Writing emails is an everyday part of the business world and a preferred option for communication within the organisation and outside as well. Even back-and-forth mail conversations have a structured pattern and they carry self-contained messages. Conversations carried out on mail differs vastly from a social exchange and must be written in a formal manner. There should be no scope of grammatical, spelling or other errors in the mail body which should be contextual to the subject.
Though, often people struggle with getting the right message across in a professional way. In such scenarios, here are a few tips to write a strong, clear and impactful mail.
Table of Contents
Good subject line
The first thing that a reader notices in a mail is the subject line which must be coherent and precise. Not writing a proper subject is extremely unprofessional and thoughtless. Your client, colleague or boss would not be able to gauge the relevance of a mail that has no subject. Some useful examples of subject lines are:
- Resignation letter
- Referral request
- Submission of documents
Use of phrases
It’s always better to keep a mail precise and avoid using long sentences. In the business world, many phrases are used for the purpose of conveying certain messages. You can make a great impression with formal email phrases that are crisp and effective. Here are some great examples:
- I just got your request for
- As we discussed, I would like to send you
- I apologize for the late response.
- Please find attached
- The attached file contains
- Thank you for the heads up
- Just a friendly reminder
Focused message
While writing a mail body, one must be polite and it’s good to open with social interaction like ‘I hope you had a good weekend’ or a simple ‘good afternoon’. This makes for a friendly opening and ensures that the mail sounds professional.
The body of the mail is of great significance and must be purpose-oriented. It could pertain to getting feedback on some work or a meeting or some new client. The message should be clear so that one doesn’t have to skim for any important information.
Friendly sign off
It is just as necessary to close a mail body the right way, as it is to address it. You want to part on a good note and hence it’s good to use a closing that suits your personality and the level of professional dealing. While talking with your superiors you can write ‘regards’ or ‘sincerely’ whereas, with someone you share a friendly camaraderie, you can close off with ‘cheers’ or ‘best wishes’.
Being able to write a good mail is a basic skill set that every one that is part of the corporate world needs to have. Even in other professional settings like a university or a government office, one must tactfully compose mails.
