How to write a business email that your client will be happy to read

Before You Start Writing

Before you click the "New Message" button in your inbox, ask yourself these 4 questions:

1. Who am I sending the email to?

Who you're writing to will influence how you write it. With some clients, you have a closer, friendlier relationship, while with others, you communicate more formally. Don't send clients template-like emails – they will notice, and they'll feel like they're just one of many. Write emails in a way that shows they’re unique and that you wouldn’t send the same email to anyone else.

2. What is the goal of this email?

Every email must have one clear goal. A common mistake senders make is asking the recipient to do several things at once, like reviewing an attachment or filling out a form. In such cases, it’s better to send two separate emails. A message with one clear goal is easier for the recipient to understand and act on.

3. Is this email necessary?

Think about what would happen if you didn't send the email. If you realize that nothing significant would change, or that it would be better to handle the matter by phone or in person, don’t send the email. Every unnecessary email erodes the recipient’s trust and lowers the likelihood that they will take your messages seriously.

4. Is this email appropriate?

Email is not the right form of communication for every situation. For example, if you're delivering bad news, an apology, or sensitive information, it’s better to consider a face-to-face meeting. In person, you can incorporate non-verbal communication, and the content won’t easily be forwarded to others.

Formal Aspects of an Email

Business emails have their own formal specifics. They must be professional, concise, and clear. Therefore, fine-tune their tone and structure.

Tone of Communication

The tone of the email changes depending on the relationship you have with the recipient. However, there are a few common mistakes to avoid in business emails:

• Writing long politeness phrases (instead of "I would kindly ask you to..." just say "Please...").
• Using caps lock – it's better to bold or underline important information.
• Using exclamation marks and emojis.
  
  

The use of a capital "V" in the salutation is at your discretion. Since it's a sign of politeness, it's recommended to use it with clients with whom you don't yet have a closer relationship.

Structure

Business emails should be structured so that the recipient can quickly scan them and immediately understand what you want. Therefore, use shorter paragraphs than you would in regular text, and separate information with spaces. Never send one long paragraph of text – reading such an email requires unnecessary effort.

What Makes a Good Business Email

Now let's focus on the individual parts of the email and offer tips on how to perfect them.

1. Subject Line

In business emails, the subject line serves as a brief summary. This means that immediately after reading it, the recipient should know what you want from them. The ideal length is 3 to 8 words, and all the words must be relevant. Too vague or, conversely, too long subject lines create confusion in the recipient's inbox.

2. Greeting

Always address the recipient as you would in person. If you have a less formal relationship, feel free to use "Hello, Mark." For a more formal greeting, use "Hello, Mr. Novak."

3. Politeness

Limit the use of polite phrases in business emails to a minimum. Don't ask clients how they are doing, but simply thank them at the beginning if the email followed a personal meeting or if the client, for example, sent you an attachment.

4. The Body of the Email

As mentioned earlier, every email should have only one goal, such as a request, task, or sharing information. This part forms the core of the email and follows any polite phrases. Always describe the body of the email briefly and clearly.

5. Additional Information

Sometimes it's necessary to add a few secondary details to the message, such as a link to a document, examples, or instructions. The rule of brevity and clarity still applies, and for each piece of information, consider whether it is truly essential for the recipient.

6. Call to Action

In marketing, this is called CTA (call to action). It's a phrase or sentence in the second person that clearly tells the recipient what to do. Without a clear CTA, the recipient may not understand that you want something from them, and after reading, they may close the email and forget about it.

A CTA in a business email should include:

• A specific action (e.g., "Send me your feedback...")
• A time frame (...by June 20th.)
  
  

7. Closing

The purpose of the closing is to let the recipient know that your message is ending. This can be a thank you, a brief note that you look forward to their response, or a wish for a pleasant day.

8. Signature

Don’t write your signature manually in every business email. Set up an automatic signature in your email client and include your company logo and contact information. An automatic signature today effectively separates business contacts from personal ones. If someone sends you a business email without an automatic signature, it appears unprofessional.