How to start an email like a communication professional
Ever had to write an important email but you just don’t know how to start?
This is rather common given that emails require quite a bit of thought to get the right tone and message across.
Nevertheless, once you understand the dynamics behind writing emails, you will find it becomes much easier to start putting your thoughts into words.
After all, with modern business and communication being conducted on digital platforms, writing proper emails is important for multiple reasons.
Why writing an email is important?
Email is modern communication
Crafting a proper email is critical because as human beings we have an innate need to communicate. If you’re working in an organisation, or even on your own, emails are the fundamental forms of communication used to convey messages, find out information, solicit help or feedback.
First Impressions
It’s no secret that first impressions matter and tend to last over a lifetime. Similarly, with emails, the start of your message provides a first impression. Recipients usually detect your intentions just by reading the first line. Regardless of whom you’re sending the message to, always start an email in a polite and professional manner.
Interest or ignore?
Online attention spans are extremely short. The start of your email determines if the recipient is going to give your message full attention or place you on the back burner. If your message sounds demanding or rambles on, you will likely be deemed unworthy of someone’s precious time.
Getting what you want
If you need a favour from your boss or colleague, knowing how to craft a proper email can be the difference between getting what you want or refused.
Credibility and trust
A well-written email communicates your professionalism to the recipient, who would perceive you as credible and proficient.
Key practices on starting an email
Before you begin writing your message, certain considerations are important:
Who are you addressing it to?
You must know the intended reader of your email. This allows you to address the message to the correct name and email address. For example, if you’re sending an email to the company’s director, you know which address to use and more than likely, you should include his or her assistant in the message.
Understand the context
Knowing your intended reader also provides context in terms of how the email should look, sound and resonate. Before starting your email, ask yourself what is the nature of the relationship with the recipient. If you’re sending an email to senior management for example, you should adopt a professional and polite tone, as opposed to a casual one if messaging a friend.
Understand the goal
What is the purpose of writing the email? Are you asking for information? A favour? Updates? Deliver confidential news? Understanding the goal of the email, before you write helps you to organise and structure your message so that your communication is credible, concise and clear.
Company’s policy
Before crafting your email, acknowledge if there are any company policies with regards to sending correspondence. For example, some companies mandate emails be written using certain template frames, colours, signatures, copying specific persons for specific reasons or having the Communications Department edit and proofread certain types of internal correspondence before sending.
What to include at the start of your emails?
Now that you’ve covered the key practices to writing your email, it is important to know how to start. Remember, the start of your email acts as your first impression and persuades the reader whether or not to entertain your message. It should include:
A proper greeting
Just as you would greet someone offline, an email greeting is part of digital etiquette. Depending on your intended reader and the context of your relationship, you can include informal greetings such as “Hi” or “Hello”. Such greetings are common between colleagues, friends and persons who share a close working relationship.
In a more formal context, such as with a senior official or important client, you can adopt greetings such as “Dear Mr./Ms.” followed by their surname. You can also choose to be time specific by using “Good morning/afternoon or evening” as a formal greeting.
Proper punctuation includes a comma at the end of your greeting, indicative of a slight pause which you would likely do in a real-life situation.
If, however, you are sending an email to a company where the final reader is unknown and the email address is vague in terms of their identity, e.g., info@company.com, you should in that specific instance adopt a formal tone and approach.
Well-wishing in emails
After your greeting, you can, especially within an informal context use a well-wisher to brighten the tone. Common wishes you can include are:
- Hope you’re having a great day.
- Hope this email finds you well.
- Great to hear from you.
- Thank you for your response.
- How are you?
These are not mandatory to include. However, in many instances they do add an element of relatability and likeability. If you’re in the relationship building phase with a colleague or new client, they can help build and establish some personable rapport.
Your reason for writing the email
After your greeting, your first line of the email ought to state its purpose. It is essential to get to the point quickly in an online space. Remember, attention spans are very short and people often receive numerous emails throughout the day. To maintain their attention and achieve the goal of your message, indicate clearly what the intent and purpose of this email. Common examples include:
- I am writing to get some feedback regarding;
- This message is in response to your earlier request;
- Following up on our previous discussion, I am writing to let you know;
- I would like some assistance/information/clarity/update on;
- I am writing to let you know;
- I just want to express my gratitude for;
Making the intention and purpose of your email easy for your audience to see provides a greater likelihood that your communication will be clear to understand and entertained in the desired manner.
