23 Emails

Tips for effective business emails

If you’re struggling to write an email, err on the side of not wasting the reader’s time. Many readers get hundreds of emails a day. While a reader might sit down to read a letter or a memo, they will usually spend a few seconds scanning an email for relevant information before moving on to the next one.

Unless your email is sensitive or you are breaking bad news, it’s nearly always a good idea to state the main point of the email clearly and to clearly tell the audience what you want them to do.

It may be helpful for you to think of this as building a frame around your email. In the first part of the frame, you open by telling the reader why you’re writing and clearly state your purpose. If you are making a request, you may want to follow this with a justification of some context as to why you are making the request. Then, in the body, you give the main message. In the bottom part of the frame, you end by telling the reader what to do next. This is what we frequently refer to as a “call to action.”

Here’s an example. The grey shaded parts represent the frame.

First, the writer tells exactly why they’re writing. Then, they provide the supporting details. Last, they tell the reader what to do (confirm whether or not they’ll be at the meeting).

Here are some more tips for sending successful emails:

• Proper salutations should demonstrate respect and avoid mix-ups in case a message is accidentally sent to the wrong recipient. For example, use a salutation like “Dear Ms. X” (external) or “Hi Barry” (internal). Be sure to use the formal title when first communicating with an individual. They may suggest dropping the formal title as the connection builds but defer to their preference.

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  Subject lines should be clear, brief, and specific. This helps the recipient understand the essence of the message. For example, “Proposal attached” or “Your question of 10/25.” Be aware that many email clients will not display the full Subject line (see right) if the recipient has not expanded the Subject column. Keep the subect short enough to avoid misinterpretation.

• Do not insert recipient email address until you are ready to send. A good preventative measure to avoid the potential embarrasment of prematurely sending emails. Hitting “send” without a recipient address will prevent the email from being sent.
• Your email should have one purpose. If you find yourself covering more than one topic in your email, you should consider sending multiple emails so that your reader does not miss important information.
• Be brief. 
• Use a clear format. Include line breaks between sentences or divide your message into brief paragraphs for ease of reading.
• Close with a signature. Identify yourself by creating a signature block that automatically contains your name and business contact information. It is becoming increasingly common for businesses to add First Nations Land Acknowledgements to their email signatures. For example, at Kwantlen, we can use: “At KPU we work, study, and live in a region south of the Fraser River which overlaps with the unceded traditional and ancestral lands of the Kwantlen, Musqueam, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen, Qayqayt and Kwikwetlem peoples.”
• Reread, revise, and review. Catch and correct spelling and grammar mistakes before you press “send.” It will take more time and effort to undo the problems caused by a hasty, poorly written email than to get it right the first time.
• Reply promptly. Watch out for an emotional response—never reply in anger—but make a habit of replying to all emails within 24 hours, even if only to say that you will provide the requested information in 48 or 72 hours.
• Use “Reply All” sparingly. Do not send your reply to everyone who received the initial email unless your message absolutely needs to be read by the entire group.
• If you include a link, test it to make sure it is complete.
• Announce email attachments in your message.
• Give feedback or follow up. If you don’t get a response in 24 hours, e-mail or call. Spam filters may have intercepted your message, so your recipient may never have received it.