Over the last couple of weeks, during our WSpider web writing series here on the blog, we’ve talked extensively about good ways to write your site’s web content, blog posts, sales copy, PR articles, and beyond—but sometimes knowing how to write for the web goes further than the “on the page” copy. Today, we’re going to take a moment to talk a little bit about writing better business emails. After all, email correspondence is quite important to any online business.
Would you be surprised to learn that oftentimes the best business emails are written in a very conversational tone?
It’s true…just like many other kinds of web writing, writing every day correspondence via email offers the freedom to tone down the formality. Sure, there are some case where you’ve just got to maintain the utmost of a professional edge—you’ve always got to use your best judgment when determining the tone in each and every case. But most everyday emails to clients, customers, and business partners simply work better if you just “talk” through your written email just like you would on the phone.
Next up—keep it short and sweet.
Don’t overdo your emails. Because everyone is increasingly busy—and it’s a well known fact that almost all of us have inboxes that are practically pouring over with new messages to be sorted through—it’s never a good idea to write long emails for no certain reason. Say what you’ve got to say as quickly as possible while still getting the point across (out of respect for your recipient).
Which brings us to the next point…write for easy, clear comprehension.
Make it as easy as possible for your recipient not only to get through your email in short order, but also for them to really grasp each point you make. Think about it for a moment. When you’re scanning your inbox, do you read every last sentence of every email? Most don’t.
A natural way to make sure your topics are understood is to use bullet points and lists as often as possible. Always use a clearly identified subject line and start a new email thread when changing the subject. Also, if you’re covering multiple topics that are inevitably requiring different follow-up threads, it might be a wise idea to send separate correspondence for each topic.
Finally, use your signature faithfully.
It might seem like overkill and like it’s overdone, but setting up an automatic signature block (containing all of your contact information) to post at the end of each and every email you send is very practical and helpful. It’s always easier to respond to an email when there’s no contact lookup required…remember, the more steps to replying, the less likely a timely reply is going to happen.
Talk To You Soon!
