Email is not dead. Although we’re using it less in favor of instant messaging and other collaboration tools, there’s still a time and place for email.
It’s especially suited for:
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Documentation like reports and meeting summaries.
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Detailed information like process changes and instructions.
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Mass communication like announcements and newsletters.
Below are five steps to follow so you can draft an email that recipients will open and read—and that will achieve the results you want.
1. Maintain your credibility
Present yourself as the trusted professional you are.
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Be polite: say please and thank you.
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Keep a professional tone: avoid slang and too many exclamation marks.
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Use a suitable greeting and opening but avoid insincere small talk.
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Include a suitable sign-off that fits the tone of the email.
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Keep your email signature simple and short: limit images and avoid cursive fonts.
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Don’t use a high importance flag unless it’s warranted.
2. Present your email thoughtfully
Give the right amount of information in the right way so that your recipient can easily read and digest your message.
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Place your key message and call to action near the top so it’s the first thing your reader sees.
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Organize the rest of the information from most to least important.
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Limit the number of issues covered in the email to increase the chance of a response.
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Write briefly and stick to the point: try to keep to 150 words or less.
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Use short, everyday words instead of jargon and difficult words.
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Avoid acronyms and terms your reader won’t understand.
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Keep sentences short.
3. Help your reader scan
We don’t read onscreen text word for word. In fact, most of us scan a web page in an F-shaped pattern. Use layout and formatting to guide your reader through the email and to your key points.
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Put your key message and call to action at the top.
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For a longer email with a lot of details, use headings.
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Write in easy-to-read chunks: use short paragraphs and lists with bullets or numbers.
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Don’t use too much bold; if you emphasize too many words, you end up emphasizing nothing.
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Avoid all caps, huge fonts, and random colors; these slow the reader down.
4. Write your subject line last
Your subject line could determine whether a recipient opens your email. Make it count.
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Write the subject line after drafting your message.
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Use action verbs so the reader knows what you want done.
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Be specific and descriptive so the reader knows right away what the message is about.
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Appeal to the reader’s needs: ask yourself what will make the reader care about your email.
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Avoid starting a sentence in the subject line and finishing it in the body.
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Keep your subject line under 50 characters or 6 to 8 words, so the whole line will show in the inbox preview.
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Keep in mind that some smartphones show only 33 to 44 characters for the subject line.
5. Review and revise
Imagine that everyone in the company will read your message. Emails are quick to create but leave a lasting impression. Review your work now to save time and get results later.
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Use the spell-check feature to reduce errors.
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Read the message backwards to check for errors that a spell-checker won’t catch, like homonyms and usage errors.
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Check that your key message is perfectly clear, without typos, wordy phrases, or anything that can be misunderstood.
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Check that all names and titles are correct.
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Make sure you have attached any important files or included any necessary links.
Email still matters—when it’s done well. By focusing on clarity, structure, and purpose, you make it easier for your reader to understand your message and what to do.
About the Author
More Content by Catherine Haggerty
