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Business Communication  - How to Write an Effective Business Email

Business communication  -, how to write an effective business email, business communication how to write an effective business email.

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Business Communication: How to Write an Effective Business Email

Lesson 9: how to write an effective business email.

/en/business-communication/how-to-write-a-powerful-business-report/content/

How to write an effective business email

corporate email writing

Since the professional world embraced the Internet, email has been a cornerstone of business communication. Over the years, business emails have developed a style and structure that you can use to create more effective messages.

Watch the video below to learn the basics of writing a business email.

The basics of a business email

All business emails should be direct, clear, and easy to read. The tone of a business email, however, can vary from informal to formal. The formality can depend on your company, the intended audience, subject matter, and several other factors. If you’re unsure how formal your email should be, review our lesson on how formal an email should be .

Regardless of the formality, remember to stay professional because you lose control of the email once you click Send. Emails can be copied and forwarded to others indefinitely, and if you’re inappropriate or unprofessional, your poor choice of words could follow you.

Writing a business email

As with any email, a business email should include a brief but descriptive subject line , one or more recipients , and an attachment if needed. If you are including multiple recipients, consider using the CC (carbon copy) field to keep the extra recipients in the loop without requiring them to respond. To learn more about the basic parts of an email, take a look at our lesson on common email features .

When you start writing the main content of the email, there's a simple and effective structure you can follow:

  • Greeting: Make it brief and friendly , and address the recipient by name if you know it. For instance, “Hi Jonathan” or “Greetings Ms. Childress” are both reliable introductions. The first name is preferable if you're more familiar with the recipient, while you should use their last name if you want to be more formal.
  • Body: Start with your main point so no one has to hunt for it, and keep your writing concise and focused on the concerns of your audience. If you need a response from the recipient, make sure to include a call to action so they know how and why to respond. Also, if you've attached a file , be sure to mention it here.
  • Ending : Offer a quick farewell , such as “Thanks” or “Sincerely”, then give your name and contact information in case they have questions.

Although email is meant to be quick, always take time to revise your writing before you click Send. Review your spelling and grammar, and confirm the accuracy of any facts you present. If you read the email aloud, you may find additional errors or realize that your words are missing a professional tone.

Make sure any attachments you mention are actually attached, and confirm that any included web links are correct. Broken links, missing attachments, and incorrect information only slow things down and force you to send correction emails.

Examples of business emails

To demonstrate the principles of this lesson, let's look at two examples of business emails. First, let's start with a poor example.

corporate email writing

The example above is looking rough. The subject line is vague, the body is full of spelling errors and rambling thoughts, and the main point is difficult to find. Plus, the overall tone is unprofessional.

Now let’s take a look at a more polished example.

corporate email writing

This example looks good! The subject line grabs your attention, the body is concise and error-free, and there’s a clear call to action. Emails like these help businesses run smoother and more efficiently.

Writing concise emails is a key skill in the professional world, which you can develop through consistent practice. Keep writing and learning, and you'll become a more effective communicator with each email you create.

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How to Write a Proper Email

Devon Delfino

Whether you’re an up-and-coming young professional or a seasoned manager, email writing is a vital aspect of business communication. And thanks to what’s often seen as the mysteries of English grammar and the subtleties of the written word, it can be a daily struggle. That’s especially true if you have to motivate busy people to respond or address a potentially touchy subject. To write a great email, you need to know two things: common mistakes to avoid, and next-level strategies to get ahead.

But first things first—you have to know what a great email looks like if you’re going to write one.

Write perfect emails. Grammarly can help. Get Grammarly

Anatomy of a good email

Every email you write has the same basic structure: Subject line, greeting, email body, and closing. But as with every written form of professional communication, there’s a right way to do it and standards that should be followed. Here’s how to write a proper email:

1 Subject line

The subject line could be the most important part of the email, though it’s often overlooked in favor of the email body. But if you’re cold-emailing someone, or just establishing a professional relationship, your subject line can entice people to open the message as well as set expectations about what’s enclosed. On the other hand, a poorly crafted or generic subject line (like “Hi” or “You don’t wAnt to miss thos”) can deter the reader and result in your email landing in the spam folder.

“Spend double the amount of time crafting the right subject line as you do on the [body] because if they don’t open the email, it doesn’t matter,” says Cole Schafer, founder and copy chief of Honey Copy.

In most email writing situations, you’ll want to include a quick greeting to acknowledge the reader before diving into your main message or request.

The exception: When you’re on an email chain with close colleagues, it often becomes more natural to drop the opener (as well as the closing). Though it may initially feel like a faux pas, it signals a better professional rapport.

The body of an email is the meat of your message, and it must have a clear and specific purpose, such as getting feedback on a presentation or arranging a meeting with a new client. It should also be concise. That way, people will be more inclined to read it, rather than skimming it and risking missing critical information. If you can, boil it down to a few choice sentences.

And for emails that require more length and detail, keep it as focused as you can. “Nobody wants to receive a novel. You want to keep it between three, four, or five lines of text,” says Schafer.

Just as you want to start things off on the right foot with your greeting, you also want to part well. That means writing a friendly sign-off . And there are plenty of options to choose from.

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

  • thanks so much
  • all the best
  • best wishes
  • respectfully
  • sincerely yours

You’ll want to choose a closing that feels genuine to your personality and tailor it to the relationship to ensure an appropriate level of professionalism. On the other hand, common closings like “love,” “ sent from iphone ,” or “thx,” may be best left unused in professional emails.

8 common email writing mistakes (and what to do instead)

Just as every email is an opportunity for professional growth, there’s also the potential to fall into common email writing bad habits . Here are eight mistakes to avoid:

1 Omitting necessary Oxford commas

The Oxford comma can be somewhat polarizing when thinking about how to write a proper email, depending on which style guide is utilized for professional communications in your industry —it’s usually either shunned or hailed as a tool for clarification. Either way, a lot of people have strong opinions about it. But leaving them out can lead to confusion, depending on the sentence.

What to do instead: While the Oxford comma may not be suitable in certain contexts, it’s usually a good idea to use them in emails. That’s because it can help you save time and avoid miscommunication, confusion, and even legal trouble .

Grammarly users know that when it comes to hedging , it’s better to omit it than leave it in, especially in emails. And if you’re worried about coming off as impolite, don’t be: Contrary to popular belief, hedging language makes you sound less confident, which can ultimately undermine your writing.

What to do instead: State your idea or opinion, then explain the “why” behind your reasoning. That way, you’ll be better understood and your brilliance can shine through.

3 Extremely long and/or unclear copy

Would you read an email that was 1,000 words long? Probably not—most people skim 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 response. (Or any response.)

“I get 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 the whole thing,” says Kat Boogaard, a Wisconsin-based freelance writer.

What to do instead: Keep it concise and focus on the matter at hand. Then end with a call to action, a requested response date, and make it clear that you’re open to questions and follow-ups (if that’s the case).

4 Being too casual (or formal)

Depending on your circumstances, wavering too much to the casual or formal side of writing can be a misstep. Being overly casual is often seen as a rookie mistake, but stiff, formal language can also be detrimental to your message.

What to do instead: In striking the perfect balance between formal and casual, the key is thinking about the relationship between yourself and the recipient and take social cues as your communication progresses.

“You kind of want to see what someone else is doing and participate, play along, sort of acknowledge the way communication develops and the way expectations in a relationship develop,” says Dan Post Senning, an etiquette expert at the Emily Post Institute.

Here’s a tip: While GIFs and emojis can be great for creating a sense of comradery between coworkers, these can be seen as overly casual in many contexts.

Not all email cliches are cardinal sins. Certain aspects of your emails are bound to be a little formulaic. After all, most emails have the same basic structure, and there are phrases that you may 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, a social media manager at Google’s Local Guides puts it, “Even though I always repeat, ‘please let me know if you have any questions,’ I actually do want to know if they have questions.”

However, most of the time, you’ll want to edit out cliches whenever possible since they can make people tune out. Here are the top seven to avoid:

  • Please find attached
  • Thank you in advance
  • I look forward to hearing from you
  • Per our conversation
  • I hope you are doing well
  • To whom it may concern
  • Sorry for the late reply

Method: We searched for terms used by Grammarly users based on our most popular blog articles.

What to do instead: Try reading the draft for cliches, tone, and voice to more effectively communicate your message while keeping the reader engaged. Ask yourself: If your boss (or mom) read this email, would you be happy with it? If the answer is yes, then you’re on the right track.

6 Repetition

People often repeat words within the same paragraph, twice in two sentences, or just too close together to go unnoticed. While it’s not the worst offense, it’s another thing that can make a reader tune out.

Here are the most commonly repeated words to avoid:

  • information

What to do instead: Try reading your draft out loud, using the text-to-speech function on your phone, or running it by a colleague before sending it off. Grammarly can also help you catch these repeated or overused words.

7 Robotic language

Email may be a descendant of snail mail, but that doesn’t mean your messages should sound like an old-timey version of yourself. In fact, emails should sound like the person who is writing it. So using phrases that sound like something out of a Victorian novel isn’t the best move if you want to connect with the reader.

“Let’s face it: Nobody wants to read a college 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 language that sounds like something you would say if you’re just sitting in a coffee shop,” says copy chief Schafer.

What to do instead: You can get a more natural effect by pretending you’re writing to a friend or having a conversation with a friendly acquaintance. For example, you probably wouldn’t say something like, “Greetings” and “I hope the weather is fair where you are” if you were meeting someone for coffee. You’d say something like, “Hi” and “Thanks again for your time.”

8 Overuse of exclamation points!

Enthusiasm is great. But in certain contexts, the overuse of exclamation points can do more harm than good. This is especially true if you’re forging a new relationship or contacting someone outside of your company. You are, after all, a representative of your work when you use a company email address. But people love exclamation points, and they’re still something that many people rely on to convey a positive tone.

For example, here are the most common sentences and words people use with exclamation points in emails:

  • Have a great weekend!
  • Good morning!
  • Have a great day!

What to do instead: After you’ve written your draft, do a quick search for exclamation points and use your judgment to determine which (if any) to keep based on your relationship with the recipient. As a general rule, try to keep it to one or two per email with colleagues.

Next-level email writing moves

Once you’ve got the proper email format and you know what mistakes to avoid, it’s time to focus on making your drafts stand out from the myriad emails most people get 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 tricky place. And as with any written communication, there may be room for misinterpretation.

“In the absence of other information, our interpretation often defaults to the negative,” explains communication-etiquette expert Post Senning. “When you’re talking about negative communication, you’re [missing] the information that is tone of voice, the twinkle in your eye, the good humor that you intend something with or even the genuine care or concern with which you’re offering critique. So be really careful. When something reads as negative to you, it probably comes across as even more negative to someone else.”

Strike the right tone

You wouldn’t want to get an email that reads, “Dear [client],” or which references your work in public relations when you’re actually in sales, because it would immediately show that the sender is either mass emailing you, or they didn’t do the proper research and find the right contact. Similarly, you’ll want to make sure that every email you send has a tone that’s crafted specifically for the recipient, and that you’re sending it to the right person.

So even though it may be tempting to use templates, it’s important to personalize it and keep in mind the communication style of the recipient before hitting send. To accomplish this, a quick Google search or a peek at the recipient’s LinkedIn or Twitter feed can do wonders.

Before sending, try putting yourself in the recipient’s shoes for a gut-check on tone and content. And if you have a hard time reading your own tone in email, Grammarly’s tone detector can help you determine how you sound to your recipient.

Follow up—in good time

If you’re sending an email, you’re likely looking for a timely response. But with the large amounts of emails most people sort through each day, things can end up getting lost. As a general rule, a follow-up message should never come less than twenty-four hours after sending the initial email.

In other words: Don’t be the person who sends a follow-up request two hours after sending. In extreme cases, that kind of behavior can even get you blocked. “When you’re taking more time and actually caring about the person on the other side of the email, you’re immediately going to see a much higher response rate. I had to learn that the hard way,” says copy chief Schafer.

Make it easy on the eyes

Most of the messages you send will likely be on the shorter side, which is great for rapid responses and getting things done. But for longer emails, scannability is the name of the game. That’s when things like bolded font, bullet points, underlined sentences, and a TL;DR (too long, didn’t read) section come in handy.

There are a lot of factors to keep in mind when composing an email, and there’s a wide margin of error. But after all is said and done, it isn’t about perfection. It’s about effective communication.

“I think people feel this pressure that you need to be this perfect communicator with this huge vocabulary and these perfectly structured sentences. And I don’t know that that’s always the case because you’re just two people, communicating,” says freelance writer Boogaard.

More from Grammarly:

  • How Does Grammarly Work?
  • How Grammarly Helps You Learn

corporate email writing

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How to Easily Write Any Business Email in English

How many business emails do you write in a day?

A lot? If so, you’re not alone.

Email is incredibly important in the business world .

92% of people in a 2013 study thought email was a valuable tool for working with others.

But 64% of people also found that email can cause accidental confusion or anger in the workplace.

Oh my! How can you make sure your own emails aren’t misunderstood?

Maybe even more importantly, how can you make sure your emails get read?

That’s right. I said, “Read.”

These days, just pressing “send” doesn’t mean your email is going to be read right away .

In order to be noticed, you need to know how to get people’s attention.

In order to use email to communicate well, you need to write good emails.

Luckily, writing a good email isn’t hard. It may even be much easier than you think.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Writing Business Emails in English Made Easy

Rules for writing a good email.

“That was an awesome email.”

Who wouldn’t want to hear that? Well, you can! All you have to do is follow these simple rules.

Rule #1: Be Clear

You already have the knowledge to start writing clear emails today. All it takes is using the following:

Short sentences Simple language Correct grammar

Rule #2: Make It Brief

How much does it cost to send two emails instead of one? Nothing.

So, why write about a bunch of topics in one email? Keep your emails brief by focusing on only one topic.

Explain your main reason for writing in the first paragraph. Be specific about what it is you want.

Kara Blackburn, a lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management, said this about email writing: “Start by asking yourself what you want the person to do as a result of this email.”

Just asking that question will help focus your email.

Rule #3: Write a Strong Subject Line

That’s about how many emails business people receive a day, according to the Radicati Group .

Imagine your email sitting in a long list of other emails.

You don’t have to even imagine that. Just look at your own inbox.

What makes you want to open an email? Maybe the name of the person sending it. But if you’re like most people, you’ll open an email that has a strong subject line.

Your subject line is like a headline in a newspaper . The subject line needs to attract attention and make someone want to read your email.

You can write strong headlines by using the “4 U’s” approach taught by American Writers & Artists trainers .

The 4 U’s of writing headlines are:

  • Ultra-specific (very specific)

Your email subject lines should definitely be useful and ultra-specific .

Apply the other two U’s only when it makes sense to do so.

For example, if you try to make every email you send seem urgent, then none of them will really seem urgent. Also, being too unique could make your email look like spam. Oops! We don’t want that to happen.

Rule #4: Be Polite

Would you use exclamation points and all caps in a formal letter? I don’t think so. But some people think that it’s okay to be overly emotional in emails. It’s not.

Calm down. To readers, too many exclamation points will seem like yelling. The same is true for words written in all caps.

Keep your emails polite and formal. Remember, your emails may not be only for the person you send them to. Someone may press “forward.”

Rule #5: Create the Right Tone

A good email is clear and brief, but not curt (rudely brief). Use sentence length, punctuation and polite language to create the right tone.

You also need to use the right language for each part of the email.

Business emails are like letters. They have a format. This includes:

  • A salutation (a word or phrase like “Gentlemen,” “Dear Sir,” “Dear Madam” or “To Whom it May Concern” that is used to begin a letter)
  • An opening sentence

The language you use in each part adds to the email’s clarity and tone.

Salutation:

The salutation you choose changes depending on who your audience is. It helps set your email’s tone. Would you use “Hey” in the salutation of a formal email ? Definitely not. Instead, you would start with “Dear” and the name of the person you’re writing to. For example:

  • “Dear Sir or Madam” (if you don’t know the name of the person reading the email)
  • “Dear Mr. Smith”
  • “Dear Jim” (more informal)

Save “Hello,” “Hi” and “Hey” for when you want to create an informal tone .

What do you write when your email is going to a group of people? Some common salutations for groups are:

  • “Dear all” (more formal)
  • “Hi everyone” (more informal)

Opening Sentence:

Your opening sentence is the key to writing a clear email. A good opening sentence tells the reader what the email is about.

For example, if you’re writing to follow up on something, you could start with any of these:

  • “I’m just writing…”
  • “Just a (quick) note…”
  • “Just a short note to follow up on…”

What other words can you use to write a good opening sentence? Try these, followed with your reason for writing:

  • “I’m (just) writing to…”
  • “Just a (quick) note to…”
  • “Just a short email to…”

In business, people tend to write emails to:

  • Clarify something
  • Confirm something
  • Follow up on something
  • Let someone know about something
  • Answer a question
  • Ask a question
  • Thank someone for something
  • Update someone

One of the above will most likely be your reason for writing.

File Attachments:

If you’ve attached a file to your email, make sure you tell the person you’re writing to that you have attached it. The more specific you are, the better . Being specific adds to the clarity of the email. Here’s an example:

“I’m sending you this week’s schedule as an attachment.”

