To Whom It May Concern,

Writing an email is an art form; like every art form, one must practice it to make it perfect. As I have gotten older, I have increasingly seen more people struggle to write an email.

Most of the time, people know what they want to say but don’t know how to put the proper words together to get their point across. And, of course, sound professional at the same time. Writing an email might be the only form of writing I am confident in.

Growing up, my Mother showed my brother and I how to write a proper email. When she returned to work, part of her new job was teaching college kids how to write a formal email. Yes, She was teaching how to write an email to people at 18 years old, too many people struggle to write an email.

To this day, it still baffles me.  I really had to dig deep into why I have an easier time writing an email. What was I taught that others just don’t understand?

I have a few tips that I live by…

Consider Your Audience

• First off, have some confidence in what you are saying, the person on the other side of the email is still just a HUMAN.
• Nobody opens an email wanting to read a novel. Be straight to the point.
• Put yourself in the receivers shoes. What would you like to read and understand in the topic you are writing about?

Check the Tone/Language

• Knowing your audience helps to adjust to the tone in which you stay things and the language used. You are going to phrase an email differently to your boss over your teachers. 

• Example to Boss –

Hello Boss,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to inform you that I will be late to the company’s project proposal meeting on this upcoming Monday July 18th, 2001 at 8:00am EST due to a last minute doctor’s appointment. 

I have already spoken with coworkers about taking detailed notes for me to get up to speed once I arrive. I should only run about fifteen minutes late but will inform you further if anything changes. 

My apologies for any inconveniences this might cause.

Sincerely,

• Example to Teacher –

Mrs.Teacher, 

Good Morning! I wanted to reach out ahead of time to let you know that I will be about 15 minutes late to class on Monday, July 18th, 2001. I have a last-minute important doctor’s appointment that I can’t miss. 

I talked to some of my classmates about reviewing their notes after class. Thanks for understanding!

Best,

——————————————————————–

A slight tone change really does set the stage for the intended audience. A Teacher is a little less formal than a boss.

Be Concise 

• Nobody is here to read the great American novel. You are spreading information so whatever is the important theme it needs to stand out. A good way to start that is by making sure your subject line really encapsulates the main topic.
• Short and Sweet, Fluff is not always necessary.
• A quick greeting and than straight to the topic at hand

Formating IS Key

• Bold or highlight dates, times, and any other important information that you really want to stand out! 
• Make sure to break up large paragraphs. You want to be able to skim the text and get all the important information. 
• You can use bullet points to help pull out the most important information.
• If the idea is to stay formal, make sure that your greeting to your thank you is 100% formal.

I promise writing an email is not hard. People tend to overthink and lack the confidence to find the words for what they are trying to say. Writing an email is closer to writing a handwritten letter. Keep it formal, professional, and quick to the point. 

Texting has somehow eliminated a generation’s ability to write emails. We have now learned to abbreviate too much and send things in multiple short quick messages that might get lost. Emails are all about having a paper trail to look back on and see all the information.