- Make sure to follow up
As most individuals receive many emails each day, they may overlook or forget to react to yours. Consider sending a pleasant follow-up email if the receiver hasn’t responded within two working days.
Conclusion
These were the important aspects and simple steps to include while writing a professional email. A professional email can serve a lot of purposes no matter which sector you belong to.
Furthermore, if you are looking for an email service that you can customize according to your requirements you should consider using Spectrum Roadrunner Email support services. It offers a bunch of unique features and services that sets it apart from the usual email service providers.