You can also start your sentence with:

  • “I’ve attached…”
  • “Please find attached…”
  • “I’m attaching…”

When ending an email, ask yourself what you want the reader to do.

If you want them to reply to you, you can write:

  • “I look forward to hearing from you.” (formal)
  • “Looking forward to hearing from you.” (less formal)
  • “I look forward to your reply.” (formal)
  • “Hope to hear from you soon.” (informal)

If you want them to contact you if they need more information, you can write:

  • “Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any assistance.” (formal)
  • “Let me know if you need anything else.” (informal)

If you don’t want them to do anything:

  • “Thank you for your help/assistance.”
  • “Have a nice day/weekend.”

Just like your salutation, your closing will depend on how well you know the reader. Common closings include:

  • “Sincerely” (formal)
  • “Kind/Best/Warm regards” (less formal)

You may have received emails with closings like these:

  • “All the best”
  • “Best”
  • “See you (soon)”
  • “Take care”
  • “Bye (for now)”

These closings help create a closer relationship when you already know your reader.

Language Guide for Specific Email Subjects

Business emails all tend to deal with one of two subjects:

  • Giving information
  • Asking for information

Within those two subjects, there are more specific situations that will come up over and over again. Here are some tips and examples of language you can use for some of the most common situations.

1. Responding to an Inquiry

If you’re writing to reply to an inquiry (a request for information) you need to use the first sentence to let your reader know this is what you’re doing. You’re also going to want to create goodwill (friendly and good feelings) with this person who may be your client or customer. Including the following sentences in your email helps do this:

  • “Thank you for your interest.”
  • “Thanks for choosing…”

In this situation, you’re probably going to be sending some type of attachment to provide information. You can use the language for sending attachments and follow it up with:

  • “We hope you find this satisfactory.”
  • “We hope you are happy/satisfied with this.”

Here’s an example of how you might respond to an inquiry about the cost to install windows in a house:

“I’m writing to respond to your inquiry about the cost of installing windows in your house (opening sentence). Please find our price list attached (file attachment). Do not hesitate to contact me if you need any assistance. Thank you for your interest in Acme Enterprises (building goodwill/friendly ending).”

2. Informing Someone About Something

While what you want to inform the reader of will change from email to email, certain key phrases can help you get your message across clearly. Here are some opening sentence phrases you can use:

  • “I’d like to inform you of…”
  • “I’m writing to tell you about…”
  • “Just a note to say…”
  • “Just to update you on…”

Depending on your relationship with the reader, you can get a bit more creative. If you have a more informal relationship and know each other well, you can try using phrases like these:

  • “Here’s the low-down on…”
  • “FYI: This is to let you know…” ( FYI stands for “ F or Y our I nformation.”)

Toward the end of the email, you may want to add:

“Hope this helps.”

You may also want to offer to give additional information if needed:

  • “Let me/us know if you need anything else.”
  • “Let me know if I can help you further.”

3. Confirming Arrangements

Writing to confirm arrangements? Let your reader(s) know this in the opening sentence:

  • “I’d like to confirm…”
  • “Just writing to confirm…”

Or you could set a more informal tone by writing:

“Tuesday is good for me.” (Especially if they have already suggested Tuesday.)

A nice way to end is to write:

“Looking forward to seeing/meeting…”

4. Changing Arrangements

Oh no! You’ve made arrangements and now you have to change them. How do you politely let someone know this? Any of these sentences and phrases should work:

  • “I’m sorry but I can’t do/make Tuesday…”
  • “This is to let you know that I’ve had to put off/postpone…”
  • “I’m writing to call off/cancel…”
  • “I’m afraid I can’t make/manage Wednesday. How about Friday instead?”

You don’t have to go into detail about why you need to change arrangements. The point of your email is simply to change arrangements. Keep it clear and brief.

5. Replying to a Previous Email

When you reach out by email to someone you don’t know and they write back, the polite thing to do is thank them for their time. Here’s how you can do that:

“Thanks/Thank you for your email…”

If someone has sent you an email and you write back, you can use one of these phrases at the beginning:

  • “In reply to your email, here are …”
  • “Re: your email, I …”

What else can be in your reply? Well, you might have to send attachments. If so, you’ll find the sentence, “You’ll find ___ attached,” valuable. There are times, however, when you might not have all of the necessary information available. Then you might have to make a promise to get back to the sender by writing:

“I’ll get back to you ASAP.” ( ASAP stands for “ A s S oon A s P ossible.”)

6. Giving Good News

Who doesn’t want to hear good news? Set the tone for your email right away by telling your reader you’re writing with good news. The words “pleased,” “happy” and  “delighted” work well. Include them in sentences like these:

  • “I am/We are pleased to inform you…”
  • “I’m happy to tell you…”
  • “You’ll be happy/delighted to hear that…”

7. Giving Bad News

Certain words let people know that bad news is coming. I’m talking about words like “regret,” “sorry,” “afraid” and “unfortunately.”

Unfortunately (you see I just used one), you’ll have to give bad news about business issues from time to time. Here are some sentence openings you can write to tell bad news as nicely as possible:

  • “We regret to tell/inform you…”
  • “I’m sorry, but…”
  • “I am afraid that…”
  • “Unfortunately…”

8. Complaining

Complaining can be tough. But it’s easier to get what you want if you complain in a way that doesn’t offend your reader. The way to do that in an email is to not be too emotional and to make your complaint clear and specific .

The following phrases can help you get started:

  • “I’m writing to complain (about…)”
  • “I was disappointed to find/hear…”
  • “I’m afraid that…”
  • “Unfortunately …”

9. Making Inquiries

How can you ask someone to give you information? Start by using polite language to request what you want.

  • “I am interested in receiving/finding out…”
  • “I would like to receive…”
  • “I would be grateful if…”
  • “Could/Can you please send me…?”

Are you sure that the person you are writing to can help you? Don’t worry if you aren’t. Just ask by writing:

  • “Would you be able to (help)…?”
  • “Can you help?”

If you need an answer quickly, don’t assume the person you’re writing to understands this. Let them know by writing it:

“I’d appreciate a reply ASAP.”

10. Requesting Action

There are times when you want someone to do something for you. Here are useful phrases you can use to make your request:

  • “Can you send ___ to me by Friday, please?”
  • “Please get/keep in touch.”
  • “Keep me posted.”

Note that the word “please” can keep your request from sounding like an order.

Besides the tips above, there are many resources online that can help you write an excellent business email. For example, the videos “Writing a Business Email” and the more general “Practice Your Business Writing” on FluentU have plenty of ideas you can use to improve your email writing. 

corporate email writing

The FluentU program has many other videos to learn from, like movie trailers, news segments, clips from educational programming and an entire business category with hundreds of videos—all organized by difficulty level. The program will show you the definition of any word in a video, and let you add it as a flashcard for later study with personalized quizzes.

You can make a flashcard deck for business vocabulary or business email vocabulary, specifically. From here, you’ll also see other videos that use the words for additional context. And since we often write emails from our phones, it’s a good thing that FluentU can also come on the go with you through any browser, the iOS or the Android apps.

Common Acronyms Used in Emails

Have you ever seen “ASAP” “BTW,” or “FYI” in emails? Probably so. They’re acronyms, meaning they’re made up of the first letters of phrases or words. Often, they’re made up of the first letters of words in a particular phrase. We’ve already looked at a couple of these, but here’s a quick review:

ASAP : A s S oon A s P ossible BTW: By The Way FYI: For Your Information

Final Checklist for Emails

You’ve followed the rules and used the language guide. Now it’s time to see if you’ve written a good email. Use this list to check before you send it:

  • Does your subject line explain what’s in the email?
  • Does your email start with a salutation?
  • Have you explained why you’re writing in the first sentence?
  • Have you written short paragraphs that are spaced apart and easy to read?
  • Have you mentioned your attachments?
  • Are any requests you made clear?
  • Does your email end with a simple closing?

Did you answer, “Yes” to everything?

Then congratulations!

You’ve written a good email.

And One More Thing...

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

learn-english-with-videos

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

learn-english-with-subtitled-television-show-clips

FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

learn-conversational-english-with-interactive-captioned-dialogue

FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

practice-english-with-adaptive-quizzes

FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.

The best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you’re learning. It recommends examples and videos to you based on the words you’ve already learned. You'll have a truly personalized experience.

Start using FluentU on the website with your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or from the Google Play store .

Tracy Bowens is a TEFL Certified Trainer and a Visiting Professor at DeVry University in Orlando, Florida. She has an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. Continuous emails flow out of her computer daily.

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corporate email writing

How to Write a Business Email

Mary Cullen

Table of Contents

Four key questions:, business email tone, business email format, parts of a great business email, our favorite business email hacks.

Business emails are a pillar of modern communication. On any given day, the average office worker receives over 80 emails.

That’s a lot of communication.

While we send a lot of emails, many of them are not effective. Everyone’s inbox holds those difficult to read or process emails, hanging around because the recipient is unclear on how to reply or act. Don’t let that happen to your business emails. Etiquette, style, and format are essential to writing emails that get results.

The first step in writing a business email is to consider who your audience is. Next, determine the purpose of the email. Be clear and concise, and include the following sections: 1. Subject line 2. Greeting 3. Purpose 4. Next steps / Call to action 5. Closing 6. Signature

This article will highlight best practices and walk you through an effective business email, step-by-step. By integrating these methods into your email preparation, you will write better emails and improve overall communication.

Effective writing

Learn more about our Business Email Writing Course for individuals and groups.

There are four questions that you must consider as you begin to draft a business email:

1. Who is my audience?

In all business writing, the audience is the top consideration. Who you are writing for will determine how you write your email. The reader will determine the tone, formality, and content of the communication.

Your email’s reader maybe your colleague, client, or supervisor. Each reader will have a different background, project knowledge, and priorities. You can use project acronyms with a colleague who has the same deep project knowledge as you do. Those same acronyms will be confusing to an executive who needs an update for budget forecasting.

With your audience at the forefront, you will always write a more effective email.

The audience includes all the people included in the sender fields. This includes the To:, CC:. and BCC: fields but main focus should be on those in the To field. Writing for the audience also means using these fields correctly.

cc, bcc, to-1.png

The ‘To:’ field is for the direct audience who needs to reply or take action from the email content. The ‘CC:’ field is for readers who need to receive the email conversation for reference or clarity, but do not need to take action nor reply. The ‘BCC:’ field is for the audience who only needs to see the initial email and none of the later chain of replies.

Incorrect usage of the sender fields is a common business email mistake. It occurs when the audience and their roles are not thoughtfully considered.

Use the Bcc field very judiciously. Often it's best to forward an email separately, with a brief statement on why you're sending this information.

2. What is the purpose?

An email must have a purpose. And, it must have only one purpose.

This email practice is called the ‘one thing rule.'

Each email should cover only one specific item, task, or request.

Covering multiple actions in one email can cause confusion and inefficiency. One email should not include both client report revision notes and a scheduling question for the quarterly meeting. This scenario calls for two separate emails.

By limiting emails to one thing, the email is easier for the recipient to understand, process, and act upon. This clarity increases understanding and productivity.

In practice, we sometimes have to ask for several pieces of information related to the same topic. In this case, use a numbered list to clarify for your reader that the request has components. This will help your reader respond easily and ensure you receive all the specifics you need.

I need you to review these three items before we release the sketch to the production team:

  • Color choice

3. Is this email necessary?

There is a tendency to over-communicate by email. While email is efficient and provides an electronic paper trail, not all communication should occur over email.

Ask yourself: “Is this email really necessary?” Perhaps a quick phone call or a ping on the company messenger is more appropriate. If you’re expecting a lot of back-and-forth on the topic, a short conversation can eliminate a lengthy  email chain.

Choose the right channel to send information. Email is great, but it's one channel.

4. Is email appropriate?

Email can be used in many scenarios but is not always appropriate.

If you are delivering bad news, do so in person or buffer the email thoughtfully. An email is impersonal and is difficult to convey empathy or compassion. If you must write a business apology email follow these rules .

Sensitive information sent by email runs the risk of being accidentally shared. There are plenty of cases of email mishaps , ranging from funny to serious. Whether the information is personal contact or personal opinion, consider whether it’s appropriate for an email. If you wouldn’t want it accidentally shared, be very thoughtful about how it is sent in the first place.

If you are unsure if an email is appropriate, ask yourself if you'd be comfortable with that email being projected in a meeting. Attending the meeting are your boss, all your future bosses, and your mother. If it passes this test, then send it. If not, there is likely something that is not appropriate.

5. Email style

Business emails have a very specific style. They are professional but brief. They should be written to be skimmed, but with enough information to allow a complete response.

If you like this article you may be interested in  our email writing course,  one of the online business writing courses  we offer for individuals and groups.

Finding the correct tone can be the biggest headache in drafting an email. The tone changes based on your audience. It can range from formal to friendly but is always professional and should always be matched to your audience.

Wordy politeness can often be overlooked in efforts to be brief in emails. However, " please " and " thank you " should be included anytime it is appropriate.

Avoid ALL CAPS because it SOUNDS LIKE YOU’RE YELLING.

Also, writing in all caps could route your email to the spam folder). If you wouldn’t shout the statement in person, don’t shout it in an email. Instead, use italics,  underlining, or bold to emphasize important points.

Example: Vacation requests must be submitted at least two weeks in advance .

Notice the harsh tone if the bold text is swapped for caps: Vacation requests must be submitted AT LEAST TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE. 

One exception: Do use all caps in email headings when writing to any organization that strips html formatting from email. The military, military academies, and some financial institutions with strict security protocols often strip HTML formatting. 

Headings are very helpful to readers. They allow a reader to skim and find information easily. They're a business writer's best weapon against information overload.

Avoid excessive use of punctuation or emojis. Exclamation points should be used sparingly! Emojis continue to have a larger role in digital communication and several style guides have approved their judicious use in business writing. I follow the rule of only using them after the other party has sent one. They should never be used in formal business emails.

Email Writing Course for Business

Get instructor feedback on your actual business emails in our Business Email Writing Course.

Emails are meant to be skimmed, so they should have plenty of white space to assist the reader. Use shorter paragraphs, lists, and bullet points to streamline the information. And, use headings to break up concepts and allow a reader to skim.

In addition, awkward formatting copied from other documents or emails can be distracting. To have seamless formatting for your email, strip the text formatting of the new content by using your email client’s Remove or Formatting function.

Here are the most common formatting features and how to use them:

type.png

Font: The font is the typeface that you should choose for your email. It is best to choose a sans serif (a typeface without decorative strokes at the end) as they are more modern and simple and easy to read onscreen. They are also easier to read at a small size. Gmail uses Sans Serif as the default. You could also use Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma, Trebuchet MS, or Verdana.

Type-email.png

Text size: You should try to keep your email in the normal size. This is between 10–12pt.

bold.png

Bold: You can use bold for headings and to emphasize important text. Bold text catches the eye of readers as they scan the email.

italics.png

Italics: Italics are a softer way to draw attention to an area of text. They are used to bring emphasis to an area of a sentence. They do not make words stand out when the user is scanning a page the way bold text does. Italics should also be used for titles of full works .

underline.png

Underline: Underlined text can easily be confused for a link. When writing an email, it's best not to use underlined text to draw attention to an area of an email. It is better to use bold or italics.

color-email-text.png

Text color: You should avoid using multiple text colors in an email as it draws the eye in to multiple locations and looks unprofessional. It is likely that your email program makes your hyperlinks blue. 

alignment.png

Alignment: Business writing uses text that is fully aligned left. Academic writing indents the first sentence of a paragraph five spaces. In a business email, you will never need to indent the start of a paragraph. 

numbers.png

Numbers: Using a numbered list can help organize content where the sequence is important. For example, if you were describing steps you would want to use a numbered list.

bullets-gmail.png

Bullet points: Bullet points are a great way to create white space on your page and draw attention to related items. Bullet points work best for unordered lists. 

indent.png

Indent more: In business emails, you should not indent the first sentence of a new paragraph. A line break represents the start of a new paragraph. The indent more button allows you to add an indent to text. This is useful on rare occasions when you want to indicate that some information is a subset of what preceded it. It creates a visual indication that the indented information is less important.

indent-less.png

Indent less: This allows you to move your content to the left.

quote.png

Quote text: If you are referring to quoted text you should use the quote text function. It provides a slight indent to your content and a grey vertical line to the left. This shows readers that you are quoting text.

remove formatting gmail-1.png

Remove formatting: If you are pasting text into your email it is vital you use the remove formatting function. Otherwise, you will paste the text styles and it will be obvious to your reader that you copied and pasted that text. To use this function select the text you want to remove formatting. Then click the remove formatting button.

Let's dissect each section of a business email to highlight best practices for you to implement in your writing.

Subject line

The subject line is the mini-summary of your email. It provides the biggest opportunity to ensure your email gets read. The goal of a subject line is to get your reader to open the email without tricking them. It is also the place where mistakes are most commonly made.

Think of it as your email’s headline. It should be a 3- to 8-word overview of the content. It should be direct and natural but relevant and accurate.

Subject lines that are too brief or too lengthy cause confusion. If it makes the email seem difficult or confusing to reply to, the recipient may not open it immediately or at all.

