6 Top Tips For Effective Email Writing

We've all done it…

We've all hit the send button and then realized a split second later that we forgot to attach the important document, didn't check for typos, copied in an entire department by mistake (always embarrassing!) or left a private email in the chain below ours.

And I'm sure everyone has sent emails that made perfect sense to them that were subsequently either misunderstood or even hurt someone's feelings.

Sending emails is quick and easy but emails sent in haste or without enough thought can cause trouble, so you need to be careful to make sure you say what you want to say.

Email has become one of the most popular ways to talk to people around the world. But it can be hard to write good emails, especially if you're talking to someone for the first time or trying to explain something complicated.

Here are five things you can do to make sure you write well and get your point across.

Relevance and clarity

In order to get people to do what we need them to do in the way we want them to do it, we have to make sure that everything we say is relevant. It’s not just what you want to say, it’s understanding how your audience will interpret it, especially if they are not familiar with what you want them to do.

Clarity is making sure that we have translated our world into a language that our audience can understand. It’s not dumbing it down, it’s just making it crystal clear and understandable. This is especially important if you are addressing someone whose first language is different from yours, and who may not understand the nuances of what you are saying. Your choice of language needs to be as unambiguous as possible.

Keep it short and simple.

One of the most important things to remember when writing good emails is to keep them short and to the point. Your email should be clear and easy to read. Break up your text with short paragraphs, bullet points, and headings. Don't use jargon or technical terms that might make your reader confused. Don't forget that the point of an email is to get your message across as clearly as possible.

Focus on the most important things you want to say in your email to make it more useful. Don't talk too much or go off on tangents. Most people are terribly busy and don't have time to wade through long emails, so if you are to the point, your reader will like it, and you are more likely to hear back from them.

State what the email is regarding in the first sentence of the email content. You'd be surprised the number of people who don't read beyond the first line!

Subject lines should be clear.

When someone opens your email, the first thing they'll see is the subject line. It's important to use a subject line that is clear and tells your reader what your email is about and why it's important. Don't use subject lines like "Hello" or "Meeting" that are too vague or general. Instead, be clear and to the point. For example, if you're sending someone an email about a job opening, you could put "Job Application: Marketing Manager Position" in the subject line.

Using a clear subject line not only helps your reader understand what your email is about, but it also makes it easier for them to find your email later if they need to look it up. There's nothing worse than trying to find an email someone has sent you days earlier with an ambiguous subject line!

Personalize your message

When you're writing an email, it's important to keep in mind that you're talking to someone. Use the person's name and a friendly, conversational voice. Make the message as personal as you can to connect with them whilst also maintaining a tone that reflects all your relationship.

By making your email personal, you show that you care about your reader and their time. It also helps you and your reader get to know each other. For example, instead of "To Whom It May Concern," you could start an email about a job opportunity with "Dear John." This small change can change a lot about how your email is read.

Pay attention to tone

When writing effective emails, you also need to think about the tone of your message. Think about how the person reading your message might understand it.

If you use all capital letters or a lot of exclamation points, you might come across as rude or unprofessional. Use a tone that is respectful and professional, but also friendly and easy to get along with.

Think about your reader and your relationship with them to find the right tone. An email to a supplier for instance would probably be more formal than one to a colleague you communicate with every day.

Because we are all so busy and they can be dashed off so quickly, many people forgo the niceties when emailing. Consequently, they write very short, succinct emails. These have a tendency to be interpreted as curt by some people and may cause friction between you and the recipient. So, even if you are pressed for time, always try to ensure the tone is friendly, not brusque.

Remember to include a greeting to the recipient at the start, and also an appropriate signature for yourself at the end. The latter is particularly important if the recipient doesn't know you well, or at all.

Check and check again

Make sure to edit and proofread your email before you send it. Check for typos, misspelled words, and bad grammar. Read your email out loud to make sure it is clear and makes sense. An email that is well-written and free of mistakes will be more professional and better received by the recipient.

Try using an online tool such as Grammarly to check for mistakes to make editing and proofreading easier. If the email is very important (e.g. regarding a job interview) you could also have someone else read your email to give you feedback and catch any mistakes you might have missed.

It’s amazing how often typos only appear after you’ve hit send. So, if it’s an important email, why not save it to drafts and come back to it in half an hour with a fresh pair of eyes to give it a final check. Read every word separately so you see what there is not what you thought you had written.

Never send an email when you're angry!

You're received terrible service from a company and bash out an angry email to them. Or a colleague has annoyed you and you send them an instant sarcastic email. Big mistake.

If someone has annoyed you, do not take it out on them via email - emails can be held against you at a later date. They are a permanent record. And it is very easy to cause offense and make the situation worse!

A good idea is to type up an emotional response, getting out all your feelings and frustrations, but do it in a separate document (quite a cathartic exercise!) Then go away and leave it for a few hours. Come back to the email at a later time when you've calmed down. Then you can compose a measured and polite response.

Conclusion

Writing effective emails is an important skill that is essential in today's world.

Their nature lends itself to informality. But, although it’s quick and easy to send an email, care needs to be taken if you want to communicate your message properly and build relationships, not damage them. And as stated above - emails are a written record that go out into the world and stay there!