Do you write in English? do you write emails in English? do you write business emails in
English.? You do! Great because today we're going to look at the top
ten tips for writing an awesome, killer business email. Emails that will get you that interview,
clinch that sale, or establish a better business relationship with a client a contact or a
work colleague. Emails that will kick arse So stay tuned.
Hello and welcome to LetThemTalk the channel that goes deeper in explaining everything
about the English language. And today we've got the top 10 tips for writing an awesome business
email plus a bonus tip at the end so stay tuned for that. Now when it comes to writing
business emails you need to get it right on many different levels. The English language,
the grammar of course but also the style of writing and then there is the structure of
the message itself the words you choose and this even touches on psychology too. There
are also some cultural considerations about the way that we write emails in the English
speaking world that may be different to the way they are written elsewhere. And finally
the formatting of a business email. It's got to look great as well as sound great. So we're
going to cover all of these today so that you really get that email perfect.
When emails first started being used for mass business communication they were seen as an
informal sometimes inferior alternative to written letters. At the beginning if you wanted
to send something important you sent it by letter with a stamp. It started with "Dear
sir " or "Dear madam" or whatever and ended with "yours faithfully" or "yours sincerely".
Emails were just a geek thing a useful tool for sending around the office but not much
more. Today however, email is used for everything formal and informal. Everything has changed but
email has kept this informality to this day. Now there are exceptions such as if you're
applying for a job or you're writing something that might be used in a court of law so be careful
about that but generally emails are structured informally compared to a letter.
Let's get on to the tips.
In most cases (I stress most cases) it's ok to use the first name in business communication.
If someone has sent you an email which includes his or her first name at the bottom then you
should use it. It's polite to do so. Avoid using the surname, it sounds too formal and
it makes a distance between the writer and the reader. It's ok to use the first name.
Likewise at the end of your message sign off with your first name.
If your writing to one person then start the message with "hello John", "hello Jane", "good
afternoon Jenny" not just "hello" - . If you have their name and you don't write it after
"hello" it seems a bit rude unless you have multiple recipients. If you've already exchanged
emails then it's ok to write without any "hello" just get straight into it. That's ok. But
don't leave a blank "hello". It's rude.
tip number 3 is. Keep it short. People are busy the average office worker can receive
dozens of emails every day. Don't say "how are you?" People often don't have time to
answer this question. Just say "I hope you're fine" and then just get the point politely
and in a friendly way and leave. Don't linger.
tip number 4. The subject line should be short, clear and catch the attention. Don't just
write "hello" make sure it gives the reader a taste of what to expect in the email.
For example if you're applying for a job then the subject line could be "Job application:
Senior software engineer with 5 years' experience." if you you're writing a more marketing based
email then a good thing to do is to write a subject line that touches the curiosity
or the reader. For example: "This new app will turn the property market on its head.
"If you work in the property field you'll probably read that one.
Now we'll move on to some tips about the English language. And these tips can equally apply
to native speakers of English who also make these kind of mistakes.
Go through your email and remove the word "very". And you'll see it makes no difference
in fact it enhances the text. If you use "very" too much the email loses its emphasis for example "It was a very
nice day and I was very happy to meet you last week and I enjoyed the talk very much.".
ok a better way would be to write. "It was a nice day and I was happy to meet you last
week and I enjoyed your talk a great deal". Much better isn't it?
If you want an email which is easier to read and sounds more confident and more convincing
then use the active voice. So instead of saying. "The package was delivered
by John" say "John delivered the package", instead of saying "The meeting has been scheduled
for next week" say "We've scheduled the meeting for next week". Instead of saying "the work
is produced to the highest quality", say "We produce the highest quality of work". Ok sounds
much easier, much more friendly doesn't it? So by using the active voice it sounds more
friendly and more persuasive.
Try to avoid using negative sentences. It always sound more convincing to use positive
language. So for example. "Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions".
Why would you say that? it contains the phrase "hesitate if you have any questions" and that's
what your subconscious is understanding. "Don't bother me with any questions" A better sentence
would be "do let me know if you have any questions". Another example of that would be. "Don't forget
to read our sales brochure" I read that and the sales brochure goes straight in the bin.
Instead say "do have a look at our sales brochure". I remember once I got an email from someone
I helped out and in the email he said "don't think I don't appreciate it". What does that mean?
Now for some formatting tips. Some of these tips might be obvious and if they are then
you can skip them of go out for a cup of tea but I'm including them because I've seen
these mistakes so many times.
tip number 8 is svoid attachments. Avoid putting
attachments in your email. A lot of communication these days is done through mobile and downloading
attachments is frustrating and time consuming. Instead either put the message in the body
of an email or put it on a web page and just include the link to the web page in the email and
your recipient will certainly appreciate it.
use a sans serif or a serif font that's fine but don't use a cursive font (I'm sure know what
a cursive font is) and don't use comic sans.
Wingdings maybe yes, maybe no.
Tip number 10 is NEVER use emoji. I repeat that NEVER use emoji in a business email.
Unless you're 11 years. old.. "I'd love to meet you for an interview" - smiley face.
That's going straight in the bin. Yes, I have seen it. With your friends that's fine but
keep emojis out of business communication.
And now for that bonus tip I promised you. be original with your sign off
You don't have to say "kind regards" or "kindest regards" or "best regards". Of course it's
ok to do so but studies show that statistically original and personalized sign offs get more
responses. I have a friend who signs off "peace and love", ok if that's going too far then
just find something else which is original and fits in with your personality. "Good vibes",
"stay mellow", "with appreciation", OK so that's the bonus tip show your personality
with an original sign-off.
Ok there you are I hope you found those tips useful and if you have any business email
tips of your own then leave them in the comments. I'd love to hear them. Thank you for watching
more English language videos coming soon.