Bad examples: Important! For Your Review Questions About Expansion Performance Target Report Deadline Extension Request For Client Meeting Good examples: Your BookShop Order Delivery Dec 2 Client Report Revisions: Please Review by 4 PM Expansion Report Extension Requested until Friday

Email clients will also review the subject line for signs of spam. This is especially important for sales teams who may be cold-emailing clients. Certain terms are flags for spam algorithms and may be filtered to a Junk folder. Avoid using words such as Sale , Please read, or Profits , or having one-word subjects.

Optimizing your subject line is an important

Also, make sure you are replying to the correct thread. Do not use an old email thread for a new topic .

Your greeting should be professional and concise. It is always preferable to address the recipient using their name, but it may not always be possible.

  • Good afternoon,
  • Dear Ms. Jones:
  • Hi Jeff, (salutation format)
  • Hi, Jeff. (sentence format)

Brief pleasantry

If you’re emailing someone for the first time, y our opening line could be a short pleasantry connecting you and the recipient. One sentence should be enough. I ndicate how you connected. This reminder will give the reader context for the following information.

It was great to meet you at last night’s networking event.

If you’ve received something from the recipient, offer your thanks. It could be a thank you for an offer of assistance, for an interesting piece of content they shared, or even for simply reading the email.

Thank you for sharing your article on management strategies. The findings are valuable. I appreciate you taking the time to help me with this project.

If you want to keep it general, warm well-wishes will do.

I hope you’re well!

Omit a pleasant greeting if you’ve recently or frequently communicate with each other.

Be very careful of over-spinning pleasantries at the start of the email. The purpose of your email should be the overt start. Remember the acronym B.L.O.T. — bottom line on top. What do you want your reader to know or do? That's the most important opening.

As previously noted, each email should address just one thing, one purpose. This task, request, or information should be presented clearly and directly after the pleasantry. This is the B.L.O.T. — bottom line on top.

Be concise and direct. Don’t hide your request or it can easily be overlooked or ignored.

Please provide your feedback on the budget. Can you participate in the project kick-off meeting next Thursday? Did you have any revisions to the final report?

Additional information

Some business emails may require additional information for the reader. It could be clarification on the task, a link to resources or examples, or other helpful information. This information should be included thoughtfully. Only directly relevant content should be added.

Call to action (CTA)

Near the end of the email, include a specific call to action. The email is being sent to accomplish one task. The call to action should leave no confusion as to your request. Do not assume the reader understands the desired result from prior information. Emails can easily be misinterpreted if there is any grey area.

This statement should include the specific action and the timeline. If you are sending the email to multiple people, clarify task responsibility by directly naming the intended person.

Clarification of tasks and expectations allows for the recipient to respond more effectively.

Bad examples: Can you take care of this? Let me know what you think. Good examples: Sarah: can you forward the survey to all staff by Friday at noon, please? I’d appreciate your feedback on the draft agenda. If you have any edits, please send them by tomorrow, Tuesday, at 10 AM.

If you would like a confirmation, you can phrase the call to action as a question. If the call to action is a notification that does not necessarily require a reply, you can structure the call to action as a statement.

Closing message 

The closing message simply indicates that the email is complete. While it is not a requirement in modern email writing, a brief, polite phrase will nicely round out your email.

Thank you for your time, I look forward to your response, Kind regards,

Sign-off & signature

The end of the email includes a sign-off of your name. The phrasing should match the formality of the email.

Most formal: Dr. John Smith Dr. Smith John Smith Least formal and most common: John

Your email signature is a type of electronic business card that is appended to your email. It should include the most important context and contact details for your reader. This is the place to help your reader with relevant contact or contextual information, not brag or insert philosophical quotes. Images and logos can be useful, but be aware of the sizing and how they will appear on mobile devices.

Attachments and links

Any referenced attachments or links must be included in the email. Either name the file so that it is clearly identified or include the document title in parenthesis immediately after you mention it in the email.

Don’t make the reader go hunting for the information they need.

If an attachment was sent to the recipient previously, attach it again anyway. This way, they can easily access the information rather than searching through their inbox. Of course, double-check that the file is attached and correct. Forgetting to include an attachment requires an unnecessary (and embarrassing!) reply requesting it, which can delay the work.

Links can be directing the reader either to websites or to intranet directories. These hyperlinks can be lengthy and distracting in the email text. Instead, integrate the hyperlink into the existing sentence.

Bad example: You may find this resource useful in preparing the report: http://www.instructionalsolutions.com/blog/technical-writing-engineers Good example: You may find this technical writing resource useful in preparing the report.

You should also test the link to ensure that it opens the correct site.

Once your email is composed, do not click send. Yet.

Take a moment to review your email. Check for grammatical or spelling errors ( Grammarly has a helpful free tool). Typos suggest carelessness and can even convey incorrect information.

Double-check dates, times, names, links, attachments, and other specific details. 

Triple-check that the correct recipients are in the sender fields.

Have you ever clicked send and then gasped in horror? Perhaps it’s an ‘I didn’t mean to send it to that Brad!’ situation. Or, it may be the less embarrassing but still annoying ‘I meant to include Brad on that email!’ scenario.

Thankfully, some email clients have found a solution to this potential embarrassment with the addition of ‘Undo Send’.

undo-send.png

In Gmail, you can enable this function in Settings. You can choose from a 5 to 30 second cancellation period.

recall-message.png

In Outlook, you can recall an unread email sent to a recipient with an Exchange account in the same organization. This feature does not work well in practice because if it has been read by anyone, it cannot be recalled. In this case, simply forward the email with an error and state your apology and clarification.

Canned responses in Gmail

Do you send the same email over and over again? Save time by using Canned Responses in Gmail .

This function allows you to save standard emails. When you would like to send the standard reply, simply select your preferred prepared template in the Compose window. You can also set Canned responses to send automatically to inbound email with specific details.

Filters and folders

Is your inbox overwhelming? Thoughtful use of filters and folders can help reduce email stress.

You can label and even color-code emails from specific people or even whole domains. These labels will allow the emails to be easily archived once read.

You can set up filters to automatically mark as read or archive low priority reference emails, like a delivery tracking update.

A short investment in setup time will provide long-term time savings.

How to schedule an email in Gmail?

Click the blue dropdown arrow to the right side of the regular send email.  Then click "schedule send" you will then have the option to choose a suggested time in the next few days or choose your own time and date.

Are you working late, but want your email to arrive in your client’s inbox first thing tomorrow morning?

We used to suggest using Boomerang to schedule emails but now you can do it right within Gmail. If you click the little arrow to the right of the send button you can specify when the email will send.

schedule-send-in-gmail

Scheduled emails will appear in a new folder called "scheduled" right under the "sent" folder. From there you can cancel the send at any time before the email sends.

Caution:  If you are sending information to recipients who report to you, don't send late evening emails because it can create an expectation of 24/7 work across your team. Schedule the emails to send at the start of normal work hours. 

Keyboard shortcuts

Drafting an effective business email takes time. However, you can save time by using keyboard shortcuts. Save clicks while selecting emails, marking unread, adding a hyperlink, and more. Check out the shortcuts for Gmail and Outlook .

The volume of emails we receive and send can sometimes diminish our motivation to write an effective business email. Consider the four key questions when preparing an email. Write it in a way that is concise yet clearly conveys the information and request to the reader.

Your reader (and their inbox) will appreciate it.  

If you want to dive deeper into your business writing, check out our Email Writing Course.

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Write your own technical document and get expert instructor feedback.

Our Technical Foundations Course is available for individuals and groups online, virtually, and onsite.

Related Articles

How to write a sales email [plus free template], how the right training can make you a better business writer, how to write a thank you email after an interview, get notified of new articles.

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There are rules.

You, like me, probably rattle off emails quickly, all day ( and sometimes all night ) long. And that means the people receiving your emails are doing exactly the same thing. Whether this is good or bad for us, generally speaking, is an open question. But until we all get better at dealing with email overflow , how do you make sure the ones you send get noticed – and for reasons other than an unfortunate Freudian typo?

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  • Gretchen Gavett is a senior editor at Harvard Business Review.

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Home / Formal email writing examples & tips

25 formal email writing format examples & best practices

Get professional email writing formats proven to work in real life. See top formal email examples and learn professional email best practices.

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Email writing is an art and doing it well takes know-how and practice. But you don’t have to make all the mistakes for yourself in order to write professional emails.

We assembled for you the essential tips for creating highly effective formal emails with a deep dive into formal email formats, structure, and best practices. We also gathered some real-life examples and templates you can use right away with a few tweaks.

What’s in this article

  • Basic formal email structure
  • 25 top professional formal email examples you can use today

Aesthetics of a formal email

  • How to improve your email writing skills

Formal vs. informal email writing

Formal email writing is usually in a B2B or B2C scenario or a professional email between colleagues, businesses, or partners. Informal email writing is something you might send a friend, or family member, or sometimes even a quick email you’re firing off to a colleague.

When you’re emailing a friend there is not much risk of getting your words or meaning wrong, and there is little risk of hurting your reputation or wrecking an incredible business opportunity. But when writing a business email there is much at stake and many things that can go horribly wrong. This is why our article will deal mostly with formal email writing and how to get it right every time.

Here, we’ll go over all the ins and outs of what goes into an email structure, different email formats you can use, as well as short email templates that you can use in various scenarios. Keep reading to learn how to write the perfect email.

email writing example

Basic formal & professional email structure

Before we get into different email templates, it’s important to know how to build an email yourself. For the most part, every email, regardless of its contents, will follow the same structure with the same basic elements. You should get to know these elements in order to ensure proper and effective email writing as a whole.

The basic elements of professional email writing:

  • Your email address
  • Subject line

Email Opening

Email ending.

  • Email Sign off

Email signature/footer

Now let’s break these down, one by one.

Professional email address

Your email address is oftentimes out of your control. If you’re working for a company or operate under the umbrella of a brand your email address will likely include the company or brand name domain.

For example, the emails in WiseStamp are all in the following format: [employee_name]@wisestamp.com. This ensures that we all have a professional business email address. Since only the owner of wisestamp.com can issue email addresses under that domain name, this ensures our emails appear legitimate.

Imagine if each employee had a random Gmail address like [name][email protected], which anyone can create, that would be a bit suspicious. Email open rates are first and foremost dependent on trust, so make sure you have a trustworthy email address or suffer very low open rates.

If you are a freelancer professional, working separately from an established brand, consider buying a domain name for your personal brand. You can look up available domains on Google domain registrar .

Subject lines

Your subject line will be the single most important element in your formal email writing. It is the first thing your recipient will see and unless you convince her then and there that your email is a safe, relevant, and high priority (in that order) it may never be opened. If this happens, any effort you put into the rest of the email elements will go to waste.

Your subject line will depend on the purpose or content of your email, but overall, you want it to be something engaging enough for a recipient to click on.

Email subject line guidelines:

  • Be clear and specific – avoid using generic or clickbait subject lines that say nothing or make unrealistic promises, like “find out how to double your business in a week”.
  • Be original – avoid using those all too common subject line templates you find on the internet. Instead make original subject lines that are relevant, personal, and concise.
  • Add relevancy – address something that the recipient will recognize, like an acquaintance’s name or an article/ show/ book they appeared on.

Studies have shown that personalized subject lines are 26% more likely to be opened . You also want to tailor your email subject line to your email goal, whether it’s a sales email, a personal email, a newsletter, or something else. I advise that you take the time to think of 3-4 refined options then consider which of them will likely be most appropriate.

Best email subject line for cold sales

The next most important way to hook a recipient into your email is by writing a strong email opening line . Like your subject line, the email opening is mostly used as another filtering stage for most people. If it fails to meet the promise made in the subject line, your readers will ditch it.

Therefore, it’s extremely important to define your main point in 1 or 2 paragraphs tops. If you clearly convey your request or question and your reader feels it’s relevant and interesting, then they’ll continue reading your email. If you manage to get them to stay after this point, in most cases, they’ll return your email. Good for you.

professional email greeting examples

Email opening guidelines:

  • Address your recipient by their preferred name – look up an article they’ve written or their LinkedIn page and see what name they use. Some people will use their full name or their nickname accordingly (for example David vs. Dave, or Anastasia vs. Ana).
  • Establish a connection – connect your email to a personal experience that involves the recipient, like an article or a news piece you’ve read about them, or a conversation you had with an acquaintance.
  • Match the opening with the subject line – your opening message has to mirror the promise made in the subject line because this is how the reader validates relevancy. If you don’t connect the subject line to the opening, readers will be confused and even assume clickbait.
  • Get to the point fast – tell your reader why you contacted her and what’s in it for her.

email opening lines

The body of your email is where you get into your main message. Whether you’re composing an email to establish a new business connection or just following up on a meeting, the body of your email should be detailed enough that the reader isn’t confused, but also brief and to the point. No one wants to sit and read a long-winded email when they have dozens of other unattended messages in their inbox.

Email body writing guidelines:

  • Be concise – detail only what’s needed to get your point across.
  • Use words that convey (authentic) positive personal emotions – words like “glad”, “excited”, “intrigued”, and “confident”.
  • Use the word “because ” when asking for something – it’s been scientifically shown that people are more easily convinced to do something if told why, and more so if the reason is important to them.
  • Show don’t tell – if you can’t explain something in a few words, see if you can add a screenshot, a video, or a link that explains it better.
  • Use headings to split long content into sub-topics – if you can’t avoid writing a long email, make sure to break it up into subsections with headings. This will help your time-scarce readers to scan and find their points of interest.
  • Add your concrete request or question in bold text – to ensure your readers do not miss the most important piece of content (your request or question) – set it in a separate line and put it in bold. You can also use some color. If you do avoid light shades (you want high contrast between the text and the white background. Once you pick a color – stick with it.

After you’ve addressed all your main points in the body of your email, you’ll want to end it with a respectful and brief salutation. You can either invite your recipient to reach out for more questions, wish them success, or ask a question. It all depends on the motive for your email. If it was a long email it could also be a good idea to gently reiterate your main request, question, or motivation.

Email sign-off

When closing your email, you’ll want to choose a suitable email sign-off . There are different sign-offs you can use for each occasion, such as “best regards,” “sincerely,” or “with love,” but you obviously wouldn’t want to send the last one to your manager. Make sure your signoff is appropriate to your email content and your recipient.

A cool tip you can apply is to add a handwritten signature sign off. A handwritten signature give your recipient the feeling that you gave the email special attention and a personal touch. You can   create one here .

Your email signature (or footer) is your wave of goodbye. The way you do this can affect the impression you’ve made up to this point. If you make this moment memorable, organized, and aesthetic you can get some extra credit and a positive attitude from your reader. On the other hand, if you mess this up, your entire message or offer may be put in doubt. So, make sure your email signature looks visually appealing and well organized.

Consider creating a professional email signature to nail a positive lasting impression. Use the simple text email signature we all used back when email started at your discretion. Whichever you choose, be sure to include all your professional and contact information. It would also be a good idea to add links to your website, social media sites you are most active in, or a landing page.

Professional formal email examples: specific formats for specific goals & uses

In order to get a better understanding of how all the elements of an email work together in different types of emails, it’s helpful to look at some templates. Here, we’ll cover a number of email scenarios and provide you with an example for each one. Each of these letters refers to a specific situation, but you can always tweak the content to make it more relevant to your needs.

Our examples of the most common email formats:

Thank you email

Formal letter of appreciation, letter of complaint, cover letter, reminder email.

Apology letters samples:

Letter of apology for a client

Apology letter from boss.

  • Apology mail for the manager

Sample business emails (B2B and B2C):

  • Introduction email to client (outreach)
  • Sample email for proposal submission

Proposal submission email

  • Quotation email

Email asking for feedback

Information inquiry letter samples:

Email of inquiry requesting information

Email asking for a status update.

Request email samples – professional email asking for something:

Sick leave mail format

Letter asking for a discount from the supplier, ask for a raise, email your boss about a problem (asking for help), email to schedule a meeting.

Work update email samples:

  • Email to the client sharing the status of project
  • Email to the boss about work progress

Confirmation vs rejection email samples :

Acceptance email

“this is to inform you that” letter, job rejection email.

A thank you email is usually one that you’ll send after previous communication with someone. You might want to thank them for their help on a project, for fulfilling your personal request that you previously sent, for a job interview, or even for something as simple as taking a phone call or a meeting.

When composing a thank you email, you don’t want it to be too long, so get straight to the point. Additionally, they aren’t necessary 100% of the time and can sometimes just clog up the inbox of someone who might be really busy, so consider whether or not it will be useful for you before you click send on a “thank you” email.

Thank you email for work done or service rendered

Thank you so much for [action they did] It was such a pleasure to work with you, and I’m very excited about the next opportunity to work together again.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can provide any additional information.

Best regards, [name and job title]

Thank you email for a job interview

Dear [name of hiring manager],

I enjoyed speaking with you the other day at the interview for the [job name]. The job appears to be an ideal match for my skills, ambitions, and interests.

The innovative approach to the corporate culture within the [job field] world confirmed my wish to work at your firm.

I will bring my engineering skills, assertiveness, and ability to engage others to work in a cooperative way within the [name of department] department.

Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the [position title] at [company]. I have a high level of interest in working for your firm and look forward to hearing from you.

Best Regards,

professional thank you email example

Dear Mr./Mrs. [name],

I would like to formally recognize all the hard work and dedication you’ve put into completing [project/task]. Due to your consistent efforts, the project is what it is today and that led to the positive results we were hoping for. 

