How to Write Professional Emails? The Complete Guide with Sample Email

Every day, over 300 billion emails are sent all around the world. So it’s important to understand how to craft effective messages that will grab attention and make an impact on the receiver. To stand out and make an impression with your emails it’s important to know how to write professional emails. In this blog, you’ll learn about email writing format, subject lines, greetings, body content, closings, and signatures which are essential elements of successful communication via email. Tips on etiquette will help anyone become more efficient at sending professional emails no matter who they’re writing for.

Email Format

Although the basic structure of all email writing is the same, there are certain factors that separate one email from the other. By keeping a few simple guidelines in mind, you can ensure that your messages come across as professional and organized. Let’s find out about these by discussing each element of an email:

1. Recipient’s Address

There are three options for addressing recipients in an email, namely the “To,” “CC,” and “BCC” fields. 

• To- The contact that you are directly addressing your email to should be in this field. 
• CC- You can use CC, that is, Carbon Copy when you want to send a copy of the email to someone, but you are not looking for a response from them.
• BCC- It refers to Blind Carbon Copy. This means that the recipients cannot see each other’s email addresses. This is helpful in protecting each recipient’s privacy. You can also use BCC to politely remove someone from an email thread that is of no interest to them. 

If your colleague has been helpful in connecting you with an important contact, be sure to include them on the BCC (blind carbon copy) by sending them a message like this:

Thank you for introducing us, Simran (moving you to BCC).

This way, your colleague will be able to see the email between you and the contact, but their email address (your colleague) will be hidden from the other recipients.

2. Subject line

This is the first line that your recipient sees and the first impression that your email makes, so don’t skip it. Keep it simple and write a subject line that actually indicates what your email is about. Here are a few examples:

• Request for a letter of recommendation
• Internship application for the post of…
• Request for leave
• Thank you for the opportunity – You can use this while writing a thank you email after an interview.
• Urgent request for final approval by 5 p.m. – Use this only when your work is a high priority. If your deadline is close and you still have not received a response, you should get on a phone call or meet in person to discuss it if possible. 

Try to keep your subject line short. According to a study, subject lines with 3 – 4 words had the best response rate.

3. Greeting

Starting with a greeting in an email is like saying hello to someone. This is your way of showing respect and making a good first impression. Before you begin writing the message, think about how well you know the person and choose an appropriate greeting that conveys the right level of formality or informality. Basically, choosing the most suitable greeting depends on what kind of relationship exists between both parties. 

• In a strictly formal setting such as writing to an employer, you should use the following format: 

Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. (last name),

• If you are not familiar with the gender of the recipient or they are gender non-conforming, you should avoid the title, and write it in the following manner: 

Dear (first name) (last name),

• Dear Sir or Madam is used when you are addressing your email to a specific person but do not know their name and gender. However, this is rarely used.

• If you do not know whether you are addressing it to one person, you can write: 

Dear (name of organization/department) team

• In a semi-formal setting such as internal communication at your workplace, you can write the salutation as:

 Hi (first name),

Once you have written the salutation, next up is the opening line which sets the tone for your email. This can vary according to your relationship with the recipient. For a formal setting, you can begin your emails with the following tried and tested openings:

• I hope this email finds you well.
• I am reaching out to you about…
• I would like to request a leave…
• Thank you for getting in touch/ Thank you for your interest.
• It was nice to meet you at the animator’s conference and chat about the…

4. Body

When you send an email, the main part is called the body. In this section, you write what you want to say or ask and give details if necessary in a clear way that everyone can understand. Even though most people quickly read through things these days, it’s still crucial to keep your message brief but informative for the person receiving it. 

For example, if you’re asking for time off work from someone via email make sure they know why and when exactly with contact information provided so there isn’t any confusion. This makes your email simple yet focused while providing all the essential info needed by its reader(s). Lastly, be mindful of formatting (e.g., paragraphs), and editing error-free messages.

5. Closing

When wrapping up how to write professional emails, the conclusion section is vital as it helps to leave a lasting impression on the receiver. It’s crucial that you end your message in a positive and professional manner. To write an effective conclusion for your email, you can use one of the following:

• I look forward to hearing from you/meeting you.
• Please let me know if you have any questions.
• Could you please let me know by Wednesday?/ It would help if you could respond by Wednesday.
• Thank you for your time and consideration.
• I apologize for any inconvenience caused.

