How To Write a Professional Email (With Tips and Examples)

Email is one of the most widely used forms of written communication—both in

and out of the workplace. A well-composed professional email provides the
recipient with a friendly, clear, concise and actionable message. Learning how
to professionally write an email that meets all of these criteria can take
practice.
In this article, we discuss why it’s important to know how to write a
professional email, how to write one, review example emails and answer some
frequently asked questions about email communication.
Why is it important to know how to write a professional email?
Because of its speed and efficiency, you’ll likely use email in some capacity no
matter your role or the industry you work in. Because email and other forms of
digital communication don’t allow us to pick up on natural communication
cues like body language, it’s essential to know how to write professional emails
that are clear and accurate. Knowing how to write a professional email can:
 Save time
 Provide clarity
 Show competency
 Establish a reputation for a person or business
1. Use a professional email address
A professional email address is one you use for work, oftentimes an email
address you only use for work-related purposes or formal communications.
While this is given to you by the organization in which you work, if you are
sending an email before joining a company, you can still create a polished
email address. The typical format is simply your name@ [the domain]. For
example:
 yourfullname@thedomain
 firstname.lastname@thedomain
 firstnamemiddleinitial.lastname@thedomain
2. Add a concise, informative subject line
This is a short phrase that clearly summarizes the reason for your email
message or the goal of your communication. It’s important you include a
subject line when sending a professional email so your audience knows exactly
what to expect and is able to locate the message again easily, if needed. Here
are some subject line tips to keep in mind for your next professional email:
 Use less than 60 characters.
 Clearly state the email's goal in one sentence.
 Consider starting with the recipient's name.
For example:Subject: Follow up: Product presentation
3. Greet the recipient with a proper salutation
This is the first line of your email and generally acts as the greeting. You’ll want
this email greeting to match the tone of the email you’re sending—in this case,
a professional tone. Your greeting can change depending on your relationship
with the recipient.
 If you’re writing to someone you’ve never met or a person you have a
formal professional relationship with, such as a hiring manager or a new
client, you can start with “Dear.”
 If you’re addressing someone you know or someone you have a familiar
professional relationship with, such as a colleague or manager, you can
start with “Hello” or “Hi.”
Here are a few examples of greetings:
Hi Mr. Samson,
Hello Maria,
Dear Dr. Smith,
Dear colleagues,
Dear Jay Gupta,
5. End emails with a sign-off and signature
The signature is where you identify yourself by name, title and any other
information relevant to your communications. Most email programs allow you
to set a fixed signature that’s automatically added to the end of every email
you send. Typical closing words include:
 Regards,
 Best,
 Sincerely,
 Thanks,
 Kind regards,
Here’s an example of how you could end an email:
Sincerely,Jillian Jones Senior Software Engineer ABC Company, Inc.
6. Proofread your email
An error-free email demonstrates diligence and professionalism. Before you
send an email, take a moment to check for any spelling, grammar or syntax
errors. Double-check to ensure you’ve included any files or attachments you
may have referenced in your message as well.
When creating a professional email, keep it simple, to the point and void of any
grammatical or spelling errors.
Once you’re done proofing your email, read it over once more as if you were
the recipient. Doing so may help you catch anything you may have missed
during an earlier step, such as when composing or editing.
7. Check your recipient fields
Before sending your email, check your recipient fields to make sure you’re
sending it to the right person, people or group. You also want to make sure the
email addresses are in the correct field. Remember:
8. Schedule your email and send
Sometimes you may compose an email ahead of time or during off
hours. Scheduling an email can help you manage your time and ensure you’re
also sending your email at a time that’s appropriate for the recipient. All email
clients have a scheduling feature.
9. Remember to follow up
Finally, most people receive several emails per day, so they might miss or
forget to respond to your message. If the recipient hasn’t replied within two
working days, consider reaching back out with a friendly follow-up email.

Tips when writing an email

Here are some things to keep in mind when writing emails:
 Identify your goal: Before you write an email, ask yourself what you
want the recipient to do after they’ve read it. Once you’ve determined
the purpose of your email, you can ensure everything you include in
your message supports this action.
 Keep it concise: Your audience might have little time to read your email,
so make your message as brief as possible without leaving out key
information. Try not to address too many subjects at once as this can
make your message lengthy and difficult to take action on.
 Use proper etiquette: Include a courteous greeting and closing to sound
friendly and polite. Additionally, be considerate of the recipient and
their time. For example, unless it’s an emergency, avoid emailing a
contact asking for something after-hours or while they’re on leave.
 Professional email templates
Here are three template examples of professional emails:
1. Email to a new contact
Subject line: [One sentence or phrase describing message contents]My name is
[your name] and I am [job title] at [company name]. I am writing to [one to
two sentences describing your request].[One to three sentences describing your
benefits or what you can offer in return].[One sentence describing an action
step].Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing
from you.Sincerely,[Your name]
[Your title]
[Your company]
2. Writing an email to a group
Subject line: [Subject] meeting canceledHi team,The [meeting name] meeting
scheduled for this [time frame] has been canceled.I apologize for the late
notice, but I know everyone will welcome the extra time back in their day. We
will reconvene at our regularly scheduled time on [date].Thanks,
[Your name]
[Your title]
3. Writing a follow-up email
Subject line: Re: Availability for introductory meetingHi [Name]I just wanted to
check back in regarding the date for your meeting with [Name]. Just let me
know whether [date] or [date] works better for your schedule.Thank you![Your
name]
[Your title]
[Your company]
When should you use CC and BCC in an email?
Remember “CC” sends a carbon copy to anyone whose email address is in the
CC: field, and that BCC does the same, only the recipient’s address is hidden.
You’ll want to use CC if you wish to copy others publicly, such as a colleague
whom you want to keep in the loop of a project’s progress. Times you might
want to use BCC at work include:
 When writing a mailing list that includes people who don’t know each
other
 When sending a newsletter to a subscribers list
 When delivering a farewell message to your colleagues or clients