On behalf of [company name, board members, etc.], we would like to formally thank you for your hard work and we would like to let you know that we highly value your contribution and your continued dedication to your job.

We are very grateful to have you as a member of our team and we wish to continue to see you thrive within our organization.

Best regards,

[Name and job title]

Dear [name],

On January 30th, 2020, I made a reservation at your restaurant located at 1234 Mulberry Lane for a birthday dinner for four people. This letter is intended to bring certain issues to your attention.

Unfortunately, we did not enjoy our dinner due to the fact that the food was very slow to arrive and we received the wrong dishes. It’s understandable that it was a busy time at your restaurant, but the quality of the service was not as expected.

To resolve this problem, I would appreciate it if you could provide compensation in the form of a gift voucher or discount on a future meal. 

I’m looking forward to your reply.

With regards,

[Your name]

It used to be common to send your cover letter and CV as an attachment to your email. However, it’s becoming a lot more accepted to use the email itself as your cover letter and simply attach your CV.

When sending a cover letter email, make sure you’re using formal language, addressing the right person such as HR or the hiring manager, you use a relevant subject and opening line, and the body of your email demonstrates why you’d be a perfect fit for the job and company. Since hiring managers likely receive dozens of email cover letters, be sure to make sure yours stands out and doesn’t drag on too long.

Cover letter example

Dear hiring manager [name],

I was very interested while reading the job posting for the position of [job title]. I believe that the experience I have strongly match the responsibilities of this position. I am enthusiastic about submitting my application for the position.

My most recent position was at [company name], where I was a [job title name ]. Additionally, I recently participated in a [mention an accomplishment in your last job that is relevent]

I have attached my resume to this email. Thanks to it, I believe you will learn more about my experience, education, and achievements.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

If it’s your first time reaching out to someone or a second or even third, the format of your email should be different. A first contact email has to include certain details that provide context.

when writing a reminder email or follow-up email you don’t need to provide a broad context. Instead, you should just briefly and lightly remind your recipients of what you already agreed on (assume that it simply may have been forgotten or placed low in their backlog).

This little push can go a long way in shortening your timetables and making sure you’re items are prioritized. Most people appreciate the reminder and respect you for being steadfast.

Reminder email sample

I’m sure your schedule is very busy, so this email is simply to remind you of your upcoming interview with [name] who is a candidate for [name of position].

The interview will be at [time] on [date] in [location].

Please let me know if there’s anything I can help you with to prepare to interview this candidate.

Apology letters samples

From time to time we all make mistakes, and we all get something wrong. Sometimes our mistakes hurt others, cause them discomfort, or make them frustrated. In these situations, it’s usually the right call to simply apologize.

Apologizing is something that must be sincere or you risk offending the person further. It’s always the best approach to express genuine regret.

But regardless of whatever you truly feel, be very careful to only use words that express empathy for whomever it is you’re apologizing to. Do not lay any responsibility on them, and do not give excuses.

Dear [client’s name],

Please accept my deepest apologies on behalf of [company or business name] for the poor experience you had at our restaurant.

I want to thank you for bringing these issues to my attention and please know that we are making every effort to correct our mistakes so events like these don’t happen in the future.

As a token of our apology, please accept a gift card in the amount of $50.00 that can be used at our restaurant in the future.

I hope to greet you again soon at [company or business name].

Yours sincerely,

[Your name and job title]

Dear Mr./Mrs. [boss’s family name],

I’m writing to you to express my regret for my behavior on [date] in regard to [event]. I would like to apologize for my words and actions and reassure you that such an event will not happen again.

On the date in question, I got into a verbal altercation with the head waiter about the scheduling, and this led to my inexcusable behavior. I have already apologized to [name of colleague], and I wanted to assure you that I will work to improve my reactions and behavior in the future.

I’d be happy to meet with you to speak about the incident further if you have any outstanding concerns.

I am sorry again.

Apology mail for manager

Dear [manager’s name],

I owe you an apology for providing you with the wrong information on [date] regarding [event]. It was not my intention to provide inaccurate information and I apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused you.

It wasn’t my intention to mislead you, and it seems the false information was a result of a careless mistake. I will be sure to be more thoughtful in the future and learn from this incident.

Please do not hesitate to share any thoughts or concerns with me and I’d be glad to discuss this further. 

Business emai l sample s

Introduction email to a client (sample email to approach a new client).

Dear [Sir/Madame/Name],

I would like to take a moment to introduce myself and my company. My name is [name] and I am a [job title] at [company name]. Our company provides customers with cutting-edge technology for all their email signature needs.

At [company name], there are a number of services we can offer, such as [short list of services]. Our employees are also highly dedicated and are willing to help you with your every need. 

I’d love the opportunity to speak or meet with you to discuss your needs further and to tell you more about how [company name] can help you succeed. You can contact me at [phone number] with any questions you may have.

Dear [Name],

Please find enclosed to this email the proposal you requested regarding your website audit.

We hope that you will find this proposal helpful and insightful and that it meets your expectations. Of course, if you would like to make any adjustments or go in a different direction, feel free to let us know and we’d be happy to discuss with you.

Thank you for entrusting [your company name] with your website audit, and we hope to hear back from you soon.

Sending quotation email

Dear [customer name],

We’d like to thank you for sending in your inquiry on [date] regarding a quotation for auditing your website.

Based on an initial estimation, we are happy to offer you a quotation based on your requests. Please find the official pricing quote attached to this email. Note that this quotation includes [list of services], but should you want additional services, we’d be happy to discuss it further with you and provide another quotation.

Please do not hesitate to get back to us with any questions about the quotation or our services.

Hi [customer name],

We really appreciate you using our services on [date] and we’d like to get your feedback on your experience.

Please follow the link [insert link] to complete a short survey regarding your experience. This survey shouldn’t take any longer than 2 minutes and it will help us improve our products and services in the future.

We want to thank you in advance for your time and hope that you enjoyed your experience with [company name].

[Name and/or company name]

Inquiry letter samples

This email is to inquire about the website audit services you posted on your website. 

As I understand, you offer services to audit businesses’ websites and provide personalized insight into what improvements can be made. I’d like to request further information with regard to your pricing as well as the scope of the work that will be performed, including specific services that can be expected.

I look forward to receiving your response.

I wanted to check in and check on the status of the website audit project that is due on [date]. 

Please let me know where you’re at with the project and don’t hesitate to let me know if you require any assistance from my end.

Request email samples – professional email asking for something

A personal request email is usually straight to the point and involves a sender asking a recipient for something. It could be anything from connecting on a professional network, asking to set up a meeting, or even requesting a professional introduction. Following a personal request email, a recipient may decide to either accept or reject what the sender is asking for. In this type of email, it’s important to be very clear with what you’re asking for.

Hi [Name of manager/supervisor],

I am writing to request sick leave from [date range]. I will be undergoing surgery and at the recommendation of my doctor, I need to be off of work for 2 weeks in order to recover. I hope to be back at work on [date]. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Dear [name of the supplier],

Thank you for sending over your catalog of goods. We are very much interested in purchasing [name of the product(s)] from you and would like to get a quote for these items.

Additionally, we are hoping that this will lead to a prolonged partnership between the two of us. Therefore, we are kindly requesting that you provide us with your best possible price since we would like to use your goods on a permanent basis.

Thank you for your understanding.

Dear [Name of Manager/supervisor],

I have greatly enjoyed working for [company name] over the last 3 years. During these years, I feel that I have become a valuable member of your team and I have contributed to projects in a significant way. 

Since working here, I have accomplished: [list accomplishments].

As an employee, I think I have outperformed the goals set for me. As a result, I would like to have the opportunity to discuss increasing my salary so that it matches my current performance. Please let me know when is a good time for you to meet so that we can discuss this further.

Once again, I am grateful to be part of an organization that provides me with unique challenges and opportunities to continuously learn and grow.

Dear Mr./Mrs. [name of boss],

I would like to bring to your attention the incident that occurred at [location] on [date] at [time].

I was deeply upset by the actions of [coworker/event]. I tried to speak with them, but this did not lead to any sort of resolution and now I feel as if our professional relationship at work is strained as a result.

I am turning to you for assistance with the matter and I hope that you are able to come up with a solution that neither of us has thought of yet. 

Thank you for taking the matter seriously and please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks for getting in touch with us about our product. I’d be glad to set up a meeting in order to give you more information, answer your questions, and show you how it can work for your business. Does [date] at [time] work for you?

I look forward to meeting with you soon!

Work update email

Email to the client sharing the status of the project.

Dear [name of client],

We’d like to keep you updated regarding the progress we’ve made on our project. Please have a look at the tasks we’ve accomplished below and do not hesitate to get back to me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Key highlights and updates:

  • [list them]

Tasks accomplished this week:

Tasks to do next week :

Email the boss about work progress

Hi [name of boss],

I am happy to let you know that the project [name of project] that was assigned to me on [date] is now nearing completion. Due to the hard work of our team, the project is expected to be completed on time. Based on the pace of our work, I expect to have the entire project completed by [date].

The remaining elements of this project to be completed are as follows:

  • [List them 1]
  • [List them 2]
  • [List them n]

Thank you for your continued support and guidance and please do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions.

Confirmation vs rejection email samples

You might get an email confirmation after you purchase something online, or you can also reply to a formal email confirming receipt of an email attachment, a meeting time, or a company update. A rejection email is similar in that it might reject the item that was proposed in an email, in which case you’d let the sender know.

It is my great pleasure to inform you that I will be accepting your offer for employment as [job title] with [company name]. The goals for this role that you described are in line with my personal career aspirations, and I hope to be able to learn and grow in this role.

As discussed in our previous meeting, my salary will be [salary] and I will be starting on [date].

I appreciate all the time you took to make the interviews as seamless as they were, and I look forward to working with you soon.

This is to inform you that your business proposal [title of the proposal] has unfortunately been rejected by our committee. While we did like your idea, unfortunately, the costs involved reach well beyond our budget for this quarter. 

We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and encourage you to submit additional proposals if you have others that are aligned with our goals.

Best of luck,

This is to inform you that I will not be proceeding in the interview process for [job title] with [company name]. I would like to formally withdraw my candidacy.

At this time, I have accepted a position with another company, so I am no longer in search of employment. However, I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to meet with me and for being attentive to my questions about the role. 

It was a pleasure meeting with you and I wish you luck in finding the right candidate for the job.

Before you even get started on the content of your email, you want to make sure the aesthetic is appealing and not too out of the ordinary. Of course, you want to capture the attention of your recipient, but you also want to appear professional, so keep the Comic Sans font out of the equation. What sort of aesthetics should you pay attention to in a formal email? Let’s take a look.

Choice of Font

Don’t start reinventing the wheel here. It’s better to go with a safe bet instead of a creative option when selecting a font. Choose a font that’s easy to read and skim, since if you’re sending a longer email it’s possible your recipient will just skim its contents. Therefore, you want to font to be clear and the letters to be far enough apart. We suggest going with fonts like Georgia, Verdana, Arial, or Times New Roman

formal email fonts

You don’t want your recipient to have to squint to read your email, but your text also shouldn’t appear as if it’s yelling either. Depending on the font you go with you might need to tweak the sizing a little, but in general, font size 12 is what you should be using. You can use size 10 or 11 as well, just make sure it doesn’t look too small before sending your email.

How do I improve my email writing skills?

There are a number of ways you can make your emails shine, and you don’t need to be a professional writer to do it. In fact, there are a few small areas you can focus on to make your emails clearer and more well-received. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when composing an email.

1. Practice optimizing your subject lines

Your subject line is the first thing a recipient sees when they receive your email. Therefore, it’s important that it’s optimized as much as possible. Keep these tips in mind when coming up with your subject line:

  • Keep it short, no more than 40 characters is ideal
  • Make it personal, use the recipient’s name if you have it
  • Use a call to action, like “let’s set up a meeting today”
  • Create a sense of urgency, such as “offer to expire soon”

2. Practice summarizing your main point for your email openings

Once you get your recipient to open your email, you don’t want to bore them right away. You have to keep things interesting, relevant, and straight to the point. That’s why it’s crucial to put your main point somewhere in the first sentence, or at least the first paragraph. 

While your opening line can be something general like “thank you for taking the time to meet with me,” the very next line should be something more powerful. Whether you ask for the results of a meeting, make a proposal, or initiate a follow-up meeting, this first sentence sets the tone of the rest of the email so the reader knows exactly what the subject is and what to expect from the rest of your message.

3. Research the correct email etiquette to use for your most common scenarios

When sending emails, especially formal or professional emails for work, it’s important to maintain email etiquette . Since many of us answer our emails on our phones while on the go, it’s tempting to reply to emails as we would a text message, but that’s not good practice.

4. Proofread grammar

Finally, before you click send, always give your email a once-over. Make sure your email is free of types, the punctuation makes sense (avoid using too many exclamation points), and that your syntax is correct.

Don’t always rely on spell-checkers, you want to read through your email before sending, especially if it’s an important message to a superior or a client since emails with grammar mistakes can potentially have a negative impact.

There are countless reasons for sending an email, and even if we didn’t cover every single scenario here, you should at least have a better idea of what constitutes a good email. Using our tips and examples, you’ll be able to compose better emails that get you the results you want. 

More on this topic

  • Email closings: The definitive guide
  • Email blast marketing: Learn how to effectively promote your brand
  • Email management: : Proven Tips for Boosting Productivity
  • Various best regards alternatives for email closing
  • Ultimate guide on how to end an email
  • How to get a professional email address
  • How does BCC work: complete guide
  • How to craft an introduction email to a new team
  • Email etiquette explained: rules and examples in business and in the workplace
  • The complete guide to cold email outreach

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Sumo email marketing

21 Business Email Examples (+Templates) You Can Copy And Paste

corporate email writing

For years, people have been talking about how email marketing will die.

But it has only gotten stronger! The number of people who use email will surpass 4 billion by the end of the year.[ * ]

It should be an important part of your marketing if it isn’t already.

In this post, I have created 21 business email examples with templates that you can swipe to help you kickstart your email marketing immediately. I’ve also included proven tips for writing emails that get opens, clicks, and responses at the end of the post.

Get the email templates we use at AppSumo

Want the secret to great emails for any business scenario, with real-world examples to back them? Access the email templates that generate hundreds of millions of dollars for our businesses.

Download Million Dollars Email Templates

1. Lead magnet promotion email

You can send the lead magnet promotion email to your existing list of subscribers to encourage them to sign up for a new lead magnet. Remember that the email signature is one the best places to add an additional CTA for your lead magnet.

Subject Line: New [Lead magnet type]) [Lead magnet name]

Hi there [Name],I’m emailing you today to let you know we have created a new [lead magnet type] called [lead magnet name].

In this [lead magnet type], you’ll learn how to create [describe what your lead magnet covers in 2 to 3 sentences].

[Link]Click here to access the [lead magnet name] ⇒[Link]

If you know anybody else who’ll find this useful, please forward the email to them.

Let us know if you face any problems accessing the [lead magnet type] by replying to this email. We’ll get back to you ASAP and ensure you gain access to it immediately.

[Your signature]

Here’s a good example of a lead magnet promotion email I received from HubSpot .

example of a lead magnet promotion email that received from HubSpot

This email starts with a persuasive subject line announcing their new ebook and its title.

Next, they open with a personalized “Hi” that includes my name, followed by an intro where they talk about the problem to get me more interested.

After that, they tell me about the solution (the ebook), then finally ask me to get it by clicking on the button.

Did you notice they placed “New Ebook” in brackets to gather extra attention? Using brackets can increase open rates, as found by Joanna Wiebe of Copy Hackers.[ * ]

Joanna tested the subject lines “startup Qs about landing pages + emails [Copyhackers]” and “open startup Qs about landing pages + emails”.

The former subject line got an open rate of 36.4% while the latter got 32%. In this case, the “Copyhackers” branding helped. To see if using something like “new ebook” will help, you will need to conduct your own split test.

2. Lead magnet delivery email

This is the email you send immediately after a new subscriber signs up for your lead magnet.

Subject Line: Here’s your free [lead magnet type]

I’m so glad you signed up for the [lead magnet name].

In this [lead magnet type], you’ll learn [describe what they will learn in the lead magnet].

[Link]Click Here to Gain Immediate access to [lead magnet name] ⇒[Link]

If you’re unable to access it, just reply to this email and let me know. I will sort it out for you ASAP.

And if you need help with [a service you offer related to the lead magnet], please check out this page [link to your services landing page].

I have helped several people with this. Here’s a link to a case study [link to a case study].

3. Lead magnet follow-up email

You should send this email if the person doesn’t open the lead magnet delivery email. You can also send it if they don’t click the lead magnet link.

Note: You can only include this email if your email service provider has this tracking option .

Subject Line: Here is your free [lead magnet type]

I noticed that you didn’t download the [lead magnet type] I sent, so I’m sending it again.

[Link]Click Here to check out the [lead magnet name] ==>[Link]

Here’s an example of a lead magnet follow-up email I got from Frank Kern . As you can see, he was not only tracking my email activity, but also the activity on the video the email directed me to.

Lead Magnet Follow-Up Email from Frank Kern

He figured out that I didn’t watch the entire video. So, he followed up with an email that asks me to check out the free masterclass again.

4. Product launch email

You send the product launch email when you want to promote a new product.

