Tips for Writing Professional Email
Email has a reputation for being informal, but writing inappropriately in business situations can have negative consequences. Here are some tips for writing effective email messages in English.
1. Think about your email address. Maybe it’s one you’ve always had, but if you chose a “cute” or “unprofessional” email address when you were younger, it may be time to change it. For example, cutebunny123@email.com is not a professional address and may give people a negative impression of you.
2. Write a clear and informative subject line. Don’t write “HELP!” or “Hello”. Tell your recipient what the message is about, such as: “Changing my Tuesday appointment.”
3. Include a salutation; in other words, “Dear Mr. Smith,” or “Dear Professor Sokolik.” If you don’t know the recipient’s gender, don’t write Mr. or Ms., but use the person’s full name: “Dear Chris Smith.”
4. Do not start your message by saying “This is Bob Gates.” You should have that information in your signature, as well as in your email address. Instead, state your purpose in writing immediately. If you have met the person, you might remind him or her where you met or how you know each other.
5. Never start a message with a vague reference, like “This needs to be completed by 5:00.” (What is “this”?)
6. Use capital letters and lowercase letters correctly. Do not write all in capitals (this is equivalent to SHOUTING) and capitalize letters that need to be capitalized, such as those that begin a new sentence.
7. Avoid “text” speech or abbreviations. For example, write out the word “for”, don’t use the number 4.
8. Be brief. If your message is more than 2-3 paragraphs, try to condense it, or send different email messages, each focusing on one main idea.
9. Be polite! Say “please” and “thank you.” Remember that writing can sometimes be misinterpreted. Saying “Get me the file tomorrow!” sounds rude and abrupt. Soften your language.
10. Include your signature with appropriate contact information (in most cases, your name, business address, and phone number.
11. Don’t include “cute” graphics, quotations, or other unnecessary information in your message.
12. Edit and proofread your work. Use a spell-checker. If you feel your English skills are weak, ask someone with stronger English ability to check your writing for you.
13. Reply to important messages as quickly as possible. If you need time to reply, acknowledge receipt of the message quickly, and then reply as soon as you are able.