Formal email: how to write one, guide and 7 examples

Nowadays, and contrary to what you might think, email is still one of the most effective ways to communicate with professionals, companies or individuals. However, it comes with the risk of being misunderstood.

When we send a written message, the person reading it doesn’t have us in front of them. They can’t tell the tone we’re using, let alone interpret the expressiveness or intention behind our words.

That’s why knowing how to write a formal email makes all the difference if we want to make a good impression. In other words, we need to avoid ambiguity so the message conveys exactly what we mean.

When writing a formal email, you need to consider not only what you say, but also the format you say it in. A readable, easy-to-understand text is more pleasant to read.

What Is a Formal Email?

A formal email is a type of written communication used in professional, academic or administrative contexts.

How to Write a Formal Email?

A formal email is easier to write than you think. To decide on the style to give your formal emails, keep in mind that this type of email can serve different purposes:

• Requesting information from a company or professional.
• Sending information about your products or services to a potential customer.
• Handling various matters with colleagues, employees or suppliers.
• Sharing important news.
• Introducing your contacts to build partnerships…

These are the aspects you should keep in mind when writing a formal email to your customers:

If you want to see each part in detail, with an example, check out our guide on email structure.

Clear and Concise Subject Line

One of the most important parts of an email is the subject line, because what matters most is that the recipient opens the email. To achieve this, you need to write emails with clear and enticing subject lines. You’ll find more guidelines in our post on the email subject line.

When it comes to writing a formal email, your subject lines should get straight to the point and provide clarity.

Most of the time, the difference between an email being opened or not lies in the subject line. It should give a preview of what the reader will find inside; otherwise, any effort put into the writing will have been in vain.

Formal Greeting

Depending on the level of formality, you can use “Dear [Name]” or “To whom it may concern” if you don’t know the recipient’s name.

Introduction

If you want to know how to write a formal email to request information, send it or for any other purpose, starting with a pleasant and proper introduction is the first step.

The introduction of an email should be proper and serve to put the reader in context.

This introduction can include a brief greeting and, before getting into the body of the email, a sentence to build rapport and break the ice. An “I hope you are well”, for example, would be a good idea. Then you can state your goal.

Body of the Message

This section is the core of the message: it contains the information you’re requesting or providing. That’s why it needs to be clear. So, in addition to writing a flawless formal email, you’ll need to apply proper formatting.

Conclusion and call to action

Just as with other types of email, when writing a formal email, you need to add a call to action at the end of the text. The conclusion should clear up any trace of doubt and also propose the next step.

Will it be scheduling a meeting, closing a deal, sharing information, waiting for a reply…? Think about what you want the recipient to do and add it at the end of your email.

An email without a call to action is an open door to procrastination and inaction. Your recipient won’t know what the next step is. So tell them.

Signature

Include your full name, position, company or institution, and contact details.

Professional and Respectful Language

Avoid jargon, informal abbreviations and grammatical errors. And send the message from a corporate email with your own domain, not from a personal email address.

How to start a formal email

The greeting sets the tone for the whole message. In a formal email, it’s best to choose it based on what you know about the recipient:

Note one detail: the greeting is followed by a colon, not a comma. That’s what the Real Academia Española (the Royal Spanish Academy) recommends for letters and emails. The comma is borrowed from English. And the first sentence of the message starts on the next line, with a capital letter.

After the greeting, a short first sentence gives the reader context. For example: “I am contacting you regarding order no. 2458”, “I am writing to you on the recommendation of Marta Ruiz” or “Thank you for your reply last Tuesday”.

Informal “tú” or formal “usted”? In Spain, more and more professional emails are written using the informal “tú”. But if you’re writing to someone for the first time, to a public administration or to a superior, the formal “usted” is still the safe choice. If they reply using “tú”, you can switch to it in your next message.

How to end a formal email

The closing has two parts: a sentence stating the next step and a sign-off. These are the most common ones:

Avoid old-fashioned phrases such as “Having nothing further to add” or “I remain, respectfully yours”. Today they sound stiff and drag out the closing without adding anything.

Below the sign-off goes your email signature, with your name, position, company and phone number. And if you don’t get a reply within a few days, you can send a short follow-up email.

The Importance of Formal Email Today

Email has become a basic tool for communication in both professional and personal settings.

And in the workplace, it’s worth knowing how to write formal emails, as they play an important role in interactions with co-workers, customers, suppliers and other professional contacts.

That’s why, in the professional world, formal emails are one of the most common forms of written communication, and writing them correctly helps maintain a good image and create a favorable impression.

Formal email: A step-by-step guide to writing one

To make sure your formal emails look professional, are highly readable and easy to understand, and convey respect and expertise, in this article I’ll share some guidelines for writing a formal email.