Subject Line: It’s here! The [product name]

I hope you’re having a wonderful day!

I am emailing you today to let you know we have opened doors to our [product name].

It helps you [describe the problem and solution].

[Link]To learn more about what it does, click here…[Link]

Make sure you buy it before [mention either a time frame or number of sales].

Here is a testimonial from a recent customer [add a review from a customer].

If you have any questions about the product, please respond to this email or use the live chat on the product page. Our staff is waiting to respond to you.

Notes: Want more product launch email examples? Check the 10 best product launch email examples here.

5. Testimonial/review request email

You should send the testimonial/review request email a few days after a customer buys a product.

Subject Line: Could you please do us a small favor?

I hope you are enjoying your recent purchase of [name of the product].

If you found it useful, we would like you to help us and others who would like to buy it too.

So, could you please visit this page [insert link] and leave a review? It should take you less than three minutes.

We really appreciate your help.

Only ask for reviews on your site and third-party sites that allow you to ask for reviews, as there are sites like Yelp where you aren’t allowed to ask for reviews.

If possible, set your email automation software to send the email a few days after the product is delivered (if you are running an ecommerce store). This will encourage them to leave the review after they try the product.

Review Request Email from Amazon

Here’s a good example of a review request email I received from Amazon. They made sure to send it to me a few days after it was delivered.

6. Discount offer email

Send this email to your list when you have a discount.

Subject Line: A special discount is waiting for you inside

Thank you so much for being a customer of [your company name].

It’s because of people like you we have been able to be in business for such a long time. To thank you, we have created a discount coupon especially for you.

Use the code [unique code number] to get a discount of [add a discount percentage or amount] from any product in our store [insert link to your online shop].

But hurry! The offer is only available for the first [add number or time limit] people who make the purchase.

7. Re-engagement email

You send this email to re-engage subscribers who have stopped interacting with your emails. The best time to send it is before you remove inactive subscribers.

Subject Line: Are you there?

I’m removing inactive subscribers. And I notice that you haven’t opened an email from me in the past [add number] months.

I understand if you don’t want any emails from me. No hard feelings :).

But if you want to continue receiving my emails, just click the below link to confirm, and I won’t delete you.

[Link]I still want emails from you ⇒[Link]

There’s no need to opt in again. You just need to click.

8. Segmentation triggers email

You send this email when you want to understand your email subscribers better.

Subject Line: I want to send you better content

I hope you find the tips I share useful.

I want to continue sending more free content to you. But I want to be certain that I am only sharing content you want. Could you please let me know what topics you prefer by clicking on one link below?

[Add text and link to topic number 1]

[Add text and link to topic number 2]

[Add text and link to topic number 3]

If you don’t find a topic you prefer, just reply to this email and let me know what topics you would like to read more content on.

You can see an example of this level of segmentation in this email from Jenn Scalia .

Segmentation Triggers Email From Jenn Scalia

Jenn’s a business coach who helps entrepreneurs earn more. Hence, she sent an email asking people how much they currently earn. Now she can send them more relevant content.

This level of segmentation will help Jenn keep her open rates high and her unsubscription rates low, while working to increase sales and revenue. MailChimp’s findings below illustrate some of the performance changes their customers had after implementing segmented lists.[ * ]

Email marketing stats from MailChimp

9. Newsletter email

You can send the newsletter email every 1 to 4 weeks.

Subject Line: Here are some things you will find useful

Here’s a roundup of the latest content from our blog and from other places on the web

[Title of 1st article with an inserted link]

[1st article description]

[Title of 2nd article with an inserted link]

[2nd article description]

[Title of 3rd article with an inserted link]

[3rd article description]

Here’s an example of Ahrefs’ newsletter email:

Newsletter email from Ahrefs

10. Latest blog post email

You should send this email to your list after you publish a blog post

Subject Line: (New Post) [Post title]

I wanted to let you know I just published a new post on my blog that I am sure you’ll find useful.

In this post, you’ll learn [describe in 2 to 3 lines].

[Link]Click here to check it out ⇒[Link]

Please share it with your followers if you feel they will find it useful. Here’s a handy Tweet link [insert Twitter share link]. Click to share it now…

11. Blog post promotion email

You can use the blog post promotion email to reach out to bloggers and influencers.

Subject Line: Could you please help me out?

I just read your post [add post title]. It’s both well written and useful. I especially like how you [describe a couple of details about the post].

I am emailing you today to let you know I have written the post [add title of the post + link].

I think you will find it useful, as it is relevant to your post on [add post name]. Could you take a quick peek at it and let me know what you think?

When you send this email, make sure the post you are praising is a recent post with positive feedback in the comments. Also, make sure it is written by the person you are emailing or at least by someone on their team. You don’t want to compliment them for a guest post.

You will also notice I didn’t include a request for a share or backlink. I did this because it rarely works. Instead, it will be better for you to ask for the favor after they respond to the email and let you know what they think about the post.

12. Guest post outreach email

Use this template when you reach out to blogs you want to contribute to. But make sure you modify it after reading the guidelines provided by the blog, as some will want you to submit a draft, while others will want you to pitch topics.

Subject Line: I would really like to write for your blog

I am a big fan of your blog. You share a lot of useful tips here. I especially like your post [add post title]. It’s both well written and useful.

I would like to contribute a unique post for your blog as well. I have read your guidelines and will follow them while writing the post. [Confirm page points of guidelines you’ll follow, like: This will be a long-form post that is 1,500+ words long with a lot of statistics and examples.]

Here are a few samples of my work…

[Add links to published posts in the same field]

If you’re interested, I would love to work with you on the topics and formats that best meet your needs for the blog. Would you prefer sample topics, a draft outline, or a complete post? [modify based on blog’s guidelines]

Here’s a good example of a guest post pitch I received from someone who wanted to contribute to my blog…

Outreach email

As you can see, it starts with some good personalization. The sender addresses me by my name and writes a bit about some articles that she read on my blog.

She then suggests some topic ideas and ends the email with samples of her work.

13. Affiliate partnership email

Use this template to reach out to potential affiliates.

Subject Line: Your readers will love this

I’m a big fan of your website. I like the products you review here. One of my favorites is the review for [product name].

We have a product like it called [product name] that we just launched, and we were wondering if you’d like to write a review about it.

Please let us know if you are, and we will send you a free sample.

Here’s a link [insert link] to our affiliate program. You earn [number or percent] commission for every sale you make.

We hope you’ll partner with us.

Please let me know if you have any questions or would like a demo. I’m here to help.

Here’s an example of an affiliate partnership email I received. It follows a similar pattern to the one I shared above.

Affiliate partnership email

The sender also included details about the number of users they have and their rating on Capterra, helping make the product look more credible.

14. Podcast invite email

You can send this to people you want to invite to your podcast.

Subject Line: I just listened to your podcast

I recently discovered your work when I listened to the podcast [add podcast name]. You shared so many useful insights there.

I wanted to let you know I run a podcast too. It’s called [add name + link], and I was wondering if you’d like to come on the air.

The podcast has [mention number of subscribers, downloads, etc.]. Prominent people like [names] have already taken part.

Would you be interested? I will be happy to interview you at a date and time that is convenient for you.

15. Products/services pitch email

Send this email to potential clients and customers.

Subject Line: I like what you’re doing

I’m a big fan of your company. You seem to be doing well at [add a few compliments about the positives].

But I noticed one problem [write about the problem].

And I offer the perfect solution. My company [add name] helps businesses [your product and solutions].

After we work with you, you will [describe the transformation].

Here’s a recent case study [link case study] of how we helped one of our clients [write about the result].

If our services interest you, could you please respond to this email and let us know? We can set up a quick call to discuss more details.

16. Influencer outreach email

Send this to social media influencers you want to team up with.

Subject Line: We want to partner with you

I have been following you on [social network name] for a long while now. You share a lot of [content], and have built up a loyal following.

I also noticed that you share a lot of useful products.

So, I am reaching out to let you know I have the next product for you to promote. It’s called [add name + link to product]. It helps [describe the product].

I am sure you and your followers will like it. You can use it to [describe the uses].

Please let me know if you would like to promote it. We’ll send you a sample of the product. We can also help you create the content, and we’ll pay you for your time.

17. Call invite email

Send this to people who signed up for a free consultation.

Subject Line: About your free consultation with [your name]

Thank you for signing up for the free consultation. I am looking forward to speaking with you.

Could you please click this link [insert a link to your scheduling software] and schedule a time and date for our call?

If you have any questions about the call, just reply to this email. I will get back to you ASAP.

Here’s a very good example of a coaching call invite from Todd Brown of Marketing Funnel Automation .

Coaching call invite from Todd Brown

It is different from the above template, as it is directed to a list of subscribers.

18. Call follow-up email

You can send this email after your call.

Subject Line: Following up on our call

Thank you for attending the call. It was really nice to learn about you and your business.

During the call, we discussed…

[Summarize the details in a few bullet points]

I’ve attached my custom plan for your business to this email [attach it to the email].

Please go through it and let me know if you would be interested in working with me.

19. Client onboarding email

Send this email as soon as the client hires you.

Subject Line: Details for starting [Project name]

Thank you so much for choosing us. We’re looking forward to working with you.

I’m going to set up a plan for this project now. We like to use Trello and/or Asana [change to whichever tool you use] to manage our projects. Could you please let me know which one you prefer? We will set up a board for you there so you can monitor our progress.

I have also attached a document that details all the login details I need from you. Please add them there or share them with us through LastPass .

And if you have any questions, you can email me at [email protected] or call me at [add your number].

20. Feedback request email

Send this after the work is done.

Subject Line: Help us to help serve you better

Hope you’ve been enjoying our services so far.

We want to continue offering the best service. Could you please take five minutes and fill up this feedback form for us [share link to form]?

Please be honest with your responses. If you didn’t like something, don’t be afraid to point it out. We take feedback very seriously and are ready to make changes to help serve you better.

21. Event invite email

Use this to invite clients to company events.

Subject Line: We cordially invite you to [event name]

It is that time of the year again when we have our [name of the event].

It is a day where we [describe your event in about two lines].

You have become a valued part of our company, we would love it if you’re able to come, but we understand if you can’t.

Please click this invitation link [insert link] and RSVP yes or no.

Top tips for writing emails that get opens, clicks, and responses

You can swipe the above templates, add in a bit of personalization and email them to people. But if you want the best results, you should write your own emails from scratch.

To help you get this right, I have shared my top tips for writing business emails below…

1. Write an inviting subject line

Your email subject line has one job. That is to get a maximum number of people to open it. So, pay close attention to it and write a very persuasive subject line.

Don’t reveal too much information here. Just reveal enough to pique interest and get opens. The body copy of the email should take care of the rest.

Here’s a good example of a subject line from America’s Test Kitchen.

Example of a subject line from America’s Test Kitchen

It might seem as if a three-word subject line that says ‘Building Better Bowls’ is very vague. But that’s the point of it. When the subject line doesn’t have enough details, people will click it to learn more.

When you look at the above subject line, you begin to wonder what they are talking about? Is it a utensil or a dish such as a smoothie bowl or Buddha bowl? As America’s Test Kitchen reviews cooking equipment and shares recipes.

So, you click the subject line to find the answer.

In fact, four-word subject lines drive the highest engagement.[ * ] So, keep your subject lines as short as possible.

2. Keep your subject line casual and friendly

One trick is to not capitalize the email subject line, as it can make your emails look too formal.

For example, when I look at a subject line like the one below from Frank Kern, my spidey-sense goes up. I can see that the sender is trying very hard to get my attention. And I usually assume they are trying to sell me something and I lose attention.

Screenshot of email subject line

You don’t want your recipients to feel the same way. Instead, you want the subject line to feel informal. It needs to look like a friend sent it. As people are more likely to open emails from friends.

Also, capitalizing every word might land your email in the spam folder.

As we mentioned, using brackets in the subject line can increase open rates. So, use them to highlight the most important bit. You can also use emojis as they can increase open rates as well.[ * ]

A good example of a well-written email subject line with an emoji is this one I received from Mike Pearson of Stupid Simple SEO .

Example of a well-written email subject line with an emoji

You can also see that Mike only capitalized the first letter and used only four words. The line is very brief. This should generate a lot of curiosity.

3. Personalize the emails

Personalization of the email subject line can increase open rates by 50%.[ * ]

Email subject line stat by Oberlo

Personalized promotional emails can also generate six times higher transaction rates and revenue per email.[ * ]

So, make sure you add a good amount of personalization to your emails. By this, I don’t mean that you just slap in the name of the receiver to the subject line right after the “Hi.”

You need to do a lot more than that. If you are emailing this to a list, I recommend that you create a persona for your audience. You can then personalize the email for that persona.

And if you are sending the email to an individual, you should learn as much as you can about them. You can do this by checking out their blog, their LinkedIn profile, their tweets, etc.

Then you can write emails they want to read and interact with.

4. Get to the point quickly

The average user sends and receives over 120 business emails a day.[ * ]

They want to read your email quickly and move on. If you spend a lot of time dillydallying with endless text, you will lose their attention.

So, get to the point you want to make quickly. This is mainly necessary for cold outreach emails. Here’s an example of Dean reaching out to share about a new blog post in less than 50 words.

Outreach email from Dean

If you are sending an email to a warm audience via a newsletter, you can write a longer email. These people have a relationship with you. If you write a good copy, you should be able to hold their attention.

5. Proofread and edit them

Proofread and edit your emails several times to make sure they are completely free of errors. You can use a tool like Grammarly to check for errors. After you edit your article with Grammarly, you can edit it with Hemingway .

Screenshot of Hemingway app

Hemingway will help you simplify your text. Make sure you pay close attention to your text so it reads at a grade 4-6 level. You can go even lower if possible.

As mentioned earlier, people receive a lot of emails in a day. So, they will want to skim through your email. Make this possible for them by keeping your email copy as simple as you can.

I used Hemingway to simplify the readability of all the templates I shared above.

Now use the business email templates or make your own from scratch

You have two options now:

  • Swipe the templates I have shared above.
  • Use my tips and create your own from scratch.

The one you choose should depend on your current status. If you have the time, I recommend that you write a new email from scratch. You should be able to churn out one in an hour or two.

But if you are in a hurry, you can use the templates for now and create your own templates later.

Soft Skills

13 minute read

How to Improve Business Email Writing Skills

Kat Boogaard

Kat Boogaard

Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Pocket Email

When it comes to your professional life, what is the one communication skill you use the most?

Without a doubt, it’s email writing.

In fact, one study indicates that in 2018, the average business person sends approximately 43 business emails daily (not to mention the 97 emails, on average, they receive each day).

As a result, writing good business emails is no longer a “nice to have” skill—it’s something that you absolutely need if you want to be as effective as possible in your professional life.

An email itself seems simple. But, there’s actually quite a bit that goes into drafting a message that’s clear, concise, and polished. Let’s break down everything you need to know about improving business email writing skills.

How to improve business email writing skills: The basics

There are key elements to every business email you send: the subject, introduction, body, call to action, and signature.

However, before we roll up our sleeves and dive into those individual parts, we’ll cover some of the more general, nuts and bolts rules you need to follow in order to produce an effective message.

Basic rule #1: Keep things short

When you have a lot to cover, it’s tempting to send a War and Peace-length note to your recipients. But, the best business emails aren’t wordy—they’re actually quite short.

Research conducted by email extension, Boomerang , states that the ideal length for an email is somewhere between 50 and 125 words.

The two paragraphs above? They come in at exactly 50 words—proving that you don’t have a ton of space to get your point across. Make it your goal to stick to that word count range, and you’ll increase your chances of getting a response.

Basic rule #2: Make things easy to read

Because we receive so many emails each and every day, people aren’t willing to dedicate tons of time and attention to your message. There are dozens of others waiting in their inboxes.

The average person only spends about 11 seconds reading an individual email, which is why you not only need to keep things short but also relatively easy to read.

Short, direct sentences, line breaks, and bulleted lists will make it easier for your recipient to extract the point of your message—without needing to invest his full attention to understand your request.

Basic rule #3: Familiarize yourself with proper etiquette

Finally, there are some unwritten email etiquette rules you’ll want to be aware of to ensure you don’t ruffle anyone’s feathers with your written communication.

First and foremost, be conscious of your recipients. Only send that message to the people who actually need to receive it. We’ve all been copied on an email that has nothing to do with us—it’s frustrating, and just leads to more clutter in our inboxes.

Additionally, if you need to send to a large group of people, make good use of that “BCC” address field. Doing so protects the privacy of your recipients—from others on that email and spammers or hackers who frequently target those large, unprotected lists.

Want to learn more?

Take your soft skills to the next level with our comprehensive (and free) ebook!

Got it? Now that we have those basics under our belts, let’s dissect what makes a solid business email—section by section.

The subject line

The subject line is an often-overlooked piece of the email-drafting process. But, even so, it’s important—after all, it’s the very first impression of your message.

A bad subject will promptly land your note in the trash, while a strong one will improve the chances that your email actually gets read (and responded to).

Consider this your golden rule of writing email subjects: Make the intent of your message explicitly clear right from the get-go.

Too often, we rely on general subject lines like “Following Up” or “Checking In.” Not only do these give zero indication of what your email is actually about, but they also make it that much tougher for your recipient to find that message later (can you imagine how many emails they have that use that same exact subject line?).

