Home » Business Email Etiquette Articles » How to Write Succinct, Efficient, and Effective Business Emails

How to Write Succinct, Efficient, and Effective Business Emails

ByJudith Hours Posted on Hours Updated: Reading Time: 3 minutes
Quick tips to write effective business emails.

Your business emails are not the venue for rambling, random, unorganized questions, or your latest overly wordy sales pitch or manifesto. In business, time is money and efficiency matters.

Study after study proves that long, wordy emails tend not to be read entirely. Instead, recipients scan. I’ve even caught myself scanning instead of reading when pressed for time. Haven’t you?

Tips for Succinct, Efficient, and Effective
Business Emails

Here are some quick and practical tips to clarify your communications. These will also increase the chance that recipients will read your emails in their entirety.

  • Before typing your email, know your communication’s purpose and goal to ensure your topic is covered succinctly.
  • Keep paragraphs and sentences short. Paragraphs to two sentences. Sentences to no more than 10-15 words.
  • Do your best to keep each email as topically focused as possible.
  • Use brief and concise bullet points when covering numerous thoughts or issues. This offers a better chance to be absorbed and applied/replied to. Visually, bullets do not look like too much to tackle. Subconsciously, the recipient thinks they can acquire your points in little tidbits and are more likely to absorb your points in their totality. There is no need to code HTML bullet points. Simple use => or * to separate your issues.
  • If you find that the topic requires more coverage or priority, include it in a stand-alone email. This avoids diluting it, among numerous other issues.
  • If your topic is very detailed, create a PDF document and send it along as an attachment. This allows the user to review the material when they have time and to file and print it for later review.

Simple, Easy, and Powerful

Get in the habit of integrating these simple tips to encourage those you email to read, review, and absorb your information, especially if you need a reply.

One last thing…

Before you click that send button, reread your email out loud. This will help confirm that your meaning, intent, and tone are what you desire. Reading your email aloud also pinpoints areas that may need clarification or a bit of wordsmithing so that you are more concise.

Share the knowledge!

Similar Posts