Tip of the Week: How to Make a Good Impression with Your Email

Email is synonymous with doing business in the digital age. Therefore, it's in your best interest to become an expert at crafting dynamic emails. Writing a good email takes common sense and careful editing. You don't have to be an English major to write a professional email--just follow these simple tips.

To whom it may concern,

Knowing how to write a good email is one of the most important skills a professional can have. The way you communicate can make you come off as an authority in your field, or a complete idiot, depending on how you word it. When writing an email that represents your company, be sure to think twice about what you're saying.

Begin with a Goal in Mind
Before you begin writing an email, think about the purpose of your message. Otherwise, you run the risk of the email completely forsaking that purpose and lacking proper focus. Always have a goal in mind before you begin writing the email, and take time to think seriously about the issue at hand. You want the content to have a discernible value to the reader. If your message is incohesive, then you will come off looking bad.

Tell Them How it Is
Don't hold anything back. With a clear goal in mind, you can now focus in on it and put it into words. Begin by stating early what you're writing about, kind of like a thesis statement. You shouldn't wait until the end of the email before letting them know what they can expect from it. After they open your email, they will want to know right off the bat what they're in for. In fact, this is why it's important to clearly state your goal in your email's subject line. Furthermore, busy business people don't enjoy reading emails, so a quick rundown of what the email contains lets them skip ahead to what matters most to them, and easily find relevant information.

Quality Over Quantity
An email should be concise and clear, meaning that you don't want it to be long and convoluted. Instead of reading an endless email filled to the brim with detailed descriptions and business jargon, only tell them what they need to know. You can always let them in on the finer details in a follow-up meeting. Always proofread your work, and get a second pair of eyes to edit your message if possible. The more people who look at a document, the more errors that can be found and fixed.

Use Proper Etiquette
If you're representing your company, then you have to put your best foot forward and mind your manners. When it comes to business correspondence, there's a certain level of manners and professionalism that we all have to abide to. Writing a professional email is like sticking to a common-sense code; be sure to show appreciation, be friendly, address someone by their professional title, and don't say anything controversial that will rock the boat. For those with strong opinions about controversial topics, writing a professional email may take a degree of filtering.

By following these guidelines on how to write a professional email, you will be sure to make a positive impression with your readers.

Best wishes,
SolutionOne