Communication is an indispensable tool of the professional world, doubly so if you work from home. If an associate, business partner, or whoever else can’t see your face, they’re missing a lot of things like body language and vocal tone, so you need to make the best impression you can through text alone. Don’t write emails the way you post on Facebook, or nobody will give you the time of day. Here’s a few tricks to remember when writing a professional email.
- Be traditional. As dry and restrictive as they may seem, the traditional writing format rules have stuck around for a long time because they work. Follow the rules of correspondence; your writing will look much neater for it. Also, consider ending emails with “regards” instead of anything else. It’s formal, yet friendly.
- Mirror the other person’s style. Mirroring styles makes you seem more appealing and relatable to the other person. If they’re quick and concise, be quick and concise. If they’re jokey and friendly, be jokey and friendly.
- Get to the point. Everyone’s got things to do and places to be. Get the main point of the email out in the open as soon as you can, and only mention relevant info. Nobody needs to know what you had for breakfast that morning.
- Mention your connections. If you’ve got an in with this person, don’t be afraid to drop it. Don’t act like this person owes you or anything, simply say something along the lines of “such-and-such recommended I speak with you.”
- Follow up. A lot of information flies around these days, and sometimes things get lost in transit. If you haven’t heard from someone in a few days, send a quick follow-up to make sure they haven’t forgotten you. As long as you’re not sending emails all day every day, they’ll appreciate the reminder.
