7 Rules for Professional Emails in English

1. Always use a subject line

The subject line is the first thing your reader will see. You want your subject line to be succinct
(clear and brief).  This is your chance to catch your reader’s attention. It also helps the reader to
immediately know what your email is about.

Without a clear subject line, your reader may not be interested in your email. And it is possible
she will not read it.

Examples of clear subject lines:

 Meeting date changed

 Question about the conference
 Can you meet on Monday?
 Suggestion for your presentation

2. Use a professional greeting

Always, always, always start with a greeting. If you start without a greeting, your reader will
notice immediately.

An email without a greeting, or with a greeting that is too informal, appears rude and too
familiar.

Good examples of professional greetings:

 Hello [first name],

 Good morning / Good afternoon [first name],
 Dear [first name],
 Hi [first name] = with someone you know well

3. K.I.S.S.
That’s right! If you are not sure what to write in your email, remember this rule: KISS (Keep It
Short and Simple)!

 Avoid long, complicated sentences.

 Don’t write several long paragraphs.
 Use bullet points for important details or lists.

This will help your reader identify the important information immediately.

Most people are busy and they read emails quickly. Keep your sentences clear, your grammar
simple and paragraphs short.
The KISS rule will also help you avoid potential grammar and vocabulary mistakes.

4. Use a professional closing

Like a greeting, you should always include a closing to be friendly, polite and
professional. Without a closing, the end of the email feels abrupt and rude.

Example professional closings include:

 I look forward to hearing from you.

 Best wishes,
 Sincerely,
 Thank you for your time,
 Warmly,

5. Be careful with ALL CAPITAL letters, abbreviations, and emojis.

USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS feels like you are screaming, which feels rude. It also looks
unprofessional.

Abbreviations are common in texts, Twitter and Facebook, but they are not appropriate for
business or professional emails. If you would not use abbreviations on your resumé or business
letter, then you don’t want to use them in a professional email.
For example, do not write “LOL” for laughing out loud or “IMHO” for in my humble opinion or
“gr8” for great.

Again, emojis are common with friends and family on social media, but they are not appropriate
for business or professional correspondence (letters and emails).

6. Proofread your email

Be sure to always proofread your email before sending. In professional emails, grammar,
spelling, and punctuation do matter!

Here are some issues to check for and correct if there are errors:

 All lowercase or all capital letters

 Use correct capitalization for sentences and proper nouns
 Check for your use of articles, prepositions, and verb tenses
 Check spelling

Some helpful ways to proofread are:

 Read your email out loud

 Have a friend or colleague review your email if you are not sure
 You can always use a dictionary to help you

7. Always include your contact information at the end of your email

For a professional email, your email signature should include your full name and email address.
If appropriate, it is also a good idea to include your phone number and company website.