Do you get stuck when you start to write an email at work? Not sure where to start?
You’re not alone.
Communicating well, especially in emails, is a fundamental career skill we all need but many struggle with.
But, you don’t need to keep struggling.
In this post, I’ll share my top 5 tips to write an effective professional email. You can apply one or all of them to improve every email you write.
And, you’ll learn how to serve your teammates by making a positive impact with every email you send.
My Top 5 tips to write a professional email
You’re looking for help so I’ll get right to the point. These are my top 5 tips to write a professional email.
You may be thinking that there’s a lot more that goes into writing an effective email than is covered in these five tips.
You’re right. I agree with you.
In fact, I’ve written much more on the topic of how to write a professional email. These top 5 tips are taken from a more comprehensive guide I created which includes a simple and complete start-to-finish process.
The guide will give you everything you need to create effective emails that get results.
So, if you’re the type who prefers to jump right into all the material, here’s what I recommend.
Get your copy of the free guide, How to Write a Professional Email
You can get your own copy of the full guide, How to Write a Professional Email: Make a positive impact with every email you send, right now.
No problem.
Just click this button and you’ll have an email in your inbox before you know it so you can download the guide immediately.
But, if you prefer to get your information a little at a time instead of all at once, I understand.
In fact, that’s why I wrote this post.
So, let’s get back to my Top 5 tips to write a professional email
Back to the Top 5 tips
With this post, I want you to have techniques you can apply immediately with the next email you write. You’ll get actions you can take before you download the guide.
And, don’t worry.
If you read these tips and decide you want to learn more, you can always download the free guide later.
So, let’s get to the first tip which focuses on how we think. In particular, this tip deals with our mindset about emails and how we write them.
1. Start with a mindset of service
We all know the importance of having the right mindset. It’s critical to our success in any endeavor.
And, I believe serving others is what leadership is all about.
This quote from John Maxwell captures the idea of servant leadership very well.
We can serve our teammates with every email we write
A mindset of serving others can be applied to everything we do as leaders. Including writing emails.
I consider starting with a mindset of service to be the most important tip I can offer to leaders who want to improve this ability to write an effective professional email.
This approach will positively impact everything else you do until you hit send. And, even after that. I go into important follow up actions in the full guide.
But, what does starting with a mindset of service look like when you write an email? Instead of me telling you my answer to that question, let me give you a few questions for you to consider so you can develop your own opinion.
Here are four questions to ask yourself before you write your next email.
Four questions to ask before you write an email.
1. Do I have the right mindset?
Assessing your mindset when you begin to write an email is an important step. You may be “above the line” or below it as I described in a previous post. Increasing your level of self-awareness will significantly improve the email you are about to write.
Here are some additional questions to ask yourself to determine your mindset.
1. Am I seeking to serve others with this email and treat them as my customers?
2. Do I understand that this email represents me and my organization?
3. Do I recognize the positive impact I can have through this email?
4. Am I willing to invest the time to create a high-quality email?
5. Am I taking this part of my job seriously?
I encourage you to be honest and gracious with yourself as you answer these questions.
You may not have the right mindset to write an email right now. That’s okay. Take a break and come back to it later.
2. Am I willing to invest my time to serve others through this email?
Servant leadership requires investing time and energy to help our teammates be successful. This isn’t always enjoyable or easy, but investing in others is typically fulfilling and rewarding. Especially as you see those around you thrive and flourish as a result of your actions to serve them.
This approach applies to writing an email to your teammates.
Consider these questions as you consider whether investing your time to help the recipients of your email is something you are willing to do.
1. Will I do work to save my teammates time and energy?
2. Will I write more than one draft to communicate clearly and concisely?
3. Will I embrace the idea that the process of writing this email is valuable?
– To organize my thoughts and refine my thinking.
– To determine the best actions to recommend.
– To better understand who needs to be involved.
The last question highlights the benefits that come not just in the end product of an effective email, but also through the process of writing the email.
And, it brings us to our next question.
3. Who am I seeking to serve with this email?
This question involves mindset, but it obviously has a practical outcome. The answer to this question determines who you will choose as recipients of the email you write.
These three questions will help you dig deeper into this topic.
