Effective tips for writing professional emails that work

Effective tips for writing professional emails that work

Whether a young and promising professional or an experienced administrator, email is a vital aspect of business communication. And thanks to what is often seen as the mysteries of English grammar and the subtleties of the written word, it can be a daily struggle. This is especially true if you have to motivate busy people to respond to or address a potentially sensitive issue. To write a great email, you need to know two things: common mistakes to avoid and strategies for the next level.

Anatomy of a good email.

Each email has the same basic structure: subject line, greeting, the body of the email and closing. But as with all written forms of professional communication, there is a correct way to do it and standards that must be followed. Here is what you need to know to build a solid email:

1 subject line

The subject line could be the most important part of the email, although it is often overlooked in favor of the body of the email. But if you are sending emails to someone, or you are simply establishing a professional relationship, your subject line may prompt people to open the message, as well as set expectations about what is attached. On the other hand, a poorly crafted or generic subject line (such as "Hello" or "You will not want to miss this") can deter the reader and cause your email to reach the junk mail folder.

"Spend twice as much time creating the correct subject line as in the [body] because if they do not open the email, it does not matter," says Cole Schafer, founder and a chief copy of Honey Copy.

2 Openers

In most emails, you will want to include a quick greeting to recognize the reader before you immerse yourself in their message or main request.

The exception: when you are in an email chain with close colleagues, it is often more natural to drop the opener (as well as the closure). Although initially, it may feel like a false step, it indicates a better professional relationship.

3 body

The body of an email is the source of your message, and should have a clear and specific purpose, such as getting comments on a presentation or organizing a meeting with a new client. It should also be concise. That way, people will be more inclined to read it, instead of leafing through it and risking losing critical information. If you can, reduce to a few sentences of choice.

And for emails that require more information and details, keep them as focused as possible. "Nobody wants to receive a novel. You want to keep it between three, four or five lines of text, "says Schafer.

4 closures

In the same way that you want to start with the right foot with the greeting, you also want to separate well. That means writing a friendly closing. And there are many options to choose from.

For example, here are 12 common and professional closures that users chose on a given day:

You will want to choose a closure that feels genuine for your personality and adapt it to the relationship to ensure an appropriate level of professionalism. On the other hand, common closures such as "love", "sent from iPhone" or "thx" may be better not used in professional emails.

Common mistakes (and what to do instead)

Just as each email is an opportunity for professional growth, there is also the possibility of falling into common bad habits. Here are eight errors to avoid:

1 Omit the necessary commas from Oxford.

The Oxford comma can be somewhat polarizing, depending on which style guide is used for professional communications in your industry: it is usually rejected or hailed as a clarification tool. Either way, many people have strong opinions about it. But leaving them out can lead to confusion, depending on the sentence.

Like a healthy marriage, AP style requires clear communication. We also believe in the value of commitment. As a reminder, the Style Book does not prohibit all Oxford commas. If omitting a comma can cause confusion or misinterpretation, then use the comma.

What to do in your place: While the Oxford comma may not be appropriate in certain contexts, it is generally a good idea to use it in emails. This is because it can help you save time and avoid miscommunication, confusion and even legal problems.

2 coverage

users know that when it comes to coverage, it is better to omit it than to leave it, especially in emails. And if you're worried about being discourteous, do not do it: Contrary to popular belief, the language of coverage makes it sound less secure, which can ultimately undermine your writing.

What to do in your place: state your idea or opinion, then explain the "why" behind your reasoning. In that way, you will be better understood and your brilliance can shine.

3 Extremely long and/or unclear copy

Would you read a 1,000-word email? Probably not, most people browse emails that are on the long side. And if you add hard-to-follow sentences or mixed messages to your draft, you're even less likely to get a satisfactory answer. (Or any answer.)

"I receive a ton of [emails] that are just these huge blocks of text. And I understand why they do that, so you have enough detail. But it's really hard to read and I'm not going to read it all, "says Kat Boogaard, an independent writer based in Wisconsin.

What to do in your place: keep it concise and focus on the issue at hand. Then end with a call to action, a requested response date and make it clear that you are open to questions and follow-ups (if that is the case).

4 Being too casual (or formal)

Depending on your circumstances, hesitating too much for the informal or formal side of writing can be a false step. Being too casual often looks like a novice mistake, but a rigid and formal language can also be detrimental to your message.

What to do instead: by achieving the perfect balance between formal and casual, the key is to think about the relationship between you and the recipient and to take social cues as your communication progresses.

"You want to see what another person is doing and participate, play, recognize the way communication develops and the way expectations develop in a relationship," says Dan Post Senning, label expert at the Emily Institute. Post

5 cliches

Not all email cliches are cardinal sins. Certain aspects of your emails are meant to be a bit formulated. After all, most emails have the same basic structure, and there are phrases you can use to ensure clarity or cover your bases. But if you're going to repeat phrases, make sure they have a clear purpose.

