Skill Development Course-I-Communication

Formal Conversation-Written
Handout

TIPS FOR WRITING EFFECTIVE EMAILS

● SUBJECT LINES ARE IMPORTANT

It drives me crazy when I get an email from someone and the subject line is a tease or does not
relate to the content of the email. Again, this will add time to my day, when I’m trying to search
through my emails for specific content, but the subject line doesn’t match that content.

● USE BULLET POINTS AND HIGHLIGHT CALL TO ACTION

Bullet points make it much easier for the recipient to read the email quickly and effectively. It
also helps the reader identify the main points of the email. If the recipient is expected to do
something after receiving the email, highlight the call to action.

● KEEP IT SHORT
No one has the time to read a 10-paragraph email, so don’t send it. If you have 10-paragraphs,
or even four-paragraphs, then you’re likely including unrelated content.

● DON’T MUDDLE CONTENT

Stick to one content area per email. If you are sending a follow-up email to a colleague after a
meeting, then it is unnecessary to add in something about a different client or information
about the company picnic, etc. When you muddle content, it makes it much harder for the
recipient to find the email in a search because the content they are looking for won’t match the
subject line.

● BE COLLEGIAL
Always open your email with pleasantries. I often craft my email, then go back and add in the “I
hope you had a great vacation” or “Have a great weekend – enjoy the Fall weather.”

● WATCH YOUR TONE

The tone of an email is difficult to assess, but more often than not, the reader will assign a tone,
even when one was not intended, so be careful not to craft the email with tone by watching the
use of exclamation marks, using inflammatory words, etc.

● AVOID TOO MANY EXCLAMATION MARKS AND NO EMOJIS

I find I use too many exclamation marks in my emails, usually to sound excited, but one could
also read the exclamation marks as being angry, frustrated, etc. And NEVER use emojis in a
work email, to anyone other than a close friend.

● ALWAYS PROOFREAD YOUR EMAILS

Sending out an email with typos, misspelled words, etc., makes you look bad. Take the extra
minute to proofread the email.