Email Communication

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Workplace email communication is alive and well, even with the popularity of Slack channels and instant messaging. In fact, 60% of workers prefer email over phone calls, Slack messages, and other forms of communication. This includes everything from sending meeting invites, sharing documents, and project approvals etc. However, a poorly written email can not only be confusing but also affect the productivity of your employees.

For example, a confusing subject line may lead to your email going unread. Considering that more than 32% of emails are never opened, you could save yourself a lot of time and energy by learning professional email writing tips.

In this blog, we’ll uncover the key aspects of professional email writing, workplace email etiquette

and email productivity tips that can help you get more done.

Ready? Let’s get started.

Understanding Professional Email Communication

In the workplace, an email message is often referred to as a memo. Why? It is concise and clear, with a precise subject line that summarizes the content in a couple of words. A professional email is structured and formatted correctly for easy reading, while the greeting and body text are formal.

Importance of Effective Email Communication in the Workplace

Effective email communication brings multiple benefits for your team. These include:

Better productivity

Effective emails boost productivity by sharing updates, approvals, and clarifications on a timely basis. They bring every team member on the same page, improving coordination and teamwork.

Serves as a source of reference

Whether it is project deadlines or resource allocations, professional emails are proof during internal reviews, client discussions, or external audits. Emails help ensure you don’t miss out on important instructions or guidelines. You can refer to them anytime you need, without following up with the sender.

Enhances relationships within the team

Formal business emails are polite and professional. From the greeting to the main body, you use professional language with due consideration to the position of the recipient. Being clear and concise helps the reader understand you better and builds trust. This enhances working relationships with the team and builds a culture of teamwork and respect.

Enables teams to share feedback

Unlike feedback forms, emails allow employees to describe their problems, possible solutions, and likely outcomes in detail. Moreover, email communication is private—only the intended people can read and respond to it. This makes emails the best option for employees to communicate their opinions on important matters.

Business Email Etiquette Essentials

What makes a business email effective? Here are some do’s and don’ts that ensure your email checks all the boxes:

  • Use direct subject lines

    When writing a subject line, you should aim for a descriptive sentence that is neither too long nor too short. The reader should be able to tell right away what the email is about. For example: “Thoughts?” is too short to be an effective subject line, while “Client pitch next week” is concise and informative.

  • Use a professional greeting

    Always open the email with a professional greeting. The right greeting depends on your relationship with the person you are writing to and the purpose of the email. “Hi and “Hello” are among the most common forms of greeting used when you know the recipient.

    On the other hand, “Dear Sir/Madam” can be used in situations when you’re writing to someone you don’t personally know.

  • Use appropriate language

    Professional email writing should be free of slang or colloquial words. These can come across as too casual in a business setting. Why? If you’re marking the email to multiple people, it can create a negative impact—especially if the team includes people from other countries or cultures.

    You must also avoid business jargon or buzzwords that people from other teams or offices may have difficulty understanding. For example, “customer churn” or “touchpoint” may be suited to people from a marketing background but not to other teams.

  • Sign-off politely

    Ending a business email correctly is as important as the start. It is a key part of the overall email. “Best regards” works in most cases. You can also use the traditional “Sincerely” or “Thank You” as part of the sign-off to a more formal email. If you’re writing to a colleague, you can use “Cheers” or “Take care” as well. It adds a touch of warmth to your email.

  • Use the correct format

    The overall look of your email also determines whether it gets read. Stick to the standard format when writing professional correspondence. Your email should ideally start with a subject line followed by a greeting, main body, closing, and the sign-off (which includes an email signature).

    To make your email easy to read, you can bold text to highlight key points. Check your email signature for broken links or rendering issues.

  • Correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar

    Before sending your email, spend a few minutes checking for grammar or punctuation errors. Use a spell-checker like Grammarly to save time and fix errors faster. If the email is long, you can break it up into smaller paragraphs, or you can even divide the text into several sections, each with a different heading.

Effective Email Writing Techniques for Professionals

Your email should cover the following aspects to be effective:

  • One topic per email

    When writing a business email, stick to the topic mentioned in the subject line. Don’t add any extra points that may not be directly related to it. Most business people open emails based on the subject line. Adding extra points could confuse them.

    For example, “I would like you to approve the budget for the new project we signed last week. Could you also approve the budget for the upcoming project?”

    You should ideally send a separate email on the other project. It will be easy to reference the emails in the future.

  • Start with the “why”

    Get straight to the point in the opening line itself. Tell the reader why you’re reaching out or what you need them to do. This helps the reader decide whether to read further or to leave it for later.

    For example, “I’m writing to give you an update on the C-Sat scores for the last quarter”.

    Directly talking about the subject matter saves time for the reader and increases the chances of you getting a response.

  • Provide background information

    Once you have introduced the subject, you can dive into the details, providing supporting information like deadlines, actions, or other specific requirements. This gives your email a logical flow, allowing the reader to connect the points and decide what to do next. You should provide enough information to cover any questions that the reader is likely to have.

  • Always reply to the most recent email

    To maintain continuity and provide context, you should reply to the most recent email and in the same thread. If you start a new email, the reader may miss out on crucial background information, taking longer for them to understand and respond to you. Move to a new thread only when the subject or query is resolved or addressed in a suitable way.

  • Use professional fonts

    Whether it is the main body or your email signature, professional emails must stick to standard fonts like Calibri, Arial, or Sans Serif. These fonts are not too stylish and make for easy reading. This is particularly important if you’re using an email marketing tool.

    Research shows that the overall structure and appearance of an email influences how readers interact with it. To break up large blocks of text, use bullet points or headers.

  • End with a Call to Action

    Whether you are writing to an internal or external audience, each email should invite the reader to take some action (depending on the situation). This gives your email a logical conclusion and allows the reader to reflect on what they read.

  • Review your email for clarity and professionalism

    Take a few minutes to read your email before sending. Focus on sentences that may be too long, clunky sentences.

    For example: “Not only did we beat last year’s estimate, but we are also on track to beat projected revenue growth for this year.”

    This sentence takes too long to read and understand. A better way would be to simply use “and”.

    For example: “We beat last year’s estimate and are on track to beat projected revenue growth for this year.”

  • Use active voice

    Using active voices makes your sentences shorter and easier to read. If you need to emphasize key parts, consider using bold font instead. Passive voice can make your email look wordy and unprofessional. After you’ve drafted your email, change any passive sentences into the active voice.

Put Your Career On the Fast Track with GroYouth

Sending cold emails is a great way to show employers you are interested in working for them. Even if they are not currently hiring, your resume would likely be considered before other candidates when the next opening comes up. However, not every LinkedIn job post may be the right one for you. GroYouth is an excellent alternative where you can find personalized job recommendations tailored to your profile.

We work with the top employers across India to bring you verified job listings across industries, roles, and experience levels. We specifically ask for your consent before sharing your application with employers, and vet employers thoroughly to protect you from fraud.

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