5 Lessons For Perfected Email Exchanges From An HR Professional

Each day roughly 300 billion emails are sent and received, and this is only expected to continue to increase in the coming years. There are many different reasons for sending emails and each type of email requires a different tone and structure. Learning how to write emails that meet your goals and needs takes practice. Here are five lessons for perfecting professional email exchanges.

Lesson 1: Determine your goal. Before writing and sending an email, take time to determine the goal of the email. This is first helpful because in determining your goal, you may discover that email is, in fact, not the best way to communicate your message. However, if you set your goal, and determine email is the best method for communication, this allows you to provide purpose and clarity in your email as you endeavor to achieve your goal. 

Lesson 2: Keep emails concise. Rather than use flowing and overly descriptive language in your emails, be intentional about your word choice. If you can use ten words to make your point, don’t use thirty words. The more extra and unnecessary information that is included in your email, the less likely the recipient of the email is to read the email in its entirety. The subject line is also an opportunity to concisely let the email recipient know what to expect from your email.

Lesson 3: Formatting. Take the time to set up the formatting of your email. Compose a professional signature with necessary titles and contact information, and then save this to auto populate in all of your emails. Select a simple and straightforward font and avoid using too many capital letters, bold or italic print. Additionally, avoid using colored fonts and highlighted text.

Lesson 4: Proofread your emails. While it may seem easier to simply hit send without stopping to proofread your emails, it can save you time and energy down the road to take the time to proofread. Small errors can lead to misunderstandings and simple grammar and spelling mistakes can leave the author of an email looking unprofessional.

Lesson 5: Take time to follow up. The most successful email exchanges are not simply a single email sent, but an exchange of back and forth emails. After hitting send on your email, set a reminder to follow up with the recipient if you haven’t heard a response within a set amount of time.

Taking time to practice these lessons can help you write clear and concise professional emails.