As Kiera Wright-Ruiz, social networks manager at Google Local Guides, says, "although I always repeat, 'please, let me know if you have any questions' I really want to know if you have questions."

However, most of the time, you will want to eliminate clichés whenever possible, as they can cause people to disconnect. Here are the first seven to avoid:

Method: we search terms used by users according to our most popular blog articles.

What to do instead: try to read the draft for clichés, tone and voice to communicate your message more effectively while keeping the reader busy. Ask yourself: if your boss (or mom) reads this email, would you be happy with it? If the answer is yes, then you are on the right path.

6 Repetition

People often repeat words within the same paragraph, twice in two sentences, or simply too close together to go unnoticed. While it is not the worst offense, it is another thing that can cause a reader to disconnect.

Here are the most repeated words to avoid:

What to do instead: try to read your draft aloud, use the text-to-speech feature of your phone or run it with a buddy before sending it. It can also help you catch these repeated or overused words.

7 robotic language

Email can be a descendant of postal mail, but that does not mean that your messages should sound like an old version of yourself. In fact, emails should sound like the person who is writing it. Therefore, using phrases that sound like something out of a Victorian novel is not the best move if you want to connect with the reader.

"Let's face it: nobody wants to read a university textbook, you want to read a blog or an article or a real conversation, they're a person, they're not a robot, so use a language that sounds like something you'd say if you were just sitting in a cafeteria, "says copy manager Schafer.

What to do instead: you can get a more natural effect by pretending that you are writing to a friend or conversing with a known friend. For example, you probably would not say something like "Greetings" and "I hope you have a good time where you are" if you meet someone for coffee. You would say something like "Hello" and "Thanks again for your time".

8 Excessive use of exclamation marks!

The enthusiasm is great. But in certain contexts, excessive use of exclamation points can do more harm than good. This is especially true if you are forging a new relationship or contacting someone outside of your company. After all, you are a representative of your work when you use a company email address. But people love exclamation marks, and they are still something that many people trust to convey a positive tone.

For example, here are the most common phrases and words that people use with exclamation marks in emails:

What to do instead: after you have written your draft, do a quick search for exclamation marks and use your judgment to determine which (if applicable) you should keep depending on your relationship with the recipient. As a general rule, try to keep it in one or two by email with your colleagues.

Next level email movements
 

Once you have the basic structure and know what mistakes to avoid, it's time to focus on making your drafts stand out from the countless emails that most people receive every day. Here are four strategies to take yours to the next level:

Think positive

Sending an email that is remotely negative, or even neutral, can put you in a difficult place. And as with any written communication, there may be room for misinterpretation.

"In the absence of other information, our interpretation tends to be negative to the negative," explains Post Senning, an expert in communication etiquette. "When you talk about negative communication, [lack] the information that is the tone of voice, the brightness in your eyes, the good humor with which you intend something or even the care or genuine concern with which you are involved. So be very careful, when something is read as negative for you, it probably becomes even more negative for someone else. "

Customize each interaction.

I would not want to receive an email that says "Dear [client]" or refer to your public relations work when it's in sales because it would show immediately that the sender is sending you a massive email or did not do the proper research and They found the right contact. In the same way, you want to make sure that every email you send is designed specifically for the recipient and that you are sending it to the right person.

Therefore, although it may be tempting to use templates, it is important to personalize them and take into account the communication style of the recipient before pressing send. To achieve this, a quick Google search or a look at the recipient's LinkedIn or Twitter feed can do wonders. Before sending, try to put yourself in the place of the recipient to check the tone and content.

Tracking - on time

If you are sending an email, you are probably looking for a timely response. But with the large number of emails that most people check every day, things can end up being lost. As a general rule, a follow-up message should never arrive less than twenty-four hours after sending the initial email.

In other words: do not be the person who sends a follow-up request two hours after the shipment. In extreme cases, that kind of behavior can even block it. "When you take more time and really care about the person on the other side of the email, you will immediately see a much higher response rate, I had to learn it in the most difficult way," says the chief copy Schafer.

Make it easy on the eyes

It is likely that most of the messages you send are shorter, which is ideal for quick answers and for doing things. But for longer emails, scanning capability is the name of the game. That's when things like bold fonts, bullets, underlined sentences and a section of TL; DR (too long, not read) are useful.

There are many factors to take into account when writing an email, and there is a wide margin for error. But after everything said and done, it is not about perfection. It is an effective communication.

"I think people feel the pressure that you need to be a perfect communicator with this huge vocabulary and these perfectly structured sentences. And I do not know that this is always the case because there are only two people who communicate, "says independent writer Boogaard.