1. Who needs to take action to be successful in their role?
2. Who needs to be informed?
3. Who can apply their talents and skills to make a meaningful contribution?
Now that you’ve identified who you are seeking to serve through your email, think more about how you might serve them.
4. How might I help them be successful?
By answering the previous question, you now know who you are writing to. Now answer this question.
What do they need from you in this email?
As a leader, either with a formal position of authority or informally as a peer (click here to get a free guide with more on that topic), you are direction and influencing your teammates through the emails you write and send them.
Ask yourself these three questions.
1. What direction do my teammates need from me to be successful?
2. What information do they need to do their work?
3. How can I best position them for success using this email?
Processing these questions and determine the answers for each of your email recipients will demonstrate your commitment to care for and lead your teammates well.
As you think through your answers to these questions and the follow up questions they prompt, I’m confident your mindset will shift toward serving your team instead of just quickly shooting out an email without seriously considering your purpose or the consequences of the words you write.
The answers to the question above lead us to the second tip to use when you write a professional email: Determine what you are trying to say.
2. Determine what you are trying to say
You may be thinking that this isn’t much of a tip at all.
You’re about to write an email. Of course, you know what you want to say. Right?
Well, for me, I often think I know what I need to write. But, when I sit down and start to type out the words, I’m not so sure.
This may happen to you too.
If so, try asking yourself these three questions.
1. What is my purpose in writing this email?
This question is often harder to answer than it may seem at first. You know you need to communicate a message to your teammates. But, what exactly is that message?
Taking time to get clear on what you want to accomplish with your email will help you communicate clearly and concisely.
2. What actions need to be taken?
Leaders mobilize others to take action and achieve results. You want to be clear on what actions you want specific teammates to take to get the results your organization needs.
3. What information do I need to provide to the recipients?
You likely have information your teammates need to take action. Identifying what you need to share with them is critical.
The answer to this question clarifies what you will write in the body of the email and identifies the files you need to attach.
With these two tips, you’re well on your way to being ready to write an effective professional email.
You can stop there if you like. Doing just these few simple things will help you tremendously.
But, you have even more opportunity to improve with the remaining three tips which get a bit more tactical. They deal with best practices in writing mechanics and format.
I consider this third tip one of the most important because it covers what your email recipients see first, the subject line.
3. Create an effective subject line
Your teammates who receive the emails you send are going to see the subject line first. So, it’s critical to make the most of this element in every email you write.
As I said earlier, this tip gets into the mechanics of writing.
So, here are three practical guidelines I recommend you follow for the subject line of each professional email you write.
1. Summarize your purpose in about 9 words or 60 characters in the subject.
This length will display properly on most devices and get your readers attention.
2. Use parentheses or brackets to be clear for your readers.
Structure is important to communicate well. Even in a subject line.
3. Use the subject line to communicate the singular purpose of the email.
Keep each email focused on one topic and one purpose when possible.
Example subject lines you can use to create your own.
To help you better visualize the three tips above, here are some example subject lines.
Feel free to copy one of them into the subject line of an email you’re writing now. Modify it to fit your style and situation to see what works for you.
Subject: (Action Requested) – Safety Report for 3/1 Ops Review
Subject: [Requested Content by 2/19] – Renew Program Touchpoint
Subject: (Information Only) – Rosa’s Out of Office Plan
Subject: Please Approve by Nov 10: Pemly Purchase Order $495.21
Subject: [Input Needed] Please comment – Dart sales proposal
The work you invested in applying the second tip really pays off when you implement this third tip.
Because you know precisely what you are trying to say in your email, you can communicate that message clearly and concisely in the subject line.
Similarly, the work required for the second step makes using this fourth tip much easier too.
4. Select your recipients thoughtfully
Since you followed tip 2, you are crystal clear on who you are seeking to serve with your email.
The clarity you created makes your job of selecting recipients quick and easy. And, if you apply this simple rule, it’s even easier.
A simple rule to use when selecting recipients for your email
Here’s the rule.
The benefit the person receives may come in many different forms such as an assignment to complete a task or awareness of topic. But, somehow the email will help your teammate do their job.
That’s pretty simple, and maybe a little obvious. But, take a look at your inbox and see how many of your coworkers are following that rule.
