A professional email conveys credibility, intellect, and respect. Some key elements that contribute to making an email professional are a clear and concise subject line, a formal greeting, a proper salutation and closing, a professional tone, correct spelling and grammar, an organized structure, and timeliness. By incorporating these elements into your emails, you project a professional image and demand respect in the workplace.
In this article, Payscale explains why mastering the skill of crafting professional emails is important. We also offer a comprehensive set of strategies and best practices to guide your professional email writing and several exemplary templates. Use our insider tips to harness the art of professional email writing in no time.
Why does professional email writing matter so much?
Writing professional emails is a crucial skill for a number of reasons. In today’s digital age, more and more employers rely on digital communication than ever before, and for good reason. Simply put, communicating via email and other forms of digital communication is quick and reliable.
As our world leans towards digital communication, mastering the ability to write effective emails and professional business letters is essential for reputation, clarity, efficiency, and professional progress. Studies show that employers looking to hire prioritize candidates with proficient digital communication skills. The cultural shift toward digital communication fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated employers’ increased focus on the merits of digital communication.
It’s not just employers who value digital communications, either. In the United States, around 74% of Millennials and Gen Z prefer digital communication to in-person conversations. In fact, 74% of Gen Z individuals say they struggle to communicate effectively in person.
However, the communication skills that young professionals hone by texting each other are different from the skills required to send an effective formal email, making it all the more important to put in the time and effort to master the skill of professional email-writing.
In spite of our collective preference for digital communications, it’s important to note one of its major shortcomings: email and other forms of digital communication interfere with humans’ ability to convey important communication cues through body language, eye contact, and tone of voice. Writing clear and accurate professional emails is essential to avoid confusion caused by the limitations of digital communications.
Another reason for the importance of writing professional emails is their speed and efficiency, which makes them indispensable across roles and industries. A successful professional email has the power to help employees maintain a positive professional reputation (both on their behalf and their business’ behalf); provide concise, important information to colleagues with more clarity; avoid confusing communication; and improve their performance in the workplace.
How to write a professional email
Professional emails are a highly efficient channel of communication, widely utilized across fields and job positions. In a business setting, emails come in handy for making introductions, sharing information, sending warning letters, providing updates, summarizing meetings, requesting a salary increase, and more.
Crafting good emails takes practice to ensure they are welcoming and to the point. An effective professional email even has the potential to result in direct action (including an immediate response or a step beyond that) by the recipient. Whether you’re showing off your writing skills for a hiring manager or just going through day-to-day email communication with a coworker, proper business communication sets the tone for productivity and mutual respect.
Professional email etiquette: What to include and what to avoid
The main components to include in an email message are a subject line, a greeting, a body, a closing, and a signature.
A well-thought-out subject line is one of the first things that your recipient sees when you send your email, which determine its success. Therefore, it must be captivating enough to persuade the recipient to open and read your email and clear enough to articulate the purpose of your message. A simple subject line like “Thank You” or “Meeting Following Up Questions” rarely goes wrong.
A greeting is important because the level of formality it helps to set establishes the tone of the body of your email. Professional email greetings always include the recipient’s name, when possible, and their title (unless you’re on a first-name basis).
The email body includes everything that you want to get across, as well as the action you hope the recipient takes after reading the email. It’s important to condense this section to just the main points to make it more easily readable.
The closing of a professional email aims to recap the body and emphasize your call to action. In conjunction with the signature, the closing also reestablishes the tone of your email.
Finally, the signature is simple and polite. Sign off with “Thank you,” “All the best,” or another brief salutation and your name. The signature sometimes includes more information about yourself and your work, such as your phone number and a link to your company website.
Some unnecessary elements to avoid in a professional email are playful font styles, capital letters, and emoticons. These components are overly informal, meaning that they are likely to establish the wrong tone and leave a bad impression.
9 steps and tips for successful professional writing
Here’s a list of nine steps and tips to follow in order to craft effective professional emails.
1. Use your professional email address
A professional email address is typically assigned to you by your employer and contains your name and the organization’s name or some abbreviation of both. A polished email address does the trick if you are unemployed. Simply include your full name @ [the domain]. For example: firstname.lastname@gmail.com.