After reading your subject, the recipient should know exactly what information or questions you’re going to include in the body of your email. You aren’t trying to hook them with something catchy or cryptic—make the purpose of your message painfully obvious.

When it comes to the length of your subject line, this is an area where slightly longer is actually better. Research from Return Path found that subject lines between 61 and 70 characters have the highest read rates.

It makes sense—too much shorter than that, and you’re likely not providing enough detail on your subject.

Bad subject line:

Following Up

Good subject line:

Question About the Data Used in Thursday’s Sales Presentation

improve_business_email_writing_skills_graph_1

The greeting and introduction

You did it—you got that person to actually open your email. Now what?

They’ll turn their attention to the start of your message—which consists of your greeting and introduction.

When it comes to the actual greeting, the exact wording you use can vary depending on the circumstance for your particular message. Something like “Dear [Name]” is more appropriate in a formal setting, while a friendly “Hey [Name]” is great for instances when you can be more conversational and relaxed.

For what it’s worth, a study conducted by Boomerang found that using a simple “hey” yielded the highest response rate. Nobody knows your audience or recipient better than you, so use your best judgment here. If you get stuck, check out this guide to the best email opening lines for any occasion.

improve_business_email_writing_skills_graph_2

You can check out examples of welcome emails , illustrating effective opening lines. Either way, make sure to use that person’s first name at the beginning of your message so that it’s instantly apparent that it’s personalized—and not a bulk, junk email.

Moving onto the introduction, common courtesy dictates that you should begin with something short and friendly, such as, “I hope you’re doing well!”

If the situation warrants it, you can also follow that up with something a little more personal to reinforce your bond with that recipient.

However, the operative word with email introductions is short. Yes, it pays to be friendly and cordial when beginning your note. But, spiraling into anything too long-winded only clutters your message and wastes your recipient’s time.

Remember, when he or she will only read your email for about 11 seconds, you need to get to the meat and potatoes relatively quickly.

INSIDER TIP: It’s best to avoid asking questions in your introduction (especially rhetorical ones like, “What’s up?” or “How are you?”). You want your recipient to respond to the questions that actually matter—and not get confused or sidetracked with that inconsequential small talk.

Bad greeting and introduction:

Hi, What’s up? How’d that seminar go last week? I was bummed I couldn’t make it, but I was just too busy. Did you see Jason there? He said he was going to be there, but I wasn’t sure if he backed out at the last minute. An introduction like this one is way too long-winded and asks far too many questions that you likely don’t need answers to. If you ask an important question later in your message, it could potentially be overshadowed by all of this small talk.

Good greeting and introduction:

Hey Cheryl, Happy Monday! I hope last week’s seminar went well.

This is where the bulk of the magic happens—the body of your email. This is another place where clarity is key.

Don’t fall into the trap of packing eight different things into one email (as tempting as it might be). Your recipient will feel overwhelmed by all of those seemingly competitive requests—which means they’ll either push your email to the back burner or ignore it completely.

Instead, make it your goal to only include one main point per message.

Need to send the details and agenda for an upcoming meeting? Do that in one email with a relevant, clear subject line. If you also need to check in on the status of the graphics for a presentation? You can still do so—just in a separate email.

Segregating requests like that involves a little extra effort on your part. But, in the end, it will make things easier for both you and your recipient. You won’t get wires crossed, things won’t fall through the cracks, and you’ll be able to find those details later (because they’ll have a clear subject line—as opposed to a "catch-all" one!).

In addition to that major point, remember to also implement those important basics we discussed earlier—such as keeping the overall message short, breaking up large paragraphs, and implementing bulleted lists where possible.

Bad email body:

It’s been a while, so I figured I’d check in on the status of those graphs for the presentation we need to do for the board next week. Do you know when you’ll have those done? Kate mentioned you guys were aiming for this Wednesday, but I thought it’d be best to check with you in case that changed. Either way, can you let me know? Also, we need one additional graph created—I attached the details for that one. Additionally, I’ve attached the agenda and notes for this Friday’s meeting. Sorry, it took me so long to pull those together—it’s been a crazy week. Go ahead and look those documents over and let me or Luke know if you have any questions about them. If so, you should probably get those over to us before Thursday so we have time to make any adjustments if necessary.

Even though the language is somewhat simple and straightforward, these long paragraphs are tough to wade through. This email format also includes two separate items—which would be better broken up into two different messages.

Good email body:

I’m checking in on the status of those graphs for the presentation to the board next week. Are you still planning to have those wrapped up this Wednesday? Also, we need one additional graph created. This new graph should break down: The different marketing channels we used to acquire customers Which one was most effective in the fourth quarter The data and more details about that graph are in the attached document.

The call to action

Every business email you send has a purpose, right? You need the recipient to take action—whether it’s answering a question, moving forward with a part of the project, sending you more information, or something else entirely.

Yet, far too often, we neglect to make it clear what we need our recipient to do. They read our messages and are left wondering, “OK… what now?”

Each and every email that you send should end with a direct call to action.

Not sure what that should be? Ask yourself this question: What do you need that person to do next? Take that answer and phrase it as a polite instruction—that way, there’s no confusion about what next steps should be.

This is another area where you don’t want to be vague—in fact, the more specific the better. Sentences like, “Let me know what you think!” or “Any questions?” don’t make it obvious that you’re anticipating that person to take action.

Adding a call to action will make your email that much stronger, but there’s one more element you shouldn’t skip: a deadline. In addition to letting that person know what she needs to do, also tell her when she needs to do it by.

Bad call to action:

Let me know if you have any questions.

Good call to action:

Please look at pages 14-16 of the report and let me know by EOD on Monday if you have any additions.

The signature

Finally, the signature is another element that’s often overlooked entirely—despite the fact that it’s included at the conclusion of every single one of your emails.

A signature in a business email should include the following:

  • Your first and last name
  • Your job title and company
  • Your contact information
  • A link to your company’s website or any other relevant pages

That can all be accomplished in only a few words. Yet, including those details in your signature ensures that your recipient has all of the information he or she could possibly need

Bad signature:

Good signature:

Best, John Doe Director of Sales, Google 123-456-7891

The final steps

There you have it—all of the necessary elements of a solid business email. But, wait! Before you send, there’s one more thing you need to take care of: proofreading.

Read through your email (read it from the bottom to the top to force your brain to pay attention to each sentence) to catch any errors or typos. Additionally, check that any links you included actually work and confirm that necessary attachments are indeed attached to your message.

When you’ve done that? Press “send” and give yourself a hearty pat on the back—you just drastically improved your business email writing skills.

Keen to learn more? Sign up for our  Business Writing course and become a workplace wordsmith in no time. 

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Kat Boogaard

Kat is a writer specializing in career, self-development, and productivity topics. When she escapes her computer, she enjoys reading, hiking, golfing, and dishing out tips for prospective freelancers on her website.

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corporate email writing

  • 21 Guidelines for Writing Effective Professional Email
  • Write business emails containing only content you would be willing to send to everyone involved.
  • Don’t write gossip, very personal issues, or sensitive issues in professional email.
  • Business emails are commonly forwarded and circulated, so write as though everyone involved is going to read the email.
  • Write nothing in business email with a hint of disparaging, slandering, or referring negatively to someone’s gender, race, nationality, or other such identity.
  • Choose times to review and act on emails. Don’t read and respond to business emails every moment of the day. If something is urgent, the person should call you.
  • Respond when you read the email. Avoid reading an email more than once.
  • Delegate and forward business email if appropriate and tell the reader what you have done.
  • Answer simple emails immediately. Don’t make readers wait to figure out whether you received the email.
  • Decide when you can respond fully to business emails that require time. Tell the reader when you will accomplish the task.
  • Respond to every business email, if only to say you will not continue responding.
  • Be clear about what you want to accomplish in your business email.
  • Write objectives in reader terms: “The reader will . . .”
  • Write using the objectives as a guide. Check your business email when you’re done to be sure you will accomplish your objective.
  • Identify in the email request what the reader wants, under what conditions, by what time.
  • Prepare a plan for your business email based on the words the reader used in his or her request.
  • Arrange your email to provide everything the reader is asking for.
  • Write a subject line for every business email.
  • Change the subject line when the contents of the email change.
  • Convey the sense of urgency if there is one with words such as “URGENT” or “RESPONSE NEEDED.”
  • Use the key terms for each topic in a business email in the subject line.
  • Begin the subject line with the prominent words for the message.
  • Put “you” oriented statements in the subject line.
  • Don’t write a message in the subject line or begin the message and continue it in the body.
  • Give your business emails a positive, encouraging one by adding thanks and other cordial statements at the beginning.
  • If the email contains negative information, begin with a buffer to set the tone as positively as is warranted.
  • Build the team spirit and your relationship with the reader by acknowledging when you have received something you asked for.
  • Let the reader in on as much background as necessary, but not too much.
  • Include only information relevant to your objectives and the subject.
  • Always think through your business emails before writing, while you can still focus on the big picture.
  • Write notes you will follow in the email. Writing a whole business email and then trying to organize it is like trying to repackage an item you want to return that just don’t seem to fit in the box.
  • Organize your business email notes. Decide the order in which you must give the reader information so the reader understands.
  • Put the notes in levels. Level 1 topics are the main ideas. Level 2 topics support the main ideas. Number the notes.
  • State critical points after you explain the reason the reader is receiving this now.
  • State actions you will perform or the reader must perform in the beginning of the business email.
  • For actions, state what, who, when, where, and how the action must be performed. Avoid vagaries such as “ASAP.”
  • Restate the critical points and actions at the end in a way that doesn’t sound like you’re patronizing the reader.
  • Identify the main ideas that support or explain the central idea.
  • Number the main ideas Level 1.
  • Identify the ideas that support the main ideas.
  • Number the supporting ideas Level 2
  • Continue to number the ideas so you have an outline of the email.
  • Make the Level 1 blocks stand out from one another with white space, headings, and transitions.
  • Make the Level 2 blocks stand out in the same way.
  • The reader should see a clear blueprint in professional email by looking at the way the writer has structured it.
  • Use headings liberally in business writing. Mark Level 1 blocks with headings.
  • For longer business email with pages for Level 1 blocks, mark the Level 2 blocks with headings.
  • Begin each block with the key terms that tell the reader what is in the block.
  • Check the contents with a separate read after you finish a draft.
  • Be sure you have enough information in each block to accomplish your objectives with the reader.
  • Be sure you have no unnecessary information.
  • Refer to your objectives as you write and after you are finished. Are you giving the reader what he or she needs to accomplish your objectives?
  • Use white space, headings, indentations, rules, and other devices to help the reader navigate your email.
  • Don’t write business emails that are large clumps of text, like a novel.
  • Identify lists in your business email. Break out all lists with ordinals, bullets, or numbers.
  • Don’t write lists in the text, with items separated by semicolons or numbers in parentheses. Break them out into bulleted or numbered lists.
  • Write numbered lists for items that must be in a specific order. Use bullets for lists with items that do not have to be in a specific order.
  • Give the list a name, such as “recommendations,” “conclusions,” “times,” and so on.
  • If you cannot give a list a name, it likely should be in a paragraph, not a list.
  • Make list items parallel in structure. If items are sentences, all must be sentences.
  • Use punctuation in lists only if the items are complete sentences.
  • Reiterate important points in the conclusion.
  • Reiterate actions in the conclusion. Include what, who, when, where, and how.
  • Be clear about what the reader expects.
  • Include contact information to show the reader you genuinely want contact if the reader wants it.
  • Don’t rely on the email address in our header to give the reader contact information. Put it in the closing.
  • Include a phone number if you want immediate results.
  • Paragraphs help readers follow your writing. You improve our clarity by improving your paragraphs.
  • Paragraph breaks say, “OK, I’ve finished that thought. Let’s go on to the next thought.” That helps readers.
  • Learn to see changes in thought where you can help the reader follow your thought by making a new paragraph.
  • Look for changes in thought at around seven lines. Don’t break at seven lines, but use that as a cue to see if you have a new thought.
  • Start the paragraph by letting the reader know what your new thought is so he or she can follow your explanation.
  • Don’t be afraid of one-sentence paragraph. They give emphasis and focus.
  • Write using the same common, everyday words you would use if you were speaking.
  • Avoid uncommon, complex, and difficult words.
  • Use contractions freely.
  • Write using the same sentences you would speak to the reader, without overly casual statements.
  • Use active voice, in which you state the actor before the action.
  • Try to keep sentences to around 10 to 15 words on average. Have some shorter sentences and some longer.
  • Try to keep one idea in a sentence. Combine two or three ideas if you have a good reason to do so.
  • Avoid interrupting sentences with comments in the middle. Put comments at the beginning or end.
  • If a sentence sounds strained or odd, revise it to make it clear and simple.
  • Delete words that don’t add meaning. Do include words that help clarity, though.
  • Delete redundancies.
  • Delete the obvious.
  • Use simple words in place of two or three word phrases.
  • Set your email to proofread emails before you send them, but don’t rely on the spelling and grammar checker.
  • Read every email you write, word by word, before sending the email.
  • If you change the email, proofread it again.

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  • Business English

English for emails

English for emails

Do you need to write emails in English at work?

In this section, follow our series of lessons for pre-intermediate (CEFR level A2) or intermediate (CEFR level B1) learners and improve your email writing skills in English.

You will learn useful language and techniques for writing, organising and checking emails. Each unit has interactive exercises to help you understand and use the language.

Choose a lesson

Unit 1: Email addresses

Unit 1: Email addresses

E-mail addresses are essential in business – do you know how to say them correctly?

  • Read more about Unit 1: Email addresses
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Unit 2: Sending and receiving emails

Unit 2: Sending and receiving emails

Learn how to talk about the different parts of an email in English.

  • Read more about Unit 2: Sending and receiving emails

Unit 3: Organising your emails

Unit 3: Organising your emails

You've got mail! Learn how to talk about the different parts of an email program.

  • Read more about Unit 3: Organising your emails

Unit 4: Starting and finishing emails

Unit 4: Starting and finishing emails

How should you begin and finish an email message to someone you don't know? Find out here!

  • Read more about Unit 4: Starting and finishing emails

Unit 5: Making arrangements

Unit 5: Making arrangements

Need to organise something? In this unit you can practise common phrases used to make plans by email.

  • Read more about Unit 5: Making arrangements

Unit 6: Enquiries

Unit 6: Enquiries

Where can you practise the ways we ask questions in emails? Here, of course!

  • Read more about Unit 6: Enquiries

Unit 7: Organising your writing

Unit 7: Organising your writing

Make your emails clear and easy to understand by properly organising them.

  • Read more about Unit 7: Organising your writing

Unit 8: Proofreading

Unit 8: Proofreading

Spelling errors make a poor impression! Learn about some common mistakes to avoid.

  • Read more about Unit 8: Proofreading

Unit 9: Email etiquette

Unit 9: Email etiquette

Don’t be rude! Be sure to follow these fundamental rules on what to write and what not to write in your emails.

  • Read more about Unit 9: Email etiquette

Improve your writing skills for work

For more support in improving your writing skills, explore our selection of online courses featuring lots of helpful learning resources.

Practise writing with your classmates in live group classes, get writing support from a personal tutor in one-to-one lessons or practise writing by yourself at your own speed with a self-study course. 

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I Asked ChatGPT to Write 3 Different Marketing Job Application Emails — Here's What I Got

Anna Rubkiewicz

Published: February 12, 2024

Here’s a confession: If someone asked me how I was able to land two of the most exciting full-time marketing roles in my career, my first instinct would have been to say that I was just “lucky.”

man writes emails for job applications

A second later, though, I'd be much fairer to myself and admit that I was able to make the hiring manager interested in learning more about me. When you apply for an open role, this first impression usually happens when you send in your resume over email.

The biggest hurdle? Standing out among other applicants in the hiring manager’s inbox.

Download Now: 17 Professional Email Templates

As I’ve been self-employed for over four years now, the last time I applied for any full-time role was years before ChatGPT came to the market.

Still, I wondered if AI is capable of creating an email that would be compelling and personal and, therefore, has the potential to intrigue a hiring company. Also, how much information would I have to include in my prompt to get a satisfactory outcome? I tested three different prompts to see — here’s what I learned.

Table of Contents

What is a job application email?

How to write a job application email.

  • What ChatGPT Wrote For Me

Writing My Own Job Application Email

A job application email is a formal email sent to a recruiter or a hiring manager by someone who’s seeking employment. It aims to express interest in a specific position and to share relevant information on the applicant’s skills and experience.

1. Add a relevant subject line.

On top of applications from candidates, the hiring manager receives tens of other emails every single day.

And while you have no control over how much communication they receive, you can do a lot to boost your job application email visibility.

“Make your intentions clear in the subject line,” says Robert Kaskel, chief people officer at Checkr . “Mention it’s an application, the role in question, and your name. Also, remember that most email providers only display 20-30 characters of subject line text in the recipient’s inbox.”

Kaskel also underlines that you should steer clear of any “clickbait-y” text.

“Nor should you try to create a sense of urgency by using words like ‘Urgent,’ ‘Immediate,’ or ‘Time-sensitive.’ These tactics might work for marketers, but they’re more likely to alienate and irritate a recruiter who may view them as deceptive,” he said.

