How to Write an Email that Others Will Read
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Recently, I received a reader note asking for some resources to help someone improve their writing skills. Specifically, they wanted to help someone write better emails. As I was thinking about a reply, it occurred to me that writing emails is one of those things that we expect everyone to know how to do but there’s really no book or training manual around.
Many years ago, I worked for a company that had an internal writing guide. It’s the only organization I’ve ever seen with one. It outlined how to communicate in writing to both internal and external audiences. So, in an effort to put together a guide for writing an effective email, I reached out to my friends and colleagues for some tips. And they shared some great responses.
I’ve condensed some of the duplicate comments and decided to organize them by start, body, and closing. Whether you’re new to writing emails or looking for a refresher, I hope you find these helpful.
Starting the email
Before you just start writing an email, think about what you’re trying to accomplish. This doesn’t need to take hours, but just take a moment to think about what you want.
- Email is not a substitute for human interaction. I simply cannot stress this enough.
- Keep in mind that people read emails on many different devices (desktop, laptop, tablet, phone). This might have an impact on how they interpret the message and how they respond. Example: it’s very difficult to write a lengthy reply using your phone.
- Avoid the blast email to everyone. (And this applies equally to the “reply all” email.)
- Know what cc and bcc mean. The cc means carbon copy and simply is an FYI, no response is required. The bcc is blind carbon copy and ideally is used when you want to keep someone in the loop without the rest of the group knowing. That being said, there are plenty of people who do not take the time to realize they were bcc’d and give themselves away. The bcc line should be used with caution.
- Write a good subject line. If you are requesting an action, you might want to put it in the subject. Some people might disagree with me, but if I’m sending a time sensitive email, I put “TIME SENSITIVE” in the subject line.
Body of the email
The goal of an email is to communicate information clearly and succinctly.
- Use the person’s name, as in “Hi Leonard”. Some people hate the “I hope this finds you well.”. You can decide if it’s necessary.
- If you’re requesting an action, you might want to start with that. “The purpose of this email is …” Basically, before you start writing, understand the purpose of the email. Is it to inform? Persuade?
- Make the email about one thing. It helps the reader stay focused. If the email is asking the reader to do 2, 3, 4 things … you might not receive everything you’re requesting.
- Be succinct.
- Subheadings and bullets can help the reader organize information.
- Some people said to avoid jargon, but if everyone on the email knows the jargon, then that might be fine.
- Hyperlinks can be a helpful way to provide additional information. Be careful about shortening urls and not showing the full web address. In today’s world of phishing, some readers will not click on a link even if you’re a trusted source.
Closing the email
Before you hit the send button, take one last look at the email.
- Proofread it! For typos and tone. One of the disadvantages with email is that tone doesn’t really come across. This isn’t the time to try to write jokes or be sarcastic. People might misinterpret your intent.
- Consider asking AI to proofread it for you. Several people said that they have artificial intelligence (AI) review their emails and offer suggestions. If you’re wanting to learn more about AI, this might be a great experiment.
- If you mention an attachment, make sure it’s there (yes, we’ve all done it).
- Decide if you need to sleep on it before sending. Sometimes, we have to send messages via email because there’s no other option. If you draft an email when you’re tired or cranky, consider letting it sit for a few hours or overnight and then rereading it one last time before sending.
I’m sure this isn’t a comprehensive list. If I missed something, be sure to add a comment. This could be a great resource for someone looking to keep their email writing skills current.
Email remains a huge communication tool in today’s work environment. Knowing how to write a good email is important. As you perfect your writing skills, your confidence and credibility will increase.
Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of San Francisco, CA
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