The closing sentence is followed by a sign-off. Please don’t leave it as ‘sent from my Android phone/iPhone’. The following are your safest bet in any situation:

• Regards/Best regards, 
• Thank you,
• Best,
• Sincerely, – you can use this when you are sending a cover letter or resume.

For more casual correspondence, you can use any of these:

• Kind regards/warm regards, 
• Thanks,

6. Signature

Your email signature should contain your name, job title, and other useful details that you want the recipient to know. Things like your phone number, website link, or LinkedIn profile. Doing so makes it look professional and helps people find more information about you if they need it. Just make sure to keep this part short and neat so as not to ruin the appearance of your emails.

For example:

Albus P.W.B Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts School
headmaster_hogwarts@gmail.com

To avoid the trouble of writing it in every email, you can create a signature in your email account that will be sent with every email.

If you want to get hands-on practice, you can check out Internshala’s Business Communication Skills training.

Sample Professional Email Template 

Imagine you want to get a sponsor for your upcoming college fest, how will you send your proposal over an email? If you are initiating contact with a new person, you could begin by introducing yourself. You could also personalize your email. Research a little about them over LinkedIn or other social networks and find out about their communication style or any recent work, which struck a chord with you and is relevant to the email. This will help you in building a rapport. 

This is one of the best professional email writing examples:

Dear [Sponsor’s Name], I trust this message finds you in good health. I am [Your Name], representing [Your College/University name]. During my recent perusal of your LinkedIn profile, I was deeply impressed by your extensive knowledge and experience in the field or industry related to our mutual interests. We are embarking on a long-awaited college fest called “[College Fest Name]” scheduled for [Date] this year. With your support, we aim not only to make it memorable but also to deepen students’ experiences holistically through music, dance, art, sports, and technology events. It would be great to have the chance to chat with you further about this opportunity and answer any questions. Please let me know what time works best for a call or meeting so we can discuss it in more detail.  We really appreciate your consideration of our request. Having your support means a lot, not just for us, but also for all students involved. Thanking You Sincerely, [Name] Position: [Your College/University Name] Contact Details

Note That: 

When you write to somebody that is unfamiliar to you, this is known as a “cold email”. You may be sending one of these for the purpose of expanding your professional connections, getting guidance from someone with expertise in their field, proposing a business concept or even attempting to gain sales. Considering how advantageous it can be for yourself should encourage taking extra time and care when writing cold emails. When crafting such messages make sure they are tailored just to them; keep the content concise while also showcasing what advantage there could potentially be if they choose to respond positively towards your message.

If you enjoy professional email writing, you can make a career in Email Marketing by applying for Email Marketing jobs on Internshala.

Best Professional Email Writing Tips and Etiquette

To ensure smooth-sailing in your correspondence, you can keep the following tips in mind –

1. Keep it Concise: Try keeping your messages concise without sacrificing any key points you need included. If there is more detailed information that needs to be conveyed, suggest meeting up in person instead.

2. Proofread your Email: Once you have composed your email, go back and check for any issues with grammar or spelling. Make sure to look over it carefully so all of the words are spelled correctly. 

3. Use Appropriate Font: If you want your emails to have a professional and easy-to-read look, it is best to use Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri as the font. Stick with black for the color. Additionally, try selecting either font size 12 or size 14.

4. Figure out an Appropriate Time to Send your Email: To increase the chances of your email being noticed and receiving a timely response, it is generally advisable to send it during regular working hours on weekdays. If you have already spent many days waiting for a response, you could also send a polite follow-up.

5. Use a Professional Email: When sending emails, it is important to use an email address that looks and sounds professional. This can help create a good impression with the recipient from the start and prevent any biases.

6. Choose wisely between Reply and Reply to All: If you select ‘Reply to All’, it sends your message not only back to the initial sender of the email but also includes everyone else who was included in that particular correspondence. 
7. Avoid Humor: Avoid making any humorous remarks or comments, because without being able to hear someone’s tone of voice, it can be difficult for the recipient to understand that you were trying to make a joke and they could take your comment in an unintended way.

Conclusion:

To be successful in today’s digital world, knowing how to write professional emails is a very important skill. This article offered a guide to creating well-received emails from format to recipient address including subject line and signature. Also, we provided extra tips for success like keeping messages concise, proofreading before sending, using appropriate fonts, and choosing the right time. With a focus on all these details, you can make a positive impression every time you send out an email.