5 Essential Elements of Every Email

I’ve been emailing for over thirty years, and letter writing has not returned to vogue. Many people do not even know how to write in cursive anymore. So, with email being the written word of the time, everyone needs to be aware of the basics. These are the bare minimum if that’s all you’re into.

For folks like me, we never stopped writing letters or sending birthday or thank you cards by snail mail. Some things require your attention and effort, and reflecting caring and courtesy via a hard copy always has more impact than a digital email.

But email is here to stay. With that comes the necessary skill acquisition to use it properly. That requires effort and the ongoing ability to embrace whatever technology comes down the road.

Writing skills matter regardless of whether they are in an email, hardcopy card, or handwritten note. With every email you create, you have the opportunity to communicate clearly, and there is no excuse not to. As the author, you are responsible for ensuring that the intent and tone you wish to convey come across to those you email.

If you don’t pay attention to detail in every email you create, you risk misunderstandings or giving a less-than-favorable impression. You could also be viewed as illiterate.

In Email, Word Choice and Style Matter

With email, you lose the benefit of eye contact, body language, a firm handshake, or a smile. So, we must compensate for that by being clear and concise with every aspect of our emails.

It would benefit your communications to take the time to create emails that have these 5 Essential Elements firmly in place. These tips will help you not detract from your message and minimize the potential for any negative perception or misunderstanding.

5 Email Essentials to Integrate

Every email you write should have these 5 Essential Elements covered:

The From Field: Display your name correctly. John F. Doe. Not john f doe, or john doe, j. doe. Proper capitalization is the sign of an educated communicator. Names in lowercase provide a perception of a spammer or, worse yet, a lack of education or tech-savvy.
The Subject Line: A short, sweet, well-thought-out Subject is crucial. Your Subject field will determine if your email even gets opened. Keep your Subject to 5-7 words that accurately identify the topic and context of your email. Then, modify the Subject field in ongoing conversations to reflect when the direction or topic of the discussion has changed.
The Greeting: Without a greeting at the beginning of your email, you risk being viewed as bossy or terse. Take the time to include a Hello, or Hi and the recipient’s name. How you type your contact’s name (John, Mr. Doe, etc.) indicates the formality your email will portray. Be careful not to take the liberty of being overly informal too quickly. Let the other side dictate the level of formality and follow their lead. After all, formality is just another form of respect. You can get an indication of how those you communicate with prefer to be addressed by how they sign off their emails.
The Body: Take the time necessary to communicate clearly. Complete, correctly structured, and capitalized sentences that reflect proper grammar and punctuation are crucial to your message. Typing in all lowercase or caps does not lend to easy communication and gives the impression that you are either lazy or illiterate. Review and spell-check every message before clicking Send. Better yet, read your email out loud to ensure you relay the intended tone.
The Closing: Whether it be “Thank you for your time!”, “Sincerely,” “Look forward to hearing from you!” or “Warm regards,” use a closing that is consistent with the tone and objective of your message. Without a proper closing, you increase the possibility that your email will be perceived as demanding or curt. Without exception, close by including your name to put that final considerate touch on your emails.

A Positive Impression is Everything

All we have is perception. Perception that is within your control to control.

Make an effort to integrate these five essential elements in every email you send. You will contribute to the perception that you are tech-savvy, courteous, and a pleasure to communicate with. Then, continue improving your writing skills to become an email pro.