Navigating Email Etiquette in a Professional Setting

Emailing can be one of the most challenging and nerve-wracking forms of business communication. Knowing exactly what to say and how to say it effectively can be difficult, but luckily, many resources for formatting tips and tricks can help lead you in the right direction. Acquiring skills in emailing for business communication is crucial for anyone looking to work in the corporate world. 

As a college student studying English and marketing, I've had the opportunity to work on business projects, including writing a grant proposal for a local non-profit, the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank. Throughout that experience, I learned how vital email etiquette is for effective business communication.

When working with clients, managers, vendors, and colleagues, you want to come across as professional, competent, and respectful in every email interaction. A sloppy or inappropriately toned email can damage your business relationships and reputation.

Formatting Tips

Several resources walk through how to format an email step-by-step, which could be helpful for anyone struggling. To add to those resources, though, here are some essential tips I learned about navigating email formatting that can help students like myself and professionals alike:

• Use a clear, professional subject line. The subject line is the first thing the recipient sees, so make the purpose of the email clear and specific. Something like "Website Content Deck for Review" is much better than just "Follow up" or leaving it blank.

• Pay attention to greetings & sign-offs. Always start an email with a professional greeting like "Dear" or "Hello" followed by the person's name and title if appropriate (ex. Dear Ms. Smith). Don't use shorthand like "Hey" unless it's a casual internal exchange. At the end, use a respectful closing like "Thank you," "Best regards," or "Sincerely," followed by your full name, title, and contact information.

• Use appropriate formatting. Break up long messages into short paragraphs for easy scanning. Use bold, italics, underlines, and bulleted or numbered lists to highlight key sections.

Tone Tips

Besides the format of an email, the tone is likely the most challenging aspect of email communication to grasp. Here are a few tips about when and how to use a professional tone in an email:

• Know your audience. Understand exactly who you are talking to: your boss, manager, or coworker. If the individual's position is above you, you’ll likely use a professional tone; if not, you can be more lenient with your rigidity of language.

• If you are unsure of what level of professionalism to use, lean more professional than casual. 

• Be mindful of tone. Without face-to-face interaction, emails can easily be misinterpreted or come across as abrupt. Be conscious of your tone and word choice. A brief greeting like "I hope you're doing well" can soften a message.

• Always proofread to ensure a polished, professional tone.

Grammar Tips

Grammar can be challenging in any form of writing, but here are a few ways to enhance your emails and avoid grammar mistakes:

• Keep it concise & polished. Avoid overly long emails by getting straight to the point. 

• Use proper grammar, capitalization, spelling, and punctuation. Reading through before hitting send can catch simple mistakes.

• Consider using a grammar-focused AI tool like Grammarly to check for spelling and punctuation errors you may have missed.

• Try not to over-utilize punctuation. An abundance of punctuation, especially exclamation marks, may seem immature to someone in a business professional position.

Following these tips regarding emailing for business communication, you can demonstrate strong writing skills and professionalism. It's a simple way for anyone to make a great impression in a corporate setting.