2. Start with an appropriate and professional greeting
Greetings are vital for making a positive first impression in professional communication—always make sure to spell the recipient’s name correctly. The right salutation depends on the formality of your relationship with the recipient. For familiar professional connections such as colleagues as opposed to first time contacts, it’s fine to go with less formal options such as “Hi” and “Hello.”
For managers, supervisors, and clients, stick to “Dear [Name]” and be sure to include the appropriate title. (However, avoid a title if you’re unsure of the recipient’s preference.) If you’re addressing a group, use “To whom it may concern” to establish a formal tone or “Hello, everyone” for a more casual tone. Finally, if you’re unsure of the recipient’s identity, use “Hello” or “Hi there.”
3. Understand the purpose of your email and explain it
First, it’s important to make sure that you know exactly what you’re writing about and why you’re writing in the first place. Consider who you are addressing and what you hope the email achieves to give you a better idea of your idela tone. Most importantly, determine if you intend to establish a formal or informal tone.
Once you know the purpose of your email, be upfront with the recipient and let them know why you’re writing. For example, you might tell the recipient that you’re reaching out to ask for their help or to thank them. No matter the purpose of your professional email, make sure it’s apparent from the beginning of the email.
4. Go straight to the point
To increase the chances of receiving a response and having your email accomplish what it’s meant to—and to make it clear to the recipient that you respect their time—write concise professional emails. (This rule applies even in the case of a hard-to-digest communication such as a termination letter.)
Avoid anything too lengthy and aim for one to three brief paragraphs, each with just three to five sentences. Some helpful elements to include in your email to make it more “skimmable” are formatting and bullet points, bolding and italics, short sentences, and questions.
5. Send your regards
Apart from keeping emails short, another way to demonstrate respect for the recipient’s time and leave a positive impression on them is by including a proper email closing.
Make your closing courteous and appreciative by expressing anticipation for the recipient’s response, acknowledging their feedback, or thanking them for their time and input. This type of closing also helps sweeten any request or call to action that you make in your emai.
6. Include an appropriate professional sign-off
When crafting professional email sign offs, it’s best to use common and safe salutations such as “Sincerely,” “Thanks again,” “Best regards, or” “Warmly.” The correct sign-off paints a positive impression of your professionalism and regard for the recipient.
7. Include an appropriate email signature
Including a professional email signature provides the recipient with additional information about you and your business, such as your job title or contact information. This encourages them to respond and maintain future contact.
Although automated professional email signatures are efficient, customizing them based on the purpose of the email shows that you put thought and consideration into your message and likely leads to a better response.
8. Proofread your message
One of the easiest ways to demonstrate professionalism through an email is by avoiding grammar mistakes and typos. Before sending a professional email, take the time to proofread it thoroughly, ensuring that the purpose is clear and you’re striking the right tone.
Double-check the recipient’s name, email address, and email subject line since those components of your email create a first impression. Also, be sure to verify that your email includes any necessary files or attachments before pressing that send button to avoid sending an immediate follow-up.
9. Follow up
When communicating with busy professionals, follow-up emails are an effective means to establish familiarity and maintain communication. As long as your emails aren’t crossing any boundaries, try not to worry about being bothersome—professionals tend to appreciate perseverance.
Some elements to include in your follow-up messages are gentle reminders, additional valuable information, and open-ended questions. It’s usually best to wait two days before sending a follow-up.
Final thoughts
Writing effective, professional business emails is paramount to showcase your professionalism and credibility. Clear and well-written emails foster smooth communication and cut down on unnecessary confusion and misunderstandings, which digital communication is often susceptible to. Additionally, professional emails help build strong relationships, create a lasting positive impression, and reflect positively on your brand or company. All in all, mastering professional email writing leads to professional growth and opens doors to countless opportunities.
The strategies we laid out in this article help you approach professional email writing confidently and ensure effective communication. Always remember to identify the purpose of your email, tailor the language and tone for the specific audience you’re addressing, use a concise and descriptive subject line, begin with a polite greeting, be brief and to the point, maintain a well-organized format, end with actionable items, include an appropriate sign-off, and follow up when all is said and done.
