The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing a Professional Email

In 2019, the number of business and consumer emails sent and received exceeded 293 billion and will grow by 347 billion by 2023.

With all these emails flying around, it’s crucial to understand how to craft a professional email. If you’re stumped, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know. 

The Do’s

When figuring out how to write a professional email, you should follow these rules:

1. Know Your Audience

Not sure how to start a professional email?

You should first know who you’re writing to. Is this a prospective client or a co-worker? Or perhaps, a future employer?

It’s important to know your audience so you understand which tone to use. Most professionals are busy so you should write succinctly so they understand your message straightaway.

2. Good Subject Line 

Even though this is often overlooked, your email’s subject line can be the most important part of the email. Spend time crafting the right subject line because if it’s not effective, no one will open your message.

Use a clear and descriptive subject line so it stands out amidst a flood of old subscriptions and spam.

For instance, if you’re sending a proposal to a prospective client, a subject line could include the project’s name and mention any attachments. This means they have clarity straightaway before they even open it.

3. Add a Greeting

If you’re unsure how to write a professional email, start with a quick greeting to acknowledge the recipient before diving into your key message. The only exception is when you’re on an email chain with co-workers as it’s more natural to drop the opener and proper closing. 

4. Get to the Nitty-Gritty

Think of this section as the meat of your email so it must be clear and concise. Reveal the reason you’re emailing whether it’s arranging a meeting or asking for feedback on a presentation. It’ll be easier for people to read especially if you reduce it to a few sentences.  

5. Sign Off Properly

Not sure how to end a professional email?

Choose a closing that reflects your personality and relationship with the recipient. The most common professional closings are:

• Best regards
• Looking forward to hearing from you
• Sincerely
• Thanks again

In professional emails outside your workplace, including your full name, title, company, and contact information.   

6. Proofread

Once you’ve decided how to end an email, proofread the entire thing. You can avoid silly mistakes if you double-check the text and look out for spelling or grammatical errors.

An email riddled with mistakes shows a clear lack of care which makes you look unprofessional. And, if you’re writing to a client, ask a friend to read through it for a second opinion.

The Don’ts

When crafting professional emails there are definite no-nos. For example:

1. Being Too Casual or Formal

You must strike the perfect balance between being casual and formal. You can do this by thinking about your relationship with the recipient to help you get valuable social cues.

For instance, GIFs are fine if it’s a casual email between coworkers but you should avoid this when developing new relationships. The reader will perceive it as unprofessional so wait until you’ve established strong working relationships.

2. Cliches

Even though most professional emails follow a formulaic structure, avoid using particular cliches as they’re overused and dull.

For instance, don’t start emails with “hope this email finds you well“ as it is filler language. You should skip it and get straight to the point, no one will be offended if you leave it out.

3. Sounding Robotic

Avoid sounding like an email template and let your personality shine. Saying “to whom it may concern“ sounds dry so use language you’d use in everyday life instead.

4. Too Many Exclamation Points

Avoid sounding too enthusiastic with exclamation points if you’re establishing a new relationship with someone outside your workplace. It doesn’t mean avoid them completely, but once you’ve written a draft double-check to see which ones to keep.

The general rule is one to two exclamation points per email for your coworkers. You should also avoid abbreviations (e.g. IDK), all caps, and emojis.

5. Communicating Everything Via Email 

Sometimes things can get lost when you’re communicating through email. For instance, they could misinterpret your tone despite trying your best.

Emails are a great way to start a conversation, but if you have too much to talk about, keep it short and suggest communicating via the telephone afterward.

If you’re waiting for the recipient to reply to your email, send a follow-up message 24 hours after sending the first email. Avoid sending a follow-up message two hours otherwise it’ll appear spammy.

6. Overly Long Emails

Aim to make your emails easy to digest, preferably shorter. If you have to write a long email make sure the recipient can scan it by using sub-headings, bullet points, and underlined sentences. You can also add a TL;DR (too long, didn’t read) if necessary.

That’s How to Craft a Professional Email

It’s possible to craft a professional email with an effective subject line, clear main message, and closing line.

Before drafting your email, understand your target recipient and tone to ensure your message is appropriate. Further, keep your emails clear and concise to avoid miscommunication and so they’re easy-to-digest. Happy writing!

Did you find this article useful? If so, check out more of our posts on everything from Career to Technology.