Writing compelling and fruitful business emails is an art! Even the most skilled writers and industry professionals can sometimes struggle with it. Mainly because the average person receives around 90 emails per day, and answers only 40.
I specialize in copywriting services, mainly in Spanish, and after years of experience, here are the top 4 strategies to make sure you are getting the most out of your emails.
- Write an intriguing subject line
Let’s start at the beginning; the first thing you need to do is make sure your subject line is impressive. By no means, am I saying you should alarm the receiver or lie about the content of the email. On the contrary, write a concise 5-word sentence with vital information.
For instance, if you are writing about a business meeting, you would not want to use a boring subject such as ‘Company’s Quarterly Meeting.’ Instead, you might want to write something like: ‘We’re starting in 6 HOURS’
More often than not, people will open the email just out of intrigue. Your goal is to catch their attention without falling under the 60 daily emails a day that get unanswered.
2. Be Concise
I cannot stress this enough, don’t ramble on! Emails, and especially business emails, should be concise and to the point. Keep in mind that at least 50% of emails are opened on mobile devices while on the go. Thus, writing a three-page email discussing the company’s latest financial report will probably be ignored.
Furthermore, emails should not replace face-to-face or over the phone conversations. I suggest you:
- Write the most relevant information on the first sentence of your email.
- Break up your paragraphs.
- Avoid attaching large files.
- Temporize; even if you can’t immediately respond, make sure you let the person know you are gathering the info.
3. Include a ‘Call-to-Action’
Most people make the mistake of ending their business emails with phrases like: ‘Best regards’ or ‘I look forward to hearing back from you soon.’ These are not ‘call-to-action’; you need to be more precise.
Even though your readers are smart and may know you are expecting an answer from them, you should always be as explicit as possible. Some effective options are:
- Can I give you a call on Friday at 2:30 PM so that we can discuss next steps?
- When will it be the best time/day to arrange a meeting?
- Please give us your feedback!
- Sign up here to receive our monthly newsletter.
Remember always to follow up. Persistence is a critical element of effective email writing.
4. Proofread, proofread, proofread!
Proofreading is probably the best advice I can give you, it may seem like a no-brainer, but more often than not people forget to read their emails before sending them. A business email with spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or typos can make you appear less professional. A few extra minutes before hitting ‘send’ can save you a few headaches down the road.
There you have it! My top 4 tips on how to write effective business emails.