I expect not enough of them.
But, when you follow this rule, you teammates will know you’re looking out for them when they review the emails in their inbox.
And, they will appreciate your decision.
Your choice of recipients is another opportunity to serve
Most of us receive far too many emails we don’t need to get. They clutter our inboxes and our minds. And, they waste our mental energy and our precious time.
You can serve your teammates by being thoughtful when selecting the recipients of each email you write and send.
I am convinced we can all positively impact our organizations and our teammates through the emails we write and send. Choosing to not send an email to a teammate who doesn’t need it is a perfect example of applying a mindset of service.
Use the address fields strategically
Once you decide who should receive your email, you can serve those teammates further by using the address fields strategically.
Here are some guidelines to follow as you add recipients to your email. These apply to nearly every field and industry and all types organizations.
| To: | Use for those who are critical or you are requesting to take action |
| Cc: | Copy people who only need to be informed. |
| Bcc: | Perfect for sending an email to large groups. – Help your teammates avoid the dreaded “reply all” mistake. – Keep email addresses private by using Blind Carbon Copy (Bcc). |
Many of my colleagues first read emails that include them in the To field. Later, when and if they have time, they read those they are copied on.
Your coworkers likely follow this same pattern. So, keep this in mind as you strategically choose who goes in which address field.
You’ve selected your recipients and only those who need to read your email will receive it. Those teammates are the people you have the opportunity to serve through your email.
And, you have the opportunity for yourself too.
The email you write can distinguish you as leader when you apply this last tip.
5. Get to the point. Immediately.
Being able to communicate well is a fundamental career skill every leader needs to hone and master. Communicating clearly and concisely is critical in all forms of verbal and written content. This includes the emails you write.
Just like you, your teammates who get your emails don’t want to spend extra time trying to figure out what you’re trying to say.
Because you followed tip 2 and took the time to get clear on your message, you know what you want to say. Now you just need to write it down in the email body.
And, before you start typing, you should consider how they are going to be reading your email.
Use a layout that makes reading easy for your recipients
I’m sure you’ve heard of The Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated.
Tip 5 is an application of that wise advice. Write your emails in way you would like others to use when they write emails to you.
Following these three guidelines will produce an email format you and your recipients will appreciate.
1. Start with what’s most important.
Begin your email message with what is essential for the reader to know.
2. Consider how they will read your email.
They will most likely be reading on their mobile device or in the preview screen of their email program.
3. Keep critical information on the first screen.
This is about 80 words on a phone or 300 on a computer. Don’t make your teammate scroll for the important points.
Use the Pyramid Principle to structure your message
You may remember the Pyramid Principle from my post, How To Deliver Results With Your Business Email. Do This First. There I cover the benefits of using structured communication in more detail.
This image may look familiar.
The graphic captures the essence of tip 5.
When writing an email, make your most important point first then add detail only as needed.
This last tip seems simple but it takes practice. Keep at it and try to use structured communication with every email you write.
Your teammates will notice and see a difference compared to most emails they receive.
Lead well by applying these 5 tips to every email you write.
There’s so much more that goes into writing effective professional emails. But, these five tips give you a good place to start.
1. Start with a mindset of service.
Help your team be successful through this email.
2. Determine what you are trying to say.
Understand your purpose for writing this email.
3. Create an effective subject line.
Summarize your purpose in the subject.
4. Select your recipients thoughtfully.
Only include those who will benefit from your email.
5. Get to the Point. Immediately.
Begin with the essential information. Organize the message so it’s easy to read.
Just by applying these five tips you will demonstrate to your teammates you are committed to helping them be successful in delivering the results the organization needs.
Learn more with a free guide – How to Write a Professional Email
If you read this far and found these five tips helpful, you might also like the free guide, How to Write a Professional Email: Make a positive impact with every email you send.
This guide includes many more tips and a complete start-to-finish process for creating effective emails that get results.
It’s completely free and I would love for you to have a copy.
I hope these tips and the free guide equip you to lead well and increase your positive influence in your organization.
Let’s lead with kindness and confidence.
Greg
Discussion Questions
- What tips for writing an effective, professional email would you add to this Top 5 list?
- What tip in this post was most useful for you?
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