Are your Business Emails in English Impactful?
Writing business emails in English can be stressful.
You want the email to be well received, to communicate the right message, and to have the impact it deserves.
A misunderstanding in a business email or a message that is misinterpreted can have disastrous consequences!
This needs your attention when writing a Business Email in English
Before you press the send button, here are some key elements to pay attention to.
Subject line
The subject line catches your reader’s attention. You want to be precise, not generic.
Example: Client Report Revisions: Please Review by 4 PM
Greetings
First names are NOT used in a formal email. Using Miss or Mrs to address a woman is not appropriate, as you don’t know whether she’s married or not.
Example: Dear Mr. Johnson,
An introductory sentence
Before you get into the purpose of your email, you want to give a bit of context.
Example: It was great to meet you at last night’s networking event.
The content of your email
It’s time to get to the purpose of your email. Do it in a clear, precise, and concise way. Business people don’t have time for long and detailed emails. For a business email, you want to go to the point. Example: I am writing to ask for further information about the conference…
Use the right tone of language
Business emails tend to be formal, make sure you’re using the right tone, especially if you don’t know the person you’re writing to.
Example: Could you please let me know if you can attend the meeting next week?
Ending your email
Your email should end with thanking the person you’re writing to or asking them to take action.
Example: Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Closing the email
It is customary to close your email with a closing expression.
Example: Yours sincerely,
Proofread your email
Last but not least, before sending your email, go through it thoroughly. Are you sending it to the right person? Are you using the right tone? Can I make it shorter?
These are some of the questions you can systematically ask yourself before you send an important business email.
Take your Business English Writing to the next level!
Writing in English is not as easy as it may seem. There are lots of expressions and habits that you need to be aware of when you write to an English-speaking client. A simple email can make or break a deal!
That’s the reason why we have put in place an English Writing Workshop that will help develop your writing skills in English. Find out more about it here.