2. Adjust your tone of voice to the company.

As a marketer, you know that brands use a different tone of voice. Some are more relaxed than others. If you want to stand out from other applicants, try to use a tone of voice that matches the company you’re applying to.

Take a look at the job ad. Is it written in a friendly, humorous manner, or is it super professional? Write your email copy in a way that shows you ‘get’ their communication style.

This is especially important when applying for marketing positions. After all, an ability to adjust to a brand’s tone of voice is something to be expected from marketing pros. Right?

3. Keep it short and relevant.

Whenever I scroll through LinkedIn, the amount of people who apply for a job never fails to amaze me. There are hundreds of applicants within a few hours after posting a job ad. The job market has gotten incredibly competitive.

That said, recruiters have to go through tons of LinkedIn messages and emails. Their time is limited, so keep your email short and to the point.

Make sure that your opening paragraph is catchy. If you make it blunt and irrelevant, the recruiters won’t bother reading the rest.

Kimberley Tyler-Smith, executive at Resume Worded , says, “As a recruiter who‘s seen thousands of applications cross my desk, I can tell you one thing for sure: the generic, formulaic emails blur into a monotonous hum. But the ones that truly stand out? They’re the ones that tell a story.”

A story sparks curiosity, Tyler-Smith notes.

“A well-crafted story hooks me in, making me want to know more about the person behind the words. It‘s no longer just a resume on a screen. It’s a glimpse into your unique journey, your motivations, and your potential.

It reveals your passion, your humor, your resilience — all the qualities that make you, well, you. And in a world of faceless applications, authenticity is gold,” Tyler-Smith says.

She also says that it shows you’re a great fit for the company.

“A story that connects your experiences to the specific role and company paints a vivid picture of why you're not just qualified, but perfectly suited for the job,” adds Tyler-Smith.

4. Include a personal salutation.

Starting your job application email with “Dear Sir/Madam” or “Dear Hiring Team” isn’t the best way to make a good first impression.

If the recruitment manager isn’t listed in the job ad, find out who is responsible for hiring in this specific company. It might require some digging, but it will be worth the effort.

The majority of candidates won’t bother to find out the person’s name, and if you do, you will stand out.

5. Attach your CV and label it correctly.

Remember to attach your CV to your email; if you forget to do it, high chances are your application will be ignored. Also, make sure it’s correctly labeled.

Daniel Kroytor, the founder of TailoredPay , explains why this is so important. “It is not unusual for a job application email to include attachments, but what many do not consider are their labels, and this is why they should look at them carefully before sending,” he says.

He adds that “it is important to remember that you are not the only person who is inquiring about a job opportunity, which means that potential employers will receive dozens if not hundreds of documents, and if they are mislabeled, they could be disregarded or cause HR headaches.”

Max Wesman, founder and COO at GoodHire , further emphasizes the importance of email attachments. He sees them as the most important element of a job application.

Wesman says that “not only do you need to attach the right documents, but they also need to be neatly designed, well-written, and free of any mistakes.”

Attachments allow you to attach documents and add information outside of the basic application format. Wesman notes, “So make sure to attach any fun, interesting, or qualifying documents that can help your case.”

6. Include a personalized section on why you fit the company.

Avoid statements like “I have years of experience” if you aren’t planning to prove how it ties with the company you’re applying to in the next couple of sentences.

Each sentence should help the hiring manager assess how exactly your presence could contribute to the business.

For example, if you’re applying for a social media manager position, you could share a story of a successful campaign that you came up with the idea for and how many leads or sales it generated.

Gianluca Ferruggia, general manager at DesignRush , has a great take on this, saying that candidates should showcase not only their professionalism but also their personal brand.

“This isn‘t simply about using formal language; it’s more about the way a candidate presents their capabilities and achievements. Relating past experiences to the job's requirements helps connect their history with the future role,” Ferruggia notes.

Ferruggia says that the “personal” touch can be, as mentioned above, a company project example or even a professional value that you and the company both share. This will help set your application apart.

“It leaves an impression that the candidate is both proficient in their field and has done their homework, fitting seamlessly into the organization's culture and vision,” Ferruggia says.

What ChatGPT Wrote Me

It’s time to have some fun! I’ve decided to run a little experiment to see if ChatGPT could be of any help when it comes to writing job application emails.

I used three different prompts to see how they would impact the output. Here is what I got.

The prompt: “Could you please write me a job application email for a Content Strategist position at Swooped?”

ChatGPT’s Output

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Google quietly launches internal AI model named 'Goose' to help employees write code faster, leaked documents show

  • Google has an internal large language model named Goose, designed to make employees more productive.
  • Goose is trained on "25 years of engineering expertise at Google."
  • The company is leveraging AI as part of a bigger efficiency push.

As Google injects artificial intelligence into every product it possibly can, it’s also turning to AI to make its business more efficient.

The company has launched a large language model named Goose that's just for employees. It is designed to assist with building new products, according to internal documents reviewed by Business Insider.

The documents describe Goose as a “descendant of Gemini,” its big new large language model . Goose is “trained on the sum total of 25 years of engineering expertise at Google,” one of the documents states.

“It can answer questions around Google-specific technologies, write code using internal tech stacks and supports novel capabilities such as editing code based on natural language prompts,” an internal summary of Goose reads.

Leveraging AI internally could be a key factor in Google’s new efficiency drive, which has resulted in leadership cutting thousands of jobs over the past 13 months and a number of team re-orgs. Google finance chief Ruth Porat hinted at initiatives like this during the company’s recent earnings call , telling analysts that Google was working to “slow expense growth” through a variety of tactics including “streamlining operations across Alphabet through the use of AI.” 

One internal document notes that Goose is part of a plan to “bring AI to every stage of the product development process.” 

A Google spokesperson didn't respond to a request for comment.

Goose appears to be available for at least some employees to use right now, however, it’s not clear if it’s fully functional in terms of its abilities. One document notes that Goose “is also planned to be the first general-purpose LLM approved for internal coding use at Google.”

“Goose has a 28k token context window, which makes it particularly valuable for development tasks,” it adds. Token context windows refer to the amount of text, numbers, and other information a language model can take into account when processing a query. That's especially important for coding, which can include hundreds of thousands of lines of code.

The documents note that the creation of Goose was a collaborative effort between Google Brain, DeepMind, and Google's internal infrastructure teams. The company merged Brain and DeepMind last year to build Gemini, which was in turn named after the twin teams that created it.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Google isn't the only tech company using its own AI models and products to boost productivity. Microsoft recently rolled out its Copilot tool to internal teams , Business Insider reported.

And Goose isn't the only example of Google using AI to be more efficient.

The company uses AI to try to reduce the amount of energy required to cool its data centers, for example. It is also increasingly pushing advertisers to use AI automated products for deciding where their money should be spent across Google's products.

For now at least, Google insists that AI is not taking away employees’ jobs.

“We’re not restructuring because AI is taking away any jobs,” said Google’s chief business officer Philipp Schindler, after Business Insider’s reported layoffs in Google’s ad sales team as part of a re-org .

Goose could become increasingly useful for employees. The tool was designed with a "focus on new engineering-related capabilities," one of the documents reads, suggesting it could go well beyond the existing development tools offered to staff.

And if Googlers have specific development questions while using Goose, they're encouraged to turn to the company's internal chatbot, named Duckie.

Are you a current or former Google employee? Got something to share??

You can reach reporter Hugh Langley via encrypted messaging app Signal (+1 628-228-1836) or email ( [email protected] )

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Sep 6, 2022

How to start an email with 10 professional examples

Learn how to start an email with our guide on starting formal emails, including examples of professional email greetings and opening lines for different situations.

Blog writer

Lawrie Jones

Blog writer

Table of contents

Starting a formal email in English can be tricky as it involves following some strict rules and conventions. Unless you’re familiar with them, deciding how to start a professional email can be confusing – but it doesn’t need to be. 

This detailed article will explain how to use the correct formal email greetings, salutations, and opening lines. By the end of this post, you will know how to start writing an email in your personal and professional life.

What is a formal email?

Formal emails are those written in the correct format. Formal emails follow a tried and tested formula that all readers will understand. 

A well-written, professional and polite email can start a successful and productive relationship. Conversely, a poorly written email can damage relationships, confuse and even upset recipients in some circumstances.

Every formal email should consist of:

  • Subject line
  • A salutation or greeting

Formal emails are respectful, using polite terminology to address the recipient. They are written in a simple-to-understand format that’s clear about what you want and why.

The English language is used worldwide by businesses, but there are cultural differences in how we communicate. Formal emails reduce the likelihood of any misunderstanding or miscommunication.

In most cases, poorly written emails won’t damage your career, says Jeff Su in the Harvard Business Review . In contrast, “writing professional emails will affect how competent you are perceived to be in the eyes of your colleagues.”

In your personal life, when contacting a school, for example, you’ll want to ensure your communications are clear, professional, and polite. In this context, formal emails are essential.

We’ve delved deeper into the details of what makes a great formal email in our guide, so check that out if you want to learn more.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the fundamentals of how to greet in a formal email, starting with greetings and instructions. Before that, nake sure to try Flowrite's smart self-introduction email template below:

How to start an email professionally

We’re going to delve deeper into the two critical things you need to know when starting a formal email in English: 

  • Formal greeting and salutation
  • Formal email opening lines

We address both parts in detail before applying them to a series of examples later.

1. Professional email greetings and salutations

The first thing you need to know about greeting in a formal email is using the correct salutation. 

It can appear confusing as the appropriate formal way of greeting in email changes, depending on whether you know the person you are writing to or not. The first rule is: if you know someone’s name, address the person directly using their full name. 

In the past, you’d use what’s called an honorific – such a Mr and Mrs – with a surname. However, we must be conscious of the risks of what Harvard calls “misgendering” . 

Unless we know someone’s gender for sure (and even in those cases where we think we know, we should never make assumptions), we should avoid using gendered terms.  

Instead, use a person’s full name where possible. This is both professional and respectful.

Take an example of emailing someone called Robert Johnson. 

Instead of saying:  

  • Dear Mr. Johnson

We would say:

  • Dear Robert Johnson

The question of which greeting is appropriate for a formal email arises regularly. We’ve provided some formal email salutation examples below that illustrate how to greet in an email formal. Still, we’d also urge you to use your judgment, too.

Before sending your email, spend some time attempting to identify the person you’re writing to. Using a person’s full name can establish a stronger connection than a formal approach, such as Dear Sir/Madam.

2. Formal email opening lines

The rules around how to address a recipient in a formal email are relatively straightforward. However, when it comes to starting the body of a formal email, you have greater freedom.

The best formal email opening lines are straight to the point. In most cases, you request something (information, to attend an event, or payment); or respond formally to a request.

If you know someone or have spoken to them in the past, you can get straight into the details of your request.

Some examples of suitable formal email opening lines include:

  • I am writing to request some information from your company.
  • I am contacting you to invite you to my event
  • I appreciate your interest in our company. I am attaching the information requested.

Suppose you’re writing to someone you’ve never communicated with before. In this case, it’s polite to explain who you are and why you’re contacting them. For example, simply stating, “my name is XX, and I’m contacting you from YY” is enough for the reader. This quickly tells them who you are and why you’re messaging them. 

Here’s how that can work in practice: 

  • I’m the marketing director at (company name), and I am interested in learning more about your business.
  • I am contacting you from (company name) with some details of exclusive new offers
  • I’m leaving (company) on 25 September and would like to invite you to a leaving event being held at (insert details).

Of course, you’re not bound by these rules. However, by following them, you won’t confuse or upset your reader.

Can you use “I hope you are doing well in a formal email”? If you know the person, then starting a formal email this way isn’t incorrect. If you don’t know the individual personally, it’s unlikely to achieve the results you want. It can seem overly informal and out of place.

Our advice is to get straight to the point in your formal email opening. We explain more about crafting the best email opening sentences in this detailed blog post.

Why is it important to understand formal email greetings?

In theory, starting an email should be the easiest part of the exchange! "Hello" is one of the first things we learn in our native language. Yet, so often, when greeting someone in a professional context, we *really* get it wrong. We say hello to everyone and everything - bus drivers, people in the elevator, a cute dog - so what's missing once we're sat behind a computer screen?

The answer is understanding workplace contexts. It is key to correctly navigating what greeting to use when, where, and with whom - nobody wants to set the wrong tone before you even get to the main message. Naturally, you want to make a good first impression.

Getting this wrong can cost you the person respecting, replying to, or even reading your email. For example, when HR teams review a mountain of job applications, that very first sentence can seriously harm your chances of an interview if you don't appear sufficiently capable of saying "hello".

Here are some things to consider when professionally greeting someone. ‍

1. What tone do you need to set?

‍ In-person communication allows us to observe audio, visual and physical cues that written communication does not. Think about the environment and sentiment as if you were delivering your email's information in person, then remove these cues. Your email's tone is how the character of your business comes across with your words, illustrating your emotional perspective without these other useful cues. ‍

2. How do you want to be perceived? ‍

As mentioned, life is generally easier when we make a good first impression. So by beginning your correspondence appropriately, you demonstrate your professional ease, expertise, and competence in just a few words. Sounds good, right?

A study from the journal of Social Psychological and Personality Science gives a comparison to in-person communication "First impressions are heavily influenced by emotional expressions such as smiles. In face-to-face contact, smiling individuals are perceived as warmer and as more competent than non-smiling individuals.

Keep this in mind as you dive into the world of workplace communications, and it will keep you straight and narrow when choosing the perfect email greeting. ‍

3. Will this person keep reading your email?

There is much research on the general likelihood of an email being replied to in day-to-day correspondences. It's often the simple things that go the distance, like manners - " Emails on the politer side get higher response rates ", says Boomerang's product designer, Mai-Chi Vu.

In a time where humans have shorter attention spans than ever before, politeness levels really go a long way. Basic considerations like spelling someone's name correctly, mirroring the greeting they've used, acknowledging the tone of the interaction in your reply go a long way in making sure you don't offend or alienate the recipient.

By putting some thought into how you begin your correspondence, you avoid starting on the wrong foot - saving yourself time and the potential awkwardness of being outright ignored.

How to approach different scenarios with ease

Professional email greetings are a space that covers a wide range of contexts and scenarios. Here are a few more example situations to make sure you feel truly confident in all your email communications.

1. Decide on whom you are emailing

Do you know this person? Is this the first time you've corresponded? Are they external or internal to your company? Have all this in mind as you choose the perfect email greeting. Then you can decide if it's more of a formal or friendly professional interaction. 

Our blog post on writing a cold email is a great step-by-step guide on this kind of outreach.

2. Is this a follow-up? 

Are you trying to prompt a reply or chase for an answer on something important? Check out our tips on sales follow-up emails that help find the perfect way of driving that much-needed response while also staying pleasant, polite, and professional. If you are not used to following up on your emails, we've also created a complete guide on how to write a follow-up email after no response .

3. Introductions

This one gets easier with practice but is for sure a tricky one to feel confident about. Find a smooth style that feels natural to you while also ticking all of the boxes that we've outlined here. Finding time to read this piece on How to introduce two people over email should be a no-brainer.

4. Group greetings

Good news! All of the above guidance can be applied when you're addressing multiple recipients. The same principles, just not including individual names. Work with "Hi all", "Hello all," or "Hi everyone," and so forth.

If it's a situation where there are 2-3 people on the thread, you can definitely address these by name with "Hi Name 1, Name 2, Name 3," but we wouldn't generally recommend continuing this above 3 people.

So you ask, how to actually start an email? Let's go through some scenarios and examples that you need to be aware of.

How to start a formal email (6 examples)

So, we’ve broken down the process of how to start a formal email into two steps; now, it’s time to put it into practice. Here we provide six examples of how to start a formal email. Each example is accompanied by a short explanation of our reasons why.

In this section, we include some specific examples of how to start formal examples. We cover:

  • How to start a formal email without a name
  • How to choose a formal email greeting for an unknown recipient
  • How to start a formal email to multiple recipients
  • How to start a formal email to a school
  • How to start a formal business email
  • How to choose the formal email greeting for a job application 

These templates included here are used to illustrate how to approach each task. We recommend that you use these as the basis for developing the approaches that best represent you and your business.

1. How to start a formal email without a name

We’ve written about how important it is to attempt to find a person’s name when emailing them, so we’d always urge you to do so if you can. However, there are likely to be times when this is impossible for some reason.

Some writing guides will still encourage you to use “Dear Sir/Madam,” and while a little old-fashioned, it’s still OK to do so if you need to.   

While you’re free to use it if you’d like to, we recommend finding an alternative. You can do more research to identify the recipient. If not, here are some other options: 

  • Dear (Job title)
  • Dear (Department or team)

Starting a formal email in English is, thankfully, pretty straightforward. Here’s an example of how to start a formal email with no name.

2. How to choose a formal email greeting for an unknown recipient

If you’re struggling to identify the right formal email greeting to an unknown recipient, you’re not alone. It can be challenging to find the right approach in how to start a formal email to an unknown person.

Other writing guides will suggest you use “To whom it may concern,” but we think this isn’t just formal; it’s a little too fussy for our liking. We’d also recommend opening a formal email with “Hi” or “Hey”. That’s a step too far in the other direction. 

So, how do you choose a formal email greeting for an unknown recipient? Here’s a tried and tested method.

