This Could Have Been an Email

Most of us are familiar with email. It’s become part of the fabric of our digital lives, often to the point where we don’t even think about it anymore. To steal a line from Nike, we “just do it.”

That might be part of the problem – we’ve become so comfortable with email and used it for so long and, with the advent of the smartphone, so easily – that we’ve started to forget that it’s still a piece of writing. And, in the professional world, it’s frequently still the piece of writing: the most common form of communication.  Yes, professionals do communicate through text or apps like WhatsApp and Signal, but the majority of business communication still happens via email.

One reason email has survived the rise of the text message is because of length: texts are great for short communication, but if you have more than a little content to share or significant attachments, email is still the better choice. Emails are often more secure than text messages or even encrypted group chats – as the government found out last year – and that’s a big deal for confidential business communications.

And though we may sometimes get too comfortable with emails and write them more like a text message, there are conventions to the genre that are important to observe, especially when they’re being used in a professional setting.

The Conventions

A quick reminder – the “conventions” of a genre are the rules or requirements, the things that make writing in that particular style different from another. Many email conventions will seem like they’re obvious and review to you. That’s fine as we’ve all been using email for what probably feels like forever. But it’s important to make sure you are properly using each of them, as they’re often the calling card of your professional position.

The Salutation (or Greeting)

There are a few reasons to use a proper salutation in an email:

• • Show Respect – By addressing the recipient by their particular name (Dr. Smith) or a more generalized honorific (Colleagues), you’re demonstrating a level of respect for them that

    A quick note about the salutation: If you don’t know the recipient personally, avoid any sort of title related to gender or marital status, such as Mr., Mrs., or Ms. Use their title if they have one (i.e. Dr. or Professor) or their full name.

    you hope they will demonstrate for you in return. Something like “Dear Dr. Smith” is clearly more respectful than “Hey Dave” and shows that you, the sender, are serious about the matter that you’re writing about.

  • Avoid Mix-Ups: By including a proper salutation at the beginning of your email, you can hopefully ensure that there are no mix-ups in terms of who the email is meant for. Email addresses are often very similar from one person to another – especially in a professional setting – and it can be very easy to send a message to the wrong person. The salutation can immediately alert “Dave Smith” that your email was supposed to go to “David Smith”, which can potentially save you from a significant headache later on.

The Subject Line

One of the benefits of an email over a text message is the subject line. Rather than having to open a message to see what it’s about, a well written subject line can give the recipient a preview of the message’s content which can, in turn, help them decide whether it needs to be read immediately or not. Think of the subject line almost like the title of an essay or a book.

A good subject line should be clear, brief, and relevant. An email about a previous meeting, for example, might have a subject line of “Minutes from 2/7 Staff Meeting” or an email to a professor might include a subject line like “Request for Extension” or “Expected Absence from Class”. It’s a preview for the reader/audience, so give them something that will help them know what to expect.

The Body

The body of your email is where you put the message you’re trying to send. Seems sort of obvious, huh? While the body content of every email will be different – different topics, different purposes,  different amounts of information – there are some things that should always be the same:

Formatting

The body of your email should be formatted in much the same way you would format an essay, using sentences and paragraphs. Obvious, again right? But it’s important to remember that it’s your job as the writer to make every email as easy to read and follow as you can. Because you are communicating in writing – and sometimes with large audiences – the more unclear or confusing your message is, the greater the chance that someone will misinterpret or misunderstand something you’re trying to say. Keeping the organization clean and easy to follow can help prevent that.

And while there’s no hard and fast rule on length, it’s best to keep emails as short and to the point as possible. If you have a lot to say, some other form of communication – like a letter, a document, or a memo (all of which can be attached to an email) – might be a better option.

Language

Writing a professional email is different than writing an email to a friend and very different than sending a text message. Make sure that your word choices match the setting and avoid using internet slang, abbreviations, and emojis. Keep in mind that there’s always a chance your email will be read by someone who does not share your culture and so what might make you “lol”, might not do the same for them. Always err on the side of professionalism.

Grammar and Mechanics

It’s doubtful that your audience is going to be policing your grammar (unless your audience is your college professor.) That’s not a reason to not be careful about it. Use the tools at hand, like grammar and spell checkers and maybe even a GenAI, to make sure that there aren’t any mistakes in your message. It’s not so much that someone might think you’re less intelligent if you make a spelling or grammar mistake. It’s more that they might think you don’t care about the impression you’re making if you didn’t take the time to proofread your message.

The Signature/Closing

Wrap your email up by ending it as professionally as you began it. Different companies or specific professional settings might certain requirements or brand ID that go into your email signature. But, at the very least, always end with your name and professional role – “Dave Smith, VP of Finance”, for example – in order to properly identify yourself. Also, providing the recipients with your current contact information is often a part of a professional signature.

Sample Email

Take a look at this sample email. Can you identify all the conventions? Do you see any issues?