Knowing how to write a professional email in the moment is a skill that will remain essential throughout your career. Every email you send to your professional colleagues is a direct representation of your own professionalism and this needs to be mastered early on. Here are a few tips on each section of the perfect email.
Subject
The subject line of your email is the first thing that the recipient will see and will be responsible for their initial reaction. It is important that the subject line of your email be a short description of what the email body goes further in-depth of. For example, if your email is regarding a job opportunity that has sparked your interest, the subject line of your email should be somewhere along the lines of ‘Executive Assistant Job Opportunity’. Think of the subject of your email as a title.
Greeting
Every good email contains a formal greeting, especially if it is the first of a chain. The greeting of your email should be short and sweet. A simple ‘Hello’ is often all it takes to fill your greeting. If you know the name of the recipient of your email, it is best to include it here. “Hello John,” is much more likely to get John’s attention and convey your sincerity.
Body
The body of your email is what we’re really all here for. This is where your message lies and this is where it is most important to be as correct as possible. You should typically be quick to the point as most emails are meant to be quickly understood by the recipient and warrant a quick response. If the main point of your email is to ask a question, begin the body with some context, and then finish the body with the direct question.
An essential tip for the whole email, but more specifically the body, is to be grammatically correct. This includes the proper use of words and the proper spelling of words. Refrain from using any form of text lingo and emojis in a professional email. A great tool to use, which is also free, is Grammarly. This tool will not only correct your typos but also correct your grammar.
Closing
Like the greeting, your closure should be short and sweet. The closure of the email is the moment that you want to get your final words in and perhaps your call to action, this does not need to be an extension of the body. This is the time to thank your recipient and lead in to their response or if the email doesn’t warrant a response, to close the conversation. Here are a couple examples of a good email closure:
- “Thanks for your time!”
- “Please get back to me at your earliest convenience, Thank you.”
- “Have a great day, John!”
Composing a proper email isn’t rocket science, and anyone can do it. A proper email can be the key to establishing a good relationship with your colleagues. Don’t spend too much time focusing on every email as this is a skill that you ideally will be able to implement quickly and without much consideration. Remember these tips and you should be on your way to building great professional relationships!
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