Master the art of email writing to improve engagement and achieve your goals.
There are many ways for structuring an email. However, each one will depend on the industry or the purpose for which you want to send the email. A sales proposal is not the same as a newsletter, for example.
For this reason, I want to give you some general principles that I myself use to write an email and get it read from top to bottom by following some email etiquette rules and some copywriting tips…
Here you have them…
Keep your emails short to avoid TL;DR
Always get to the point. Everyone is busy and rather than reading, people “scan” texts quickly.
Otherwise, your message will be lost under the massive pile of other TL;DR emails that we all receive. This is a must if you are writing to a C-Suite level recipient. They don’t have any time to read at all.
Format your emails to make them more digestible
Use headings to create blocks of information, bullet points, and bolding to highlight important phrases or make the content more digestible.
Even more, when using bullet points, try to put the important information in the first and last sentences, which are usually the more read:
- Important information
- Not so important
- Not so important
- Important information
Keep it simple: people hate lingo
Use words that the recipient knows and avoid jargon. People think that the more complex the better but it’s exactly the opposite: we are not poets or PhDs (at least I am not) who want to captivate the audience with a flourish and Shakespearian language style.
We mostly are marketers and/or sales representatives who need to send a simple message: buy my stuff.
Write shorter lines and let the reading flow
Always write short sentences and always check if you can say the same thing with fewer words and even shorter words.
Moreover, write short paragraphs: 2 or 3 lines per idea is enough.
Better 2 than 3 but the idea is to get “rhythm”.
For example: try 1 sentence, then 3, then 3 again, then 2, etc. So the reading flow is nice for the reader.
Use AI to get inspired, be productive, or avoid the fear of the blank page
Since the ChaptGPT launch and massive adoption (more than 100 users at this moment), AI is everywhere. Of course, it’s a tool that we all must use to be more productive, but in my opinion, there are limits.
The more you use it, the more you lost the ability to write, so be careful and use it only when you need some inspiration to keep writing.
Actually, you don’t need to switch from your email provider to ChatGPT, if you install InboxPro’s Chrome Extension, you can use InboxPro’s AI email feature, which allows you to write or even summarize emails in a matter of seconds. Want to try it?
Close your emails with a call to action
Every email should have its own objective. Sometimes will be to communicate an idea, sometimes to invite to a meeting, to sign a contract, etc.
They all have something in common: they need action to be accomplished. But, very often, it’s not so obvious and the recipient won’t know what the next steps are if you don’t mention them.
So, make sure you include a call to action depending on the context, such as:
- What do you think?
- Do we meet this Wednesday at 10.00?
- Can I call you tomorrow?
- Did you have some time to read my last recap?
Don’t forget the courtesy
An initial greeting, a comment about the family (if you’re confident), a warm welcome, a compliment for an accomplishment…
They are all social formulas that elevate the game of communication.
It’s not only about courtesy, it’s about connecting… and if you really want to connect with somebody you have to do it from the bottom of your heart, not because it’s a mandatory etiquette in some contexts.
And, yes, your customers or leads may not apply these communication techniques, but you will set a higher quality standard that for sure will be remembered…
And being remembered is the first step to making a sale. Don’t you think?
Have a nice and productive day!
