1. Draft a
clear, simple subject line
The
subject line is one of the most important parts of an email, since it is what
recipients see first in their inbox. You can think of the subject line as the
title of your message. It should tell the reader why you are writing or what
you are writing about. Create a
subject line that is direct, so your recipient immediately understands what
your message is concerning. This subject line should summarize the purpose of
your email in a few words or a concise sentence. Keeping it brief and only
including the main point of your email can improve the recipient’s ability to
see your message in their inbox. Your subject
line should be three to five words long. For example, use easy
identifiers like "Graphic Design Position Application" or
"Inquiry—Graphic Design Team." These subject lines are concise and
tell the reader exactly what they can expect from your email.
Always write
a subject line. Emails without one will say "No subject" in the
recipient's inbox and might go unread. You can make a good first impression by
writing a clear, concise, and attention-grabbing subject line.
Avoid gimmick such as ALL CAPS or RE: at the beginning of every email. These may get attention once or twice but will soon be seen as deceptive practices to encourage you to read their email and will result in your email being marked as SPAM.
2. Do not write
your entire email in the subject line
Placing everything you want to say in the subject line may
save you time, but it conveys to the recipient that your time is more important
than communicating clearly. Some email systems will not properly
display or deliver a message that has no body. If you cannot take time to write the message body, don't waste your time or your recipient's with the email in the first place. It will only be seen as manipulative or disrespectful.
3. Use a standard font and standard
background
Keep your email’s default font, text
color, and background for a neat, professional appearance. Default text settings are often
black or dark gray text in a simple, easy-to-read font. By using standard fonts
and colors, you can better ensure your recipient understands your message and
trusts that it is genuinely from you.
While some email applications allow
you to change the background, it is rarely a good idea. These backgrounds can make your email hard to
read for others and do not easily allow your message to be quoted or referenced in subsequent email replies.
4. Be polite and positive
Maintaining
a professional relationship with employers, customers, clients, and coworkers
you interact with over email requires a professional tone. You can accomplish
this by using formal language instead of slang, complete sentences, correct
punctuation, writing out all words and avoiding exclamation points.
If you must address a disagreement through email, provide
positive feedback and make sure any criticism you give is constructive. Keep
these emails brief and use an in-person meeting or a phone call instead if
possible.
5. Use your personal email for casual messages
If you
are sending informal communications about topics not related to the business,
you should use your personal email account. Using different email addresses to
separate your personal and professional communications also helps you keep your
messages and contacts properly organized.
6. Keep “interesting article” emails to a minimum
Filling
up your co-worker’s or business partner’s inbox with all the internet articles
that you find interesting may lead to your emails being ignored or blocked. Later, when you have something important to
say or ask, your email may not be read or seen at all.
7. Only “Reply all” when necessary
Think
carefully about whether your response needs to go to everyone who was included
in the original message. Only use the “Reply all” option when you’re providing
information that is relevant to the entire group. Otherwise, the “Reply” option
is usually best.
8. Start new email threads for new topics
If you
want to address a new topic with a group or individual, begin a new message
rather than adding the matter to an existing and unrelated thread. This method
can ensure you and other recipients keep communications as organized as
possible.
9. Respond to messages promptly.
A timely
response helps clients and coworkers stay on schedule. A brief response is
often appropriate for things like acknowledging receipt of a file or confirming
a meeting time.
10. Inquire
before including an attachment
Ask your
recipient if you may send an attachment before including one with an email.
Inquire about the best format for these files to make sure your recipient can
open it easily. Including a link to a file hosted in the cloud is often easier
than attaching files, particularly when files are large. Internal
communications are often an exception to this rule, meaning you may send
documents to coworkers using your internal email server.