How to Write a Professional Email [STEP-BY-STEP BUSINESS EMAIL]

Summary

Learn how to excel at your job by mastering the art of writing and sending professional emails. This video offers practical tips on crafting effective subject lines, greetings, concise body text, and proper closings. It also emphasizes the importance of a professional signature and thoroughly reviewing your email before sending it. By following these guidelines, you can ensure your emails are clear, professional, and impactful. Don't forget to check the recipient's name to avoid mistakes. Stay tuned for a special download on project success tips at the end of the video.

Takeaways

• 📧 Always include a subject line in professional emails, keeping it concise and relevant to the content.
• 🔍 Avoid vague subject lines like 'Hi' or 'Important', and instead be specific to capture the recipient's attention.
• 👋 Use a friendly greeting by addressing the recipient by name, and avoid formal 'To Whom It May Concern'.
• 📝 Keep the body of the email focused on one subject to ensure clarity and ease of reading.
• 📉 Consider the recipient's email load, aiming to make the email easy to digest quickly.
• 📅 Include any action items or due dates in the email to set clear expectations.
• 👀 Start the email with the main request or action needed to ensure the recipient understands the purpose immediately.
• 🏁 Use simple and warm closing lines to indicate the end of the email and maintain a professional tone.
• 🖋️ End with a professional signature including your name, title, company, and social media channels for further connection.
• 🔍 Review the email before sending to check for typos or errors, and to ensure the message is clear and concise.
• 📬 Double-check the recipient to avoid the embarrassment of sending an email to the wrong person.
• 💼 Offer additional resources like a free download on project management to continue the professional development of the audience.

Q & A

Why is writing a subject line crucial in professional emails?

Writing a subject line is crucial because it helps the recipient understand the content and purpose of the email at a glance, increasing the likelihood of it being opened and read promptly.

What is the recommended length for a subject line in a professional email?

Two to six words is the recommended length for a subject line, as it is concise yet informative enough to convey the email's main point.

Why should one avoid using vague words like 'hi' or 'important' in the subject line?

Using vague words like 'hi' or 'important' can be too generic and may not convey the specific purpose of the email, potentially causing the recipient to overlook it among many others in their inbox.

What is the suggested approach when addressing someone in the greeting of an email?

The suggested approach is to use 'Hi' followed by the person's name, as it is simple, direct, and friendly, and it acknowledges the recipient personally.

Why should the greeting in an email be followed by a comma and a double space before the body?

This formatting practice provides a clear visual separation between the greeting and the body of the email, making the email look more structured and professional.

What is the recommended approach to writing the body of a professional email?

The body should be kept short, sweet, and to the point, focusing on one subject per email to ensure clarity and ease of reading.

How can the recipient quickly understand the action required from them in an email?

By stating the action required in the first sentence of the email, the recipient can quickly grasp what is expected of them without having to read through the entire message.

What are some examples of simple and effective closing lines for a professional email?

Examples include 'Can't wait to talk to you', 'Thank you so much for your time', and 'Warmest regards', which indicate the end of the email in a polite and professional manner.

What components should be included in a professional email signature?

A professional email signature should include the sender's name, title, company name, and possibly the company address, along with social media channels for additional points of contact.

Why is it important to review an email before sending it?

Reviewing an email helps to catch and correct any typos, grammatical errors, or unclear phrasing that could detract from the professionalism of the message.

What is the potential consequence of sending an email to the wrong recipient?

Sending an email to the wrong recipient can lead to embarrassment, potential breaches of confidentiality, and the need for apologies and damage control.

What additional resource is offered at the end of the video for viewers interested in project management?

A free download on ensuring project success is offered, which provides guidance on managing projects effectively and mitigating risks.

Outlines

00:00

📧 Mastering Professional Email Etiquette

This paragraph provides essential tips on crafting professional emails. It emphasizes the importance of including a specific subject line, avoiding vague terms like 'hi' or 'important', and incorporating action items or due dates. The speaker suggests starting with a friendly greeting using the recipient's name and a double space before the email body. The body should be concise, focusing on one subject per email, and the first sentence should clearly state the desired action. Closing with simple lines and a professional signature, including name, title, company, and social media channels, is recommended. A final review before sending is crucial to avoid errors and ensure the recipient is correct, preventing potential panic from sending to the wrong person.

