Communication
How to write the perfect email
This post was inspired by Kate Hutchinson’s comment regarding email etiquette. Thanks, Kate!
Most of us write emails everyday on our job. So, why don’t we put the same care into our emails as our other communications? I contend that we should, and below I share some guidelines on writing an excellent email.
Before I go further, I want to say that these tips are assuming that you are sitting in front of your computer typing a business email. Emails from mobile devices are a different story for a different post.
Here’s how to construct the perfect email:
Subject line
Subject lines are critical to getting people to actually open your email.
Do: Always (always!) include a subject line.
Don’t: Use the subject line as the entire email.
Do: Indicate if action is required.
Don’t: Overdo the “high priority” button. You don’t want to be “the boy who cried wolf.”
Do: Include an action verb, if appropriate. Example: “Join us for an important meeting on financial aid”
Don’t: Be too generic in your subject line.
Example of good subject line: “New Business Development Meeting Notes 02/28/08″
Example of not-so-good subject line: “Meeting Notes”
Example of good subject line: “New Marketing Proposal - Response Requested”
Example of not-so-good subject line: “Proposal”
Greeting
Always start your emails with a greeting. I almost always start my emails with “Hi (insert name).” Other options include: dear, hello, or just their name. Just make sure you include some kind of greeting.
Body
The body of your email should include all pertinent details in an easy-to-read format. Clearly state:
1. The purpose of the email.
2. Any actions or tasks required from the email. Don’t forget to include due dates.
3. Any attachments to the email. These should be spelled out so the recipient knows exactly what should be included in the email.
4. A recap or next steps, if appropriate.
Attachments
Be sure to appropriately and accurately name your documents before attaching them. The recipient should be able to discern from the document name what it is that they’re opening. Similarily, if you attach more than one document, the recipient should know by looking at the names of the documents which one is which.
Acceptable attachment name: FY09 Budget Preparation
Unacceptable attachment name: Document 1
Closing
Just like the greeting, always end with a closing, even it’s just your name. Other popular options include: thanks, talk soon, see you soon, look forward to talking to you soon, all the best, best, best wishes, thank you.
Signature
Always have a “signature” on the bottom of your email. (This is a personal preference of mine. I get so frustrated when I want to call someone in response to their email and their phone number is not included in the email signature.) Signatures can be set up so they automatically are included in the bottom of your email address - I highly recommend this.
This signature should include:
Your name
Your title (optional)
Your company
Your company address
Your phone number
Your cell number (optional)
Your fax number (optional)
Your email address (optional, but especially handy if the email is printed out and doesn’t include
your complete email address)
Here’s how to put it all together:
Subject: It’s tax season and I need your help!
Hi Chris:
Can you believe it’s tax season already? I know you enjoyed working with the team last year on our pro bono work, and I wanted to invite you to our 2008 training sessions.
In these sessions you will learn:
1. Point #1
2. Point #2
3. Point #3
Attached please find the complete agenda, “Agenda 2008 Pro Bono Tax Training.”
I hope you can join us on the following dates:
1. Date & location #1
2. Date & location #2
Chris, thanks again for your support. Please let me know if you can make these dates - both are required in order to participate.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Angela
Your name
Your title
Your company
Your company address
Your phone number
Your cell number
Your fax number
Your email address
Get emailing!
Discussion
8 comments for “How to write the perfect email”
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Great post!
I don’t usually add a link to my blog in comments but I had to in this case. I wrote a post the beginning of February that is titled “10 Emailing Rules When Communicating for Business” Your post “”How to write the perfect email” is the part two taking it to the next level.
http://recruitnik.blogspot.com/2008/02/10-emailing-rules-when-communicating.html
I appreciate your comments and your link. It definitely fits with the post! Thanks!
Good post! One point that I would add is that keeping your audience (To and CC lines) in mind is important as well.
And when responding, consider whether “Reply” or “Reply All” is the more appropriate solution. Taking a minute to consider who really benefits from the email response is important, particularly in organizations or groups with a conversation-like email culture.
Lauren, great addition. You’re right, he “Reply to All” is overwhelming misused. Thanks for the comment.
I’m going through my backlog of rss feeds, so sorry to be so late on commenting!
1) thanks for the link, much appreciated.
2) this is a seriously well written post on email. I’ve read “The Etiquette Advantage in Business” and it doesn’t do anywhere near as good a job as this post. You should consider taking this and other instructive posts and self-publishing a manual. When I was in my first professional setting at a library, my boss gave me a booklet called “Your Telephone Personality” from the ’70s, and I still have a copy and I’ve used it to train workstudy students. A manual with points like this would be invaluable for career offices at colleges.
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I got lot of knowledge from your
information that hope it could help me to improve my email writting.