Being able to write effective emails is vital today if you want to develop business networks and personal connections. From nurturing relationships with suppliers to building customer loyalty and responding to challenging situations, a positive email writing style can help you to handle anything that comes up. These are some of our tips on how to develop your email writing style so that it really works for you.
● Start with the basics. When you’re creating an email, make sure that you have a clear subject line - this should be short, easy to read and easy to understand. You’ll also need to use a clear and impactful greeting and decide how you’re going to sign off your emails, whether that’s a casual ‘thanks’ or a more formal ‘best wishes.’
● Focus on the language that you’re using. In emails you should always be using the active voice. Negative or demanding language can be off-putting for the reader and only used in very specific situations (for example, if you’re making a complaint - even then only carefully). It goes without saying that spelling, grammar and the right capitalisation and punctuation are all going to be vital when it comes to professional emails. When you’re choosing the right language for an email, consider the cultural requirements of the reader and try to fulfill those needs as closely as possible.
● Give your emails the right structure. It’s important to maintain a logical order when you’re drafting emails - does the information appear in a way that someone reading it will find logical and easy to digest?
● Mix up the different types of sentences that you use. For example, simple sentences are a very easy way to deliver facts, such as “I have processed the return.” A more complex sentence will give the reader more to go on, such as “I have processed the return and you will receive a refund in the next 10 days.” The most complex types of sentences tend to start with words like “after,” “before” or “while” - for example, “After I received your email, I spoke to my manager because I required their input to deal with your return.” Make sure that you have a variety of these different types of sentences in your emails.
● Use techniques like parallel structure. One way to improve your writing style in emails is to use a technique called parallel structure, as this will help to ensure clarity and accuracy, as well as uniformity and consistency. This is where the same phrase, word or clause pattern is repeated to show that two, or more, ideas have the same level of importance. For example “innovative and beneficial” rather than “innovative and a benefit.”
● Use more transition words. These are the words that connect your sentences and ideas together and show the relationship between them, such as “on the other hand” or “as a result.” More transition words can help a reader better understand what you’re trying to say.
Being able to produce effective emails is vital today - these are some of the simplest ways to improve your email writing style. Find out more by booking onto our Delivering Excellence Via Email Half Day Training Course...