3. How to start a formal email to multiple recipients 

It’s evident that there are different rules when you are emailing a group of people. There are fewer rules when deciding upon a formal email greeting to multiple recipients. The question of how do you start a formal email to multiple recipients depends on who they are. We advise you to choose a safe collective term. 

If they’re fellow employees, acceptable formal email greeting lines include: 

  • Dear colleagues

If you’re emailing a generic email address (such as customerservice@), you could use:

  • Dear Customer Service Team 

If you’re emailing a business, you could simply use their company name. 

  • Dear (company name)

Here’s a fool-proof example of how to start a formal email to a group.

4. How to start a formal email to a school

If you’re wondering how do you start an email to a university teacher or professor , here’s how. The important thing is to ensure that you use the correct honorific; in this case, we’re emailing a professor. 

Check out this example to see how we’ve approached the task.

5. How to start a formal business email

In the business world, it’s crucial to ensure your emails are correctly formatted and respectfully formal. The question of how do you start a formal business letter is often asked by those worried about how they will be perceived. 

Our example template below provides an example you can adapt to your circumstances. You can find more detailed information on how to craft a business inquiry in our in-depth guide.

6. How to choose the formal email greeting for a job application

When sending a cover letter for a job, you’d traditionally use “Dear Sir/Madam.” Still, as we’ve established, this may not be appropriate anymore. 

Firstly, you should attempt to find out who the recruiting manager is and use their full name. If you can’t find their name, then the following alternatives are all acceptable: 

  • Dear recruiting manager
  • Dear recruiter

Here’s an example of starting a formal email to a recruiter.

4 friendly ways to begin a professional email

There are many cases where your email context isn't so formal or where a friendly touch is appropriate. Maybe it's an internal mail to colleagues or with a long-term client. You can both relax a little and also keep things nice and competent. It's a fine balance sometimes. While many workplaces tend to be more casual these days, keep your basic principles of polite, friendly, and professional front and center. 

1. Hi <Name>

You heard us when we said this option is always a winner, right? Great. Once you are on friendly terms with the recipient, you don't  have to overthink the greeting - you can get straight to the point of the email while maintaining a friendly and professional demeanor. 

2. Hi there

When you do not know the recipient's name or its spelling, this is the safest way to address a professional email without sounding too formal or indirect.

3. Good morning/afternoon/evening 

This can add a friendly, casual, yet still, polite touch to your email greeting. It's definitely for occasional rather than consistent use, though. Needless to say, if different time zones are in play, you should use this greeting wisely.

4. Hey <Name>

Be careful with this one. There are cases to be made for and against "Hey" but feedback shows this should really only be used if you have a rapport with, for example, friends or close co-workers.

When replying to somebody, you can mirror your recipient's tone and choose to open your email with a similar greeting or an alternative that matches the level of formality and familiarity – the some principle applies also to choosing the right email sign-off .

7 email salutations to avoid at work

1. to whom it may concern.

Many sources say just don't use this one. In a survey of almost 2,000 people, 37% of respondents found this greeting the *worst* way to start a professional email . It's been described as annoying, vague, inappropriate, dated, and the list goes on. It, hands down, has the #1 spot of how not to start an email. Convinced? We are.

It's generally best to steer clear of this if you're unsure how, where, and when to use "Hey". As mentioned above, there's a time and place for it, but it's just not worth the risk of coming across as too informal. 

3. Greetings

Best practices suggest that this is outdated. There are now more apt ways to address a group of unknown recipients, like the favorited "Hi there" or "Hi all". It's not the biggest faux pas, but try and stick to the validated winners.

4. Happy <day>!

This divides the masses a little. Overall knowing your audience is key here. While many reports say that this comes across as immature and unprofessional, maybe internally, your company culture embraces this greeting style.

5. No greeting 

A big no-no. You may well be on the receiving end of a no-greeting email, but mostly this rubs people up the wrong way, so this is one behavior not to mirror.

6. Smiley or emoji

It's a tricky one for many as smileys and emojis are widely used in much more visual communication channels to express outside of the written word. Unfortunately, it is still not universally seen as professional enough for use in the workplace, so best to leave these out of your emails in all contexts... :(

7. Misspelled name

This is so avoidable so pay attention when writing your greeting. Double-check this before you press send, and you'll be in the clear. If you're really unsure of the spelling, a little copy and paste of their sign-off or email address should really set your mind at ease.

Final thoughts on how to start a formal email

Starting an email can be a challenge for anyone, but we hope we’ve simplified the process. The key learning point is to understand how to use formal email greetings and salutations and how to craft strong formal email opening lines.

In a 2020 report , 73% of people said that email is their preferred communication method at work. As evolved as humans have become at interacting and communicating, there is undoubtedly much respect to still be paid to the world of electronic mail! What's great is that you've taken the first step towards this by reading up on professional email greetings in this blog post.

Let's remind ourselves of the key takeaways.

1. Don't underestimate the importance of first impressions. 

Nailing this makes everything that comes next easier.

2. When in doubt, lean towards the formal end of the spectrum. 

Politeness has been proven a classic for a reason. As long as you don't go into grandeur territory, this is a fail-safe measure for your professional emails . 

3. Read the room

Take on board what you've learned in this blog post, and make sure you know your audience. Your recipients' comms are always a helpful indicator, so don't shy away from mirroring their tone of voice. 

And there you have it! Now you should feel completely confident about starting a professional email and conquering all of your workplace correspondences. To continue this streak of upskilling, why not learn how to end an email professionally?

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Create a form in Word that users can complete or print

In Word, you can create a form that others can fill out and save or print.  To do this, you will start with baseline content in a document, potentially via a form template.  Then you can add content controls for elements such as check boxes, text boxes, date pickers, and drop-down lists. Optionally, these content controls can be linked to database information.  Following are the recommended action steps in sequence.  

Show the Developer tab

In Word, be sure you have the Developer tab displayed in the ribbon.  (See how here:  Show the developer tab .)

Open a template or a blank document on which to base the form

You can start with a template or just start from scratch with a blank document.

Start with a form template

Go to File > New .

In the  Search for online templates  field, type  Forms or the kind of form you want. Then press Enter .

In the displayed results, right-click any item, then select  Create. 

Start with a blank document 

Select Blank document .

Add content to the form

Go to the  Developer  tab Controls section where you can choose controls to add to your document or form. Hover over any icon therein to see what control type it represents. The various control types are described below. You can set properties on a control once it has been inserted.

To delete a content control, right-click it, then select Remove content control  in the pop-up menu. 

Note:  You can print a form that was created via content controls. However, the boxes around the content controls will not print.

Insert a text control

The rich text content control enables users to format text (e.g., bold, italic) and type multiple paragraphs. To limit these capabilities, use the plain text content control . 

Click or tap where you want to insert the control.

Rich text control button

To learn about setting specific properties on these controls, see Set or change properties for content controls .

Insert a picture control

A picture control is most often used for templates, but you can also add a picture control to a form.

Picture control button

Insert a building block control

Use a building block control  when you want users to choose a specific block of text. These are helpful when you need to add different boilerplate text depending on the document's specific purpose. You can create rich text content controls for each version of the boilerplate text, and then use a building block control as the container for the rich text content controls.

building block gallery control

Select Developer and content controls for the building block.

Developer tab showing content controls

Insert a combo box or a drop-down list

In a combo box, users can select from a list of choices that you provide or they can type in their own information. In a drop-down list, users can only select from the list of choices.

combo box button

Select the content control, and then select Properties .

To create a list of choices, select Add under Drop-Down List Properties .

Type a choice in Display Name , such as Yes , No , or Maybe .

Repeat this step until all of the choices are in the drop-down list.

Fill in any other properties that you want.

Note:  If you select the Contents cannot be edited check box, users won’t be able to click a choice.

Insert a date picker

Click or tap where you want to insert the date picker control.

Date picker button

Insert a check box

Click or tap where you want to insert the check box control.

Check box button

Use the legacy form controls

Legacy form controls are for compatibility with older versions of Word and consist of legacy form and Active X controls.

Click or tap where you want to insert a legacy control.

Legacy control button

Select the Legacy Form control or Active X Control that you want to include.

Set or change properties for content controls

Each content control has properties that you can set or change. For example, the Date Picker control offers options for the format you want to use to display the date.

Select the content control that you want to change.

Go to Developer > Properties .

Controls Properties  button

Change the properties that you want.

Add protection to a form

If you want to limit how much others can edit or format a form, use the Restrict Editing command:

Open the form that you want to lock or protect.

Select Developer > Restrict Editing .

Restrict editing button

After selecting restrictions, select Yes, Start Enforcing Protection .

Restrict editing panel

Advanced Tip:

If you want to protect only parts of the document, separate the document into sections and only protect the sections you want.

To do this, choose Select Sections in the Restrict Editing panel. For more info on sections, see Insert a section break .

Sections selector on Resrict sections panel

If the developer tab isn't displayed in the ribbon, see Show the Developer tab .

Open a template or use a blank document

To create a form in Word that others can fill out, start with a template or document and add content controls. Content controls include things like check boxes, text boxes, and drop-down lists. If you’re familiar with databases, these content controls can even be linked to data.

Go to File > New from Template .

New from template option

In Search, type form .

Double-click the template you want to use.

Select File > Save As , and pick a location to save the form.

In Save As , type a file name and then select Save .

Start with a blank document

Go to File > New Document .

New document option

Go to File > Save As .

Go to Developer , and then choose the controls that you want to add to the document or form. To remove a content control, select the control and press Delete. You can set Options on controls once inserted. From Options, you can add entry and exit macros to run when users interact with the controls, as well as list items for combo boxes, .

Adding content controls to your form

In the document, click or tap where you want to add a content control.

On Developer , select Text Box , Check Box , or Combo Box .

Developer tab with content controls

To set specific properties for the control, select Options , and set .

Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each control that you want to add.

Set options

Options let you set common settings, as well as control specific settings. Select a control and then select Options to set up or make changes.

Set common properties.

Select Macro to Run on lets you choose a recorded or custom macro to run on Entry or Exit from the field.

Bookmark Set a unique name or bookmark for each control.

Calculate on exit This forces Word to run or refresh any calculations, such as total price when the user exits the field.

Add Help Text Give hints or instructions for each field.

OK Saves settings and exits the panel.

Cancel Forgets changes and exits the panel.

Set specific properties for a Text box

Type Select form Regular text, Number, Date, Current Date, Current Time, or Calculation.

Default text sets optional instructional text that's displayed in the text box before the user types in the field. Set Text box enabled to allow the user to enter text into the field.

Maximum length sets the length of text that a user can enter. The default is Unlimited .

Text format can set whether text automatically formats to Uppercase , Lowercase , First capital, or Title case .

Text box enabled Lets the user enter text into a field. If there is default text, user text replaces it.

Set specific properties for a Check box .

Default Value Choose between Not checked or checked as default.

Checkbox size Set a size Exactly or Auto to change size as needed.

Check box enabled Lets the user check or clear the text box.

Set specific properties for a Combo box

Drop-down item Type in strings for the list box items. Press + or Enter to add an item to the list.

Items in drop-down list Shows your current list. Select an item and use the up or down arrows to change the order, Press - to remove a selected item.

Drop-down enabled Lets the user open the combo box and make selections.

Protect the form

Go to Developer > Protect Form .

Protect form button on the Developer tab

Note:  To unprotect the form and continue editing, select Protect Form again.

Save and close the form.

Test the form (optional)

If you want, you can test the form before you distribute it.

Protect the form.

Reopen the form, fill it out as the user would, and then save a copy.

Creating fillable forms isn’t available in Word for the web.

You can create the form with the desktop version of Word with the instructions in Create a fillable form .

When you save the document and reopen it in Word for the web, you’ll see the changes you made.

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After Milton vote, the question remains: What now?

The divided town faces a complex planning process, with the eyes of much of the state on them.

For many Milton residents, compromise feels a long way off.

A heated campaign over a new land-use plan that would’ve paved the way for more than 2,400 new apartments in Milton came to a head Wednesday night when voters rejected the new zoning that was required under a controversial state housing law.

It was supposed to be a decisive vote, the end of a month of friction in the town of 28,000. But the results of the election brought little clarity.

Organizers of the campaign against the rezoning had told residents the town could devise a less-intrusive plan than the one that was on the ballot Wednesday. But in the wake of their triumph, those opponents offered no concrete replacement.

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Now, more than a month past the state’s deadline, a sharply divided Milton is back to square one, facing the politically delicate task of writing yet another zoning plan, while living under legal limbo and the threat of a lawsuit from Attorney General Andrea Campbell for failing to comply with the state’s most ambitious housing law in decades.

“What I don’t think people realized is that something comes after the referendum,” said Milton Select Board member Ben Zoll, who supported the zoning plan. “Residents didn’t like the plan, and they voted it down. Now we have to come up with the consensus to pass a new plan so we are not breaking the law, and I have a hard time seeing the realistic path to doing that anytime soon.”

If anything, the path to new zoning that satisfies a sharply divided public is harder now, after one of the most controversial elections in recent Milton history , than it was last year when Town Meeting approved the version that was just overturned.

And it’s not even clear when they can. The deadline to submit articles for Milton’s Spring Town Meeting — in May — is Saturday. That now seems like an impossible deadline to meet, which means that it could be late fall, or even next year, before a new plan could go up for a vote.

Denny Swenson, one of the No campaign organizers, said there is no need to rush, noting it will take some time to craft a plan that will satisfy the divided town. She hopes that if state officials see Milton working on a new plan, they will withhold punishments.

The state classifies Milton as a “rapid transit” community because the Mattapan Trolley runs along its northern edge.

“We want to do this the right way,” Swenson said. “That means taking the time to make sure the plan works for everybody.”

At the same time, Milton has quickly become the epicenter of the state’s housing debate, which means both Beacon Hill and other communities are watching its next move closely .

Governor Maura Healey and Campbell criticized the vote Wednesday as a violation of state law, though it is not clear how hard they plan to come down on Milton. Healey administration housing officials suggested they would be willing to work with the town to reach compliance.

“We’re in uncharted territory a little bit here,” said Housing Secretary Ed Augustus. “At the end of the day, we still want to see [Milton] be in compliance. And the door is still open and the support is there to help them come up with a plan they can pass . . . and is compliant with the law.”

But that patience only goes so far. If Milton cannot reach a consensus, housing advocates said, the state may have no choice but to twist the town’s arm. Augustus, for example, said he is looking to potentially withhold additional state grants from Milton for defying the law, on top of the more than one dozen the state has already warned the town about. Campbell has not indicated if she plans to sue Milton.

“The voters of Milton made a choice knowing fairly well what the consequences would be, and now they need to live with the consequences of those choices,” said Jesse Kanson-Benanav, executive director of Abundant Housing Massachusetts, a pro-housing advocacy group.

The last thing the state wants, said Kanson-Benanav, is for Milton’s vote to undermine the state law, known as the MBTA Communities Act, more broadly.

Milton was among a dozen municipalities that were required to create the new zoning by the end of 2023. Scores of other communities in the MBTA’s service area must adopt their rezoning plans by the end of this year. And opposition is brewing in some of those municipalities, where opponents were watching Milton closely. Several opposition groups from different towns cheered Milton’s vote for what they saw as taking a stand against the state, which they hope their communities will do as well.

“Despite the threats and intimidation and the strong-arming from the State, I guess it’s still true . . . the citizens have rights, and last night they took them back!,” Don’t Boston My Cape Ann, an anti-MBTA Communities group, wrote on Facebook Thursday . “Please take a moment today to reflect on the hard work the people of Milton did to resist compliance and to vote down a one-size-fits-all unfunded mandate from the state that would forever change their town.”

Back in Milton, for many residents, compromise feels a long way off. Wounds are still fresh from the election, which ignited ugly social media arguments. There were reports of campaign signs being stolen from yards the night before the vote. Some Yes voters are determined to leave their signs up as an “I told you so” if consequences from the state become clear.

And the details of a new zoning plan feel daunting. That responsibility falls to the Planning Board, which last year was so divided it couldn’t draft a compliant plan at all. Some members even protested outside the polls Wednesday against the zoning plan that ultimately was written by the Select Board and approved by Town Meeting .

“They weren’t interested in any plan,” Cheryl Tougias, a Planning Board member, said of her fellow board members who were unhappy with any multifamily zoning plan that was suggested. “If those people are of the same opinion now, we’re going to be at a standstill again. And then what happens?”

John Keohane, a volunteer from "Residents for Thoughtful Zoning" campaigned against the town's MBTA Communities zoning plan ahead of Wednesday's election.

And some on the No side are counting on concessions from the state, which classifies Milton as a “rapid transit” community because the Mattapan Trolley runs along its northern edge, before they engage on a plan. Reclassifying the town’s status so it is not considered served by “rapid transit” could require less new housing, which might make a plan more palatable. But last year state officials declined a request to reclassify Milton, and haven’t considered reclassification as an option for any town. And even so, the divisions run so deep that even an experimental zoning plan tailored to a lesser zoning requirement created infighting on the Planning Board last year.

In other words, there may be many chapters to go in this story. Theresa Clearman, a Milton resident, was getting groceries Thursday, and after a testy few weeks, her mind was on the future.

“Where do we go from here?” she said.

Matt Stout of the Globe staff and correspondent Ava Berger contributed.

Andrew Brinker can be reached at [email protected] . Follow him @andrewnbrinker .

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