05:03

📈 Enhancing Project Management Skills

The second paragraph shifts focus to project management, suggesting that viewers may be executing numerous projects without realizing it. The speaker offers a free download to ensure project success by mitigating risks and hindrances. The download is described as transferrable to any organizational task. The speaker encourages viewers to subscribe, like the video, share it with other professionals, and provide additional tips for writing professional emails in the comments section. The paragraph concludes with a sign-off until the next video.

Keywords

💡Professional Email

A professional email is a written communication that adheres to a formal and respectful tone, typically used in business or workplace settings. It is characterized by a clear subject line, appropriate greeting, concise body, and polite closing. In the video, the importance of writing and sending professional emails is emphasized as a crucial skill for excelling at work. The script provides tips on how to structure such emails effectively.

💡Subject Line

The subject line in an email is the brief description that summarizes the content or purpose of the email. It is critical for catching the recipient's attention and should be specific to the email's content. The video script advises keeping the subject line between two to six words and including action items or due dates to make it more informative and compelling.

💡Greeting

The greeting in an email is the initial salutation used to address the recipient. It sets the tone for the rest of the message. The script suggests using 'Hi' followed by the recipient's name as a friendly and direct approach. It also warns against using overly formal greetings like 'To whom it may concern,' which can feel impersonal.

💡Body of the Email

The body of an email is the main part of the message where the sender communicates their thoughts, requests, or information. The video emphasizes keeping the email body short, sweet, and focused on a single subject to ensure clarity and ease of reading. It also advises starting the email with a clear statement of what is needed from the recipient.

💡Action Item

An action item in an email is a specific task or request that the sender wants the recipient to complete. The script advises including action items in both the subject line and the body of the email to make the recipient aware of what is expected of them, which is crucial for maintaining professionalism and achieving desired outcomes.

💡Closing

The closing of an email is the final part of the message that indicates the end of the communication. The video suggests using simple and polite phrases like 'Can't wait to talk to you' or 'Warmest regards' to conclude the email on a positive note and signal that the message is complete.

💡Signature

A signature in a professional email is the sender's identifying information, typically including their name, title, company, and contact details. The script highlights the importance of including a professional signature to provide context about the sender and facilitate further communication. It also suggests adding social media channels for broader connectivity.

💡Review

Reviewing an email before sending it is a critical step in ensuring that the message is error-free and conveys the intended message clearly. The video script emphasizes the need to read through the email, correct any typos or errors, and confirm the recipient to avoid sending the email to the wrong person, which can lead to confusion or embarrassment.

💡Recipient

The recipient of an email is the person or group to whom the message is addressed. The script warns about the potential risks of sending an email to the wrong recipient, which can be a major faux pas in professional settings. It advises double-checking the recipient's name to ensure accuracy and prevent miscommunication.

💡Project Management

Project management refers to the process of planning, organizing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals within a set timeframe. The video script connects the theme of professional email communication to project management by suggesting a free download on ensuring project success, highlighting the broader context of professional skills in the workplace.

💡Free Download

A free download in the context of the video script refers to a resource or guide provided by the content creator to help viewers improve their skills. The video offers a free download on project management to help viewers manage projects more effectively, emphasizing the value of additional resources in enhancing professional capabilities.

Highlights

Knowing how to write and send a professional email is essential for excelling in your job.

Always include a subject line that is relevant to the content of your email, ideally between two to six words.

Avoid vague subject lines like 'hi,' 'important,' or 'do' as they do not convey specific information.

A simple and friendly greeting, such as 'Hi' followed by the recipient's name, is usually appropriate.

Keep the body of the email short, focused, and limited to one subject per email.

Start the email with a clear statement of the action required, including any deadlines.

Use simple closing lines to indicate the end of the email, such as 'Thank you,' 'Warmest regards,' or 'Can't wait to talk to you.'

Include a professional signature at the end of the email with your name, title, company, and contact information.

Review your email before sending to ensure clarity and correctness.

Double-check the recipient's email address to avoid sending it to the wrong person.

Professional email writing involves clear, concise communication and attention to detail.

Effective subject lines capture the recipient's attention and provide a snapshot of the email's content.

Using a friendly greeting and proper spacing makes your email more readable and approachable.

Providing a specific action or request in the first sentence helps the recipient understand what is expected.

Having a structured closing and signature provides a professional finish to your email.

Transcripts

If you want to excel at your job then knowing how to write and send a professional email

is a must.

