Emails have long been the primary source of formal communication, replacing traditional, physical letters many years ago. And while some of us don’t compose emails regularly, knowing how to write an email is pivotal.
The ability to write effective electronic letters can help people of any occupation. It can lead to the expansion of your business or get any sought information on a particular topic.
And considering all the benefits of effective emails, the question of how to write a sound email arises. Oddly, students don’t have classes on effective email communication, which is why they lack knowledge and often have to turn to academic writing services, such as EssayShark. Indeed, practice makes perfect; one has to compose dozens of emails to succeed in writing them. But knowing the basics will allow you to write awesome emails without having years of experience. Let’s look at such tips in a broader scope.
Creating an informative subject line
Every email must have a purpose. And the more apparent it is, the better. Before delving into writing, think about your email’s subject. It should be brief and accurate. Say, suppose you compose an email to your teacher, asking to arrange an office hour. Simply writing “office hour request” will be vague. When writing an email, you want the recipient to learn as much information about the letter’s content as possible without opening it. Of course, writing “Dear professor, I have a question: can we arrange the meeting on Monday at 3 p.m. please?” will do your email no good, either. It is too extensive. Instead, opt for the golden mean, making a subject like: “Office hour request, Monday, 3 p.m.”
Being courteous
Start your email with respectful salutations. Proper greetings are essential in email writing. They demonstrate that the addresser hasn’t used a template to compose a message. When working on salutations, consider the addressee’s gender and marital status. If a recipient is a woman, but you don’t know whether she is married, use the title Ms. Also, if you create an email but have no idea who will open it and read it (for instance, you write a letter to a particular department), the best way to demonstrate courtesy will be to kick off your email with “to whom it may concern.”
Staying away from abbreviations
Many confuse emails with simple text messages and include abbreviations. Remember that email letters, whomever they are addressed to, are way more formal. So even if your recipient might understand a particular abbreviation, it’s best to avoid using them. An exception would be official abbreviations. But even in this case, make sure to write the full title first and only then provide an abbreviation in parentheses—for example, Modern Language Association (MLA).
Being straight to the point
When writing an email, make sure you don’t stall. Your recipient may have neither time nor desire to read long-reads if they can be encapsulated into several sentences. To achieve clarity and accuracy, omit unnecessary words, phrases, and structures. Ensure transforming sentences with a passive voice to an active one. Doing that will save you plenty of space.
Structuring content
Just like essays, structured emails are more understandable and coherent. Break down your electronic letter into sections. It will help the addressee get familiar with the content faster. In addition, use numbered or bulleted lists. They will narrow down the email and improve your email’s readability.
Including a signature
Depending on your position, you may need to create a personal signature describing your post, contact email, and phone number. Suffice to say that if you are a student, the chances are you are not employed. Either way, even short info about you will be helpful. Make sure to include your first and second name, along with your phone number. You can also add your educational email address if you send an email from a different mail address.
Composing the letter in advance
Start working on your email and thinking about its primary purpose in advance. An excellent way to write an effective email would be drafting it and leaving it aside for some time. Having plenty of time ahead will help you compose a well-thought and organized email. Not only will it let you improve the content, but you will also manage to perfect grammar, style, and tone.
Use spell checkers like Grammarly to correct grammar, punctuation, and lexical errors. You can also read an email aloud to check whether the piece sounds natural. And remember: it is always better to spend a bit more time working on an email and making sure it is polished than writing it hurriedly.
Checking links and attachments
Emails often contain links or attachments with additional information. Whenever you include a link or an attachment in your email, check whether it is correct.
Gaining effective email writing skills isn’t effortless. Aside from sending emails daily, one has to know how to write an efficient email and what it should contain to achieve its goals. Fortunately, the mentioned list provides tips on how to make an email professional and top-notch. All you have to do is follow them and practice your email writing consistently.
