Business Emails- Dos and Don'ts

Choosing the right means of communication is easier said than done! This is due to the fact that there are many variables at play, such as the message itself, the time constraints, the audience, and the consequences for example.

We always feel that email communication is the easiest at office. We need to write an appropriate subject line, a few words of content and end it with our official signature.

However, it is not as simple as it appears to be.

Business mails have to be precise with concrete message delivery. Here’s a list of some dos and don’ts for writing business mails.

Subject line

Some professionals even leave this space blank which is a blunder. Writing a strong subject line is of important for a lot of reasons. One, the receiver might be busy and may also have an inbox flooded with mails. If your subject line is clear and strong enough, the person will surely consider reading your message. Never make it too concise or too verbose.

Greetings

It’s recommended to use ‘Hi/ Hello’, ‘Dear’ rather than other casual greetings.

Keep it short and simple (KISS)

Write in bullet points or widely spaced, short, precise sentences. Use simple language; avoid using big words or metaphors as the reader may not understand them. Using humour or showcasing your technical writing skills are not ideal as they are open to interpretations and that might jeopardise your professional impression.

Punctuations should be placed correctly and should not be used excessively.

Ensure that there is a proper tone of the message. If a candidature has been rejected, kindly say that this time their profile could not be considered as there was a specific skill set lacking and they are welcome to reapply after updating those skills.

Give it a Read

Re read the message before sending it across. After writing, it is advisable to take a ten minute break and re read the message later from the recipient’s perspective. This is especially important in case of critical project mails.

Also remember that while you are expecting a good business in return from the other side, remember you don’t have to disclose anything other than what is strictly needed. Maintain confidentiality.