Mastering the Art of Business Emails: 10 Tips for Effectiveness

Email is a cornerstone of business communication. Whether you're reaching out to clients, collaborating with colleagues, or networking with industry professionals, crafting effective emails is essential for success. However, with inboxes inundated with messages daily, it's crucial to ensure your emails stand out and convey your message clearly and professionally. Here are ten tips to help you master the art of business emails:

1. Know Your Audience:  Before drafting your email, consider who will be reading it. Understanding your audience will help you strike the right chord and increase the likelihood of a favorable response.

• Tip: Tailor your tone, language, and content to suit the recipient's preferences, position, and level of familiarity with you.
• Tip: the TO line should be who your email is directed to. They are the audience you are expecting to respond to.  The CC line is who you want to be aware of and for visibility.  They do not need to join the conversation, but they can if they have something to contribute.  Think of it this way.  You are sitting at a table with a group of friends.  There are many people at the table, but you are speaking directly to the person on your right.  They would be on the “to” line.  The other people would be cc’d as they are the ones who are listening but not actively in your conversation.
• Tip:  While it is easy to send someone an email for action and cc’d their boss – I encourage you to first check your intentions.  Might this backfire?  Could it hurt your brand?  Why do you feel the need to include the boss?  If you are tattling or CYA, don’t do it.  Send the email to the individual and follow up with a phone call if you do not get a response within the time you need it.
• Tip:  The problem with BCC is it is not a transparent, inclusive environment.  Have I used it before, yes.  Do I recommend using it no.  Let me expand on why I think using the BCC feature on emails can be dangerous.  Blind copied emails raise questions you don’t want people asking or thinking.  They give people a reason to question if they can trust you which is not something you want tied to your professional reputation.  They can also come across as manipulative and may put those who are blind copied in an awkward position.  When I receive a BCC’d email, I am never sure if I am supposed to pretend I don’t know the information if asked or be surprised when I hear it.  It is just not the inclusive, transparent environment that we all want to operate within. Now, there are some reasons I use BCC strategically. For example, if I am sending to an audience of over 20 people, I might BCC the recipients so that they get the message and can take action without fearing they will reply all or do something with my list of email addresses.  When I do this, I will usually notify the audience that they have been BCC due to size. 
• Tip:  Do NOT abuse DLISTS.  People will start to ignore

2. Craft a Clear Subject Line:  The subject line is your email's first impression and determines whether it gets opened or ignored. Keep it concise, specific, and relevant to the email's content. A compelling subject line gives recipients a glimpse into what the email entails and entices them to open the email.

• Tip:  Use "Action Required”, "Action Needed by 3/12 @ noon Pacific", "TOP OF PILE" or "For Information Only" within the subject line in order to help the audience know the priority of your email. 
• Tip:  Flags are great, and reminders work too, but they are tools that are often abused.  Be thoughtful with your subject line and entice recipients to open.

3. Keep it Concise and Relevant: Respect your recipient's time by getting straight to the point. Avoid long-winded introductions or unnecessary information. Be clear about the purpose of your email and stick to relevant details to ensure it's easily digestible.

• Tip:  Use Grammarly to get to the point faster
• Tip: Keep it simple. Never use 25 words when 15 will do. If you can cut the clutter in your sentences, your readers will have a clear idea of what you want them to understand.

4. Mind Your Tone and Language: Maintain a professional tone in your emails, regardless of the recipient. Avoid using slang, jargon, or overly casual language that may be misunderstood or deemed unprofessional. Strike a balance between friendliness and formality, depending on the context.

• Tip:  Be inclusive!  Use They or Their language instead of he/she when and where appropriate.  Especially good if you are talking to an audience that consists of both. 

5. Use Proper Formatting and Structure: Organize your email with clear paragraphs, bullet points, or numbered lists to improve readability. A well-structured email is easier to follow and enhances comprehension. 

• Tip:  For those of us who used to use typewriters……we no longer need two spaces after a period.  We are FREE! 
• Tip:  Do not use th, rd, st for numbers
• Tip:  Be consistent – for example dates:  choose a way 3/2/24 or March 2 or March 2, 2024, and use it throughout the document.
• Tip:  For the first acronym, spell it out.  Example:  Message Gateway (MGWY)
• Tip:  Spell out words.  Example: cert/certs should be certificate/certificates
• Tip: Use bold or italicized text sparingly to emphasize important points.
• Tip:  Do not use ALL CAPS.  Unless you really are yelling at them?  😉
• Tip:  Use the Oxford Comma.  You use a comma before the conjunction. For example, this screen has a pink, purple, and gray circle on it. The second comma before the word and is the Oxford comma. Using it makes it easy for the reader to quickly understand your meaning. 
• Tip:  Write active sentences. In each sentence, readers should be able to picture the subject and the verb. This means I should be able to visualize what is happening and who is doing it.  Generally speaking, business writing is active, but strategically use passive voice when it makes sense for your situation. 
• Tip: Avoid excessive punctuation. An exclamation point should be used for emphasis, but if you use them frequently, it reads like you're yelling and there's no need to use more than one question mark or exclamation point. 
• Tip:  Maintain parallel structure in lists. This means if you start with the past tense, everything listed afterward should be in the past tense. Or if you start with a verb, like the list I'm describing in this video, every item on your list should start with a verb. 
• Tip:  Use colors to tie thoughts together (ex: See yellow highlight below), especially when you are attempting to be concise.

6. Personalize When Possible:  Whenever appropriate, personalize your emails to foster a stronger connection with the recipient. Address them by name, reference previous conversations or interactions, and demonstrate a genuine interest in their needs or concerns. Personalization adds a human touch and makes your email more engaging.

7. Proofread Before Sending: Typos, grammatical errors, or unclear phrasing can detract from your professionalism and undermine your message. Take the time to proofread your email carefully before hitting send. 

• Tip: Consider using spelling and grammar checkers
• Tip:  Ask a colleague to review it for you
• Tip:  Remember autocorrect makes mistakes.  Proofread after autocorrecting.
• Tip:  If the email is important, consider sleeping on it and reviewing it again the next morning. 

8. Be Respectful of Timeframes: Be mindful of the recipient's schedule and deadlines when sending emails.

• Tip:  Always ask before you resend to avoid bombarding them with messages. Who knows, they may be in email jail.
• Tip:  Do NOT expect an immediate response unless it's urgent. Respect their time constraints and give them reasonable time to reply.

9. Include a Call to Action (CTA):  Clearly state what you expect the recipient to do after reading your email. Whether it's scheduling a meeting, providing feedback, or taking a specific action, include a concise and actionable CTA to guide their response. Make it easy for them to understand what is required of them.

10. Follow Up Appropriately:  If you do not receive a response within a reasonable timeframe, don't hesitate to follow up. However, do so tactfully and without being pushy. A polite reminder or a brief clarification can prompt a response without coming across as intrusive.

Mastering the art of business emails takes practice, but by implementing these tips, you can enhance your communication skills and make an impression on your recipients. Remember, every email you send is an opportunity to highlight your professionalism, credibility, and attention to detail. 

Happy Thursday all,

-srt