How to Write Business Email like a Pro

Luckily, even if you know little about writing professional emails, you can learn it. The truth is that there are no natural born writers and marketers. All of them have mastered this craft through the process of constant learning and practice. The great news is that you can do that too! Let’s start today with reading and implementing these easy hacks and tips.

Writing Professional Emails in 5 Simple Steps

The first thing you need to consider is that business emails have a special structure and etiquette that you should follow. A proper structure is very important if you want to keep your writing business email letters effective, clear, concise, and up to the point. What does a winning structure look like?

Take these 5 steps to make the most out of it:

1. Start your email with a greeting. You can do it in several ways depending on the situation and addressee.
2. Proceed with a pleasantry or compliment. Thank your reader.
3. Clarify the reason why you are reaching out a person.
4. Include a call to action into your letter.
5. Finish your email with a closing message and signature.

Here Are Some Examples of Good Emails:

Example #1:

Dear Mr. Jefferson,

Thank you for your interest in our new content management software. A marketing specialist will contact you shortly. He will kindly explain you all the features of the product and answer all your questions. Please let us know what time will suit you best.

Thank you again for your inquiry.

Kindest regards,

John Clever

Example #2:

Dear Mr. Jackson,

Thank you for signing up!

To help you better understand whether it is a proper solution for your company, we can schedule a brief call if you don’t mind. I’m looking forward to learn more about your current initiatives and your company.

When will you be able to connect?

Thank you for your time and attention.

Best regards,

Riley Ruben

Example #3:

Dear Mr. Anderson,

Thank you for completing the application process.

You should receive a separate email with your account details shortly.

Please also make sure to add “example@gmail.com” to your contacts to ensure that you receive all updates and job notifications.

Lastly, I would like to say, “Welcome!” I truly hope that you make the most of our resources.

Please do not hesitate to reach out anytime if you have any questions. Thanks!

Kind regards,
Andrew Kent

Basic Email Etiquette Rules You Need to Know

The next vital thing that you should use to your own benefit is email etiquette. Let me share 9 awesome tips with you that will help you create superb business emails easily like 1, 2, 3.

• Define the purpose of writing. It should be clear and concise. Keep it in mind while creating your message. Make the readers aware of the reason why you are writing as soon as possible.
• Focus on one thing in your letter. Don’t put too much info in your letter as it may be really challenging for the recipient to read it all. Nobody likes reading long and messy messages. Most of people are likely to close an email if they see a lengthy text.
• Treat the recipients with empathy. Treat your readers the way you want to be treated. Every time you compose a letter read it from the recipient’s perspective and make corrections if necessary. Once you write a line ask yourself whether it will be appealing to the reader. What will the reader think or feel once he/she reads it? Will you like it if you get the same message from anyone else?
• Keep your email introduction as brief as possible. If there is no possibility to get the idea of the message from the subject line or introduction quickly, it can become annoying for people who are going to read it. Always stick to the point. Appreciate time and attention of your readers.
• Stick to the 5 sentences rule introduced by Guy Kawasaki. This famous and successful entrepreneur who is well known for his Golden Touch says the following:

It means that a great email should be a balance between a lengthy message and a too short, vague letter. If you use more than 5 sentences, it will be a real waste of time for the recipient. If you use less than 5 sentences, chances are the reader won’t understand you properly. Implement this 5 sentence rule and see how it will boost the number of replies that you’ll get.

• Pick up short words and write short sentences. Respect your readers and help them save their time on reading letters from you. According to the survey conducted by McKinsey Global Institute, people tend to devote 13 hours of their time to managing emails every week. That’s a huge amount indeed! This is one more reason for keeping your letters brief and relevant.
• Use Reply to All option when it is really necessary. Before hitting this button ask yourself these questions: “Should everyone read this email?”, “Will it be useful for all the recipients?”
• Avoid slang and informal style of writing. It can spoil the image that you produce on your business partners or the person that you are going to reach out. What else? Be sure you exclude emoticons, colorful backgrounds, and colorful fonts from your letter. It is a very important thing to consider if you want to build strong and long-lasting business relationships.
• Avoid Passive voice in your message.

Passive voice can easily spoil your letter. So, before you send it make sure to rewrite all the sentences with Passive voice. Many professional writers advice you should use Active voice where it is possible. It will make your message smooth and easy to read.

Other Vital Tips to Consider

• Create a great subject line as it matters a lot. Indeed, the subject line can make or break your whole message. You should hook your readers by means of a really engaging subject line. A great way to do that is to state something about their company, department, title or job. Keep a subject line brief. Try to use adjectives to make it more attractive and appealing.
• Turn your email into a highly effective productivity tool. Get more tips on this in the article shared by Jason W. Womack, a co-founder of the Get Momentum Leadership Academy.
• Make the signature work for you. Make sure you include it in every email. To save your time, check the settings of your email service and create a great signature that will be added automatically to every letter you send. All major email services support this option. What should a winning signature look like? Pay attention to signature layout, design, and content. It should include your First name, Last name, position, your company’s logo (it should be small and good looking), a couple of links to your social media profiles (Facebook and LinkedIn work well for business emails).
• Proofread and edit your email properly. Final touches are very important. Make sure you eliminate all unnecessary words from your letter to keep it succinct and easy to read. At first, it may seem overwhelming to change your email writing habits and stick to all the tips mentioned above. However, if you take your time and start with implementing at least some of them, you’ll see the improvements in your correspondence.
• Reply quickly. Do not procrastinate with replies as it may have a negative impact on your image. Check your inbox on a regular basis but not too often. Don’t let it become a distractor and a productivity killer. For example, there is no point in checking your email more than 2 times a day. Of course, it may depend on the situation. However, in general, it will be a great option as you’ll be able to save a lot of time for other vital activities. If you see the letters that need an immediate reply, respond to them at once.
• To make the whole thing easier, try handy email apps like Alto, Postbox, Elasticemail, etc. As for me, I use Elasticemail fee account and more than happy with it. It offers a good deal of nice templates with professional design and appealing layouts. You can try and choose what works best for you.

I hope these hacks will help you respond to business emails more effectively and quickly. Maybe you have some great tips on this topic too. I’ll be glad to see them in your comments.