And in this video, I'm going to show you how to do just that.

And if you stay to the end of this video, I have something very special for you, an

amazing download, so stay tuned.

Hi, if you're new here, welcome.

Subscribe to my channel for the best career and project management advice coming to you

every Wednesday.

So if you're excited about learning these business email tips, then like this video

and let's get to it.

Subject line, always write a subject line.

Not including a subject line is one of the biggest mistakes you can make in professional emails.

And when you do write a subject line, make sure it's about the content of your email.

Two to six words is actually perfect.

And if you have an action item for that particular person or a due date, you can actually put

that in your subject line as well.

It pops it out.

Now, one thing I recommend not to do are just one word, like hi, important, do, because

I promise you, people have tons of emails in their inbox and what does that mean?

Do?

I may not go to it.

So be a little more specific.

It's going to draw their attention to it and I promise you subject lines, very specific

to what's being said is a great way to capture people's attention.

The greeting.

In most scenarios saying hi, and the person's name that you're sending it to is perfect.

It's simple.

It's direct, very friendly.

And you know what?

9 times out of 10, you actually know the person's name because it's usually in their email.

Now, really be careful about sending to who it may concern, I would rather have you just

say hello or hi.

That's a little too formal, feels like a form letter.

Now here's something else to consider too.

When you do say hi, person's name, please do a comma, enter twice, give a space before

you go into the body of the email.

The body of the email.

Okay, keep this short and sweet and to the point.

My number one rule is one subject per email.

So if you have multiple things to talk to someone about, I highly recommend you don't

bury it all in.

There's other forms of communication that you can do in order to talk to them about

it.

But it really is a lot better if you just have one item.

You know how many emails people can have in their inbox on average?

It's 80.

And I have some clients who go up to 400 emails a day that they get.

So you really want to make sure that they have the ability to read it quickly, get the

information that they need, put any timing that you have associated with it, make your

first sentence exactly what it is you want from them.

So if you have an action for them, then say, "By the way, hi Jane," comma space.

"I have an action for you that's due on Friday."

And then you can give the information of the action, so right away they know in the first

seconds of reading the email what's expected of them.

It is huge.

It's going to get more results for you and it's a great way to be professional in your

emails.

The closing.

This is really simple.

It's just indicating that your email is complete and some very simple closing lines are, can't

wait to talk to you.

Thank you so much for your time.

Warmest regards.

Those are really good closings, so people know we're done.

The signature.

At the end of a professional email it's really important to put your professional signature.

Now, what exactly is that?

That's your name, it's your title, the company.

It could even be the company address.

I also like to put all my social media channels, so people have other opportunities to connect

with me in different formats.

So that's a really good way, like a business card to end your email with.

Review time.

I bet you, you thought we were done after the signature, well we're not, okay?

It's really critical that you do not hit that send button just yet.

Take the time to actually read your email, make sure that you have everything proper,

clean it up a bit.

Because a lot of times when we're typing away and writing an email we can change our me's

for our my's, or our of's can be if's, or sometimes we just start thinking in our head,

but doesn't necessarily come out properly on our email.

So take the time, read it.

I only know from experience, that's my kryptonite, so I spend time drafting it, really important.

Next thing I want you to do is I would like for you to check the recipient, all right?

It is so easy nowadays with our emails when they auto populate based on commonalities

of names, so you may have five Bill's in your address book and they may even have close

last names.

Take a look, confirm you have the right recipient.

It is, oh my goodness, I can't even explain.

When you send an email that you created to the wrong person, it's panic.

Now, hopefully they're in the same company, but if it's to a different company, my goodness,

that in itself, you're going to have to retrace that and apologize and make sure and pray

you had nothing important.

So do not make that mistake.

Ensure you check the recipient's name.

Now that you know how to write a professional email, this is awesome.

I want you to continue on this professional track by knowing how to work professionally,

and part of that is projects.

You probably execute tons of projects and maybe you know this or you don't, but I promise

you they exist, so you want to know how to do them well.

And I want you to go to the link below and download this free download on how to ensure

your project success.

Really getting rid of all of those things with risks and the stuff that's going to just

hinder you.

Nice thing is, transferrable to anything else that you do in the organization, so please

check it out.

Don't forget to subscribe to this channel, like this video, and please share with all

the professionals that you know.

If you have any additional tips on how to write a professional email, please let me

know in the comments below.

Until the next video, see you later.