Today, email is one of the most commonly used means of communication, apart from SMS, telephone, and instant messaging applications. Sending email has become a very common activity, so many people forget how to write a good email. A good email shows professionalism and honesty in the message it conveys, therefore, you should know how to format an email message.
Step
Step 1. Write the subject of the email
The subject of the email message serves as a brief summary of the message content. The subject of your email should be right on target so that it can give the recipient an idea of the content of the email in just a few words.
- For example, if you're sending a business-related email, don't make it a long subject with too much detail, like "I love your car. It's a nice blue color, and the tires are great."
- Explain what you mean by sending the email in a subject, such as "Interested in buying a blue sedan."
Step 2. Use proper greetings
Don't start the email right away with what you want to say. Use general greetings such as "Good morning/afternoon," or "Greetings." You certainly don't want to be bombarded with questions by people you don't know, do you? Well, the same etiquette also applies to email.
To make the greeting more personal, include the recipient's last name in the greeting
Step 3. Write the body of the message
Depending on the type and recipient of the message, you can write the message as you wish.
- If you are writing an email to someone you know closely, you can write the email in a personal tone. However, if you're writing a business email, try to use the most professional language possible.
- You should also pay attention to the format of the message. Don't use a type, size, and formatting that is difficult to read, and avoid capital letters. In cyberspace, capital letters signify anger.
Step 4. Include a closing greeting -- don't just end the email
A closing greeting such as "Greetings" or another suitable greeting can be used.
You should choose a closing greeting that matches your email. You certainly don't want to write "Greetings" at the end of a business email because that would be rude, right?
Step 5. Add signature
Even if your email address includes your name in every email you send, we recommend that you use a signature on any email you send. You can use plain text or images (like logos, brands etc.) in your signature.
Use the "Signature" option on the web email client or service provider you used to create the signature
Tips
- Apart from formatting your email, you should also use an appropriate email address. Emailing your childhood friend via "[email protected]" may still be okay, but you shouldn't use that email to send business emails to your boss.
- Use good internet etiquette when writing emails. Don't send spam emails or messages to unknown contacts.
- Double check your email before sending to prevent multiple messages from being sent to the same recipient. If you send multiple emails, your messages may be marked as Spam.
