Writing emails to your friends is no problem, but when it comes to drafting professional emails you’re a bit stumped. How do you start, how do you finish and what comes in the middle of a formal business email? Let’s take a look.

Start with a greeting

It’s not professional enough to simply dive into the body of your email; you’ll need to start by greeting the person you’re writing to first. If you don’t know them, ‘Dear’ is the best way to begin; if you do know them, a simple ‘Hi’ is fine.

If you need to thank the recipient, then do so

If you’re responding to a question or an inquiry, then thank the person for making contact with you. Similarly, if the person is replying to a question of yours, thank them for their time.

Get to the point

The key to business emails is making them as short and to the point as possible. To accomplish this, state the reason for your email as soon as you can, giving the reader less to skim through. They’ll appreciate not having to wade through the endless unnecessary chatter.

No emojis

Or slang, or obscenities, or SMS speak. Use full sentences, double-check your spelling and grammar, and ensure your language is always formal and respectful. Keep in mind that you’re representing the company you work for, so the tone of your email needs to reflect this.

Sign off appropriately

A closing sentence such as ‘Many thanks for your time’ works well, as does a sign-off such as ‘Yours sincerely’ or ‘Kind regards’. End the email on a polite, positive note, and ensure that if a response is needed from the recipient, this has been clearly stated.

Check and double-check

Ensure that you’ve included a relevant subject line, that everything has been spelled correctly (including the recipient’s name) and that there are no errors in the body of the email. Once you’re confident it’s as polished as can be, hit ‘Send’, and make sure to keep a copy for your records.

For more career advice, click here!