Let’s face it—writing professional emails is hard. There’s just so much to worry about! That’s why we’re here to help you avoid some common mistakes like forgetting to use a signature or overusing the “Reply All” feature. Whether you’re reaching out to a new client or touching base with your boss, you’ll want to know these tips.
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Avoid Casual Language
When you’re writing a quick email, you might be tempted to use textspeak, like “LOL” or a “Hey!” But your professional emails aren’t the place for that. Keep your language crisp & formal to set the right tone and show that you mean business. This way, everyone knows you’re to be taken seriously.
Always Spell Check
Nothing tells people, “I rushed this,” like an email filled with typos. Misspelled words & grammar mistakes can make you look sloppy at best—and lazy at worst. Most email platforms have a spell-check feature, so there’s no excuse not to give your email a quick once-over before you send it out.
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Never Skip the Subject Line
If you received a blank parcel in the mail, you’d be hesitant to open it—skipping the subject line in your emails does just that. Always write a brief – yet clear – subject line at the top to let your recipient know what your email is about. It should draw them in and help them prioritize the various emails in their inbox.
Don’t Cry Wolf with “Urgent”
However, you shouldn’t fall into the trap of marking every email as “urgent.” Why? Because when you do this, none of them will seem urgent at all. You should use the urgent tag for genuinely urgent things. Think of it like the boy who cried wolf—if you use it when it’s not absolutely necessary, people won’t take it seriously when it really matters.
Limit the Exclamation Marks!!!
While it’s great to show enthusiasm, flooding your email with exclamation points overwhelms your reader & dilutes your message. Keep it professional by using them sparingly. After all, you wouldn’t constantly shout if you were communicating face-to-face, so why do it in your emails? One well-placed exclamation point can do the job without going overboard.
Include a Proper Signature
You should also end your emails with a signature that tells the recipient who you are & what you do, as well as how they can contact you. It’s pretty helpful! You’re letting them know everything important about you without them needing to do research. Don’t put in too much detail, though—just your full name, position, company and contact info.
Keep It Short and Sweet
An email that’s a wall of text is pretty daunting! Keep your emails brief & break up your text into manageable chunks, with two to three sentences per paragraph. Better yet, use bullet points to organize your thoughts. It makes your email quicker to read and easier for your recipient to digest your key points.
Steer Clear of Humor
Jokes can be hit or miss and in professional emails – it’s usually a miss. After all, humor is subjective and what’s funny to you might fall flat for someone else—or offend them! Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to be cold. Keep your tone warm & friendly, leaving out the puns. Only make jokes if you know the recipient very well & you’re sure they’d appreciate the humor.
Use “Reply All” Wisely
Even though “Reply All” can be useful, you should ask yourself—does everyone need to see your response? If the answer is no, then keep your reply limited to those who need it. It keeps others’ inboxes clean and makes sure your messages stay targeted & relevant. Not everyone needs to hear every part of a conversation!
No Emojis Please
Emojis are fun in personal conversations, although certainly not in professional emails. They make you seem less serious. It’s better to leave them out and stick to using words to express your thoughts so there’s no room for misinterpretation. It’ll also make sure your message is clear & straightforward.
Resist the Urge to Over-Format
You might feel like jazzing up your email with different fonts or colors—don’t do it. Instead, keep the formatting clean & simple. Over-formatting can distract your reader and even make your email harder to read. As such, you should stick to a standard font and use formatting sparingly to emphasize your most important points.
Remember, Emails Aren’t Private
Always write emails as if they could be read by anyone—because, sometimes, they are! They could get forwarded or end up being part of a larger email chain, meaning you never know who could read them. Avoid writing anything that you wouldn’t be comfortable with everyone knowing.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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