What format should a formal email have?

Creating a formal email like this takes more than just good writing. To make it readable, it also needs proper layout.

By this I don’t mean graphics or colors, but a simple, clear format. To achieve this, some of the elements you can add to your emails are:

Bullet points

They help organize the topics or ideas of the email, making it easier to understand.

Bold text

It helps highlight key terms, allowing the reader to quickly identify the important points.

Italics

They can be used to add emphasis and meaning to a sentence, highlighting relevant information.

Short paragraphs

They make reading quick and easy, avoiding dense blocks of text that are hard to read, especially on mobile. That’s why your emails should be responsive.

Watch your spelling and punctuation

Correct spelling and proper punctuation are essential to convey professionalism and clarity in your message.

Tips for a Formal Email

• Don’t leave out important points when replying or making a request.
• Write simple sentences to make the email easier to understand and read.
• Avoid words with negative connotations that could make someone feel bad.
• Make it easy to read with a pleasant tone of voice and simple language.
• Use as few words as possible to provide clarity.
• Include useful details to avoid an endless back-and-forth of emails.

Mistakes to avoid when writing a formal email

Before looking at some examples of how to write a formal email, let’s go over the most common mistakes people make.

Knowing them will help you stay on guard and get better results.

Let’s look at the points we need to pay special attention to:

• Greeting. When greeting someone in your email, try to end with a colon, not a comma. For example, instead of writing “Good afternoon, Ana,” you should write “Good afternoon, Ana:”. That would be the correct way.
• Start of the introduction. After the greeting, continue with the introduction of your email. Always starting with a capital letter, of course.
• Use of uppercase and lowercase. If you’ve been tempted to write an entire email in capital letters, forget it. It leaves the recipient with an unpleasant feeling, to say the least. If you want them to have a good impression of you, avoid doing this. It’s usually associated with shouting, and spam filters are also wary of text in capital letters.
• Paragraph length. As we said, paragraphs should be short to make the email easier to read and understand. If you choose to write your entire email in a single paragraph, you may end up overwhelming the recipient.
• Subject line. Make sure it’s relevant and also summarizes the topic of the email. Also, avoid leaving it blank.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in a formal email is providing incomplete information. Make sure the email fulfills the purpose it was written for.

7 formal email examples

Now let’s look at some formal email examples for the most common uses. The first three are the classics: requesting information, sending it and sharing news. After that, you’ll find four more templates for requesting something, making a complaint, sending documents and saying thank you. If you want to introduce yourself to a customer, you’ll find specific templates in our guide on how to introduce yourself to a customer by email.

Example 1: Formal email to request information

Example 2: Formal email to send information

Example 3: Formal email to share news

Example 4: formal email to request something

Use it to request a meeting, a quote, a permission or a document. The request should appear in the first few lines.

Subject: Meeting request to review the maintenance contract

Dear Mr. Martín:

I am writing to you as purchasing manager at Grupo Norte to request a meeting before the renewal of the maintenance contract, scheduled for December 1.

We would like to review with you the number of annual visits and the response times for breakdowns.

Would you be available on the morning of Tuesday the 18th or Thursday the 20th? We can meet at our offices or by video call, whichever is more convenient for you.

I look forward to your reply.

Yours faithfully,
Elena Sanz
Purchasing Manager, Grupo Norte
912 345 678

Why it works: it states what it is asking for and why in the first sentence, and proposes two specific dates instead of a vague “whenever you can”.

Example 5: formal complaint email

A complaint by email should be firm, but without losing courtesy. Always include the details needed to identify the case. If the company requires a more formal document, adapt the text to the format of a business letter.

Subject: Complaint about order no. 2458, received incomplete

Dear Sirs:

On October 14, I received order no. 2458, placed in your online store on the 10th. Of the six units ordered, only four arrived.

Please find attached the invoice and a photograph of the contents of the box.

I kindly request that you send me the two missing units or refund their cost, 58 euros, within ten days.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Yours faithfully,
Andrés Molina
Customer no. 88213

Why it works: it gives dates, the order number and the amount. And it ends with a clear request and a deadline.

Example 6: formal email to send documents

It’s one of the most common formal emails in day-to-day work. Always mention which files you’re sending, so the recipient can check they’re all there.

Subject: Documents for supplier registration – Imprenta Rivas

Good morning, Ms. Ortega:

As you indicated in our call yesterday, I am sending you the documents required for supplier registration:

Certificate of being up to date with tax obligations. Social Security certificate. Bank account ownership certificate.

All three documents are attached in PDF format. If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Kind regards,
Pablo Rivas
Imprenta Rivas

Why it works: it recalls the context and lists the attachments. That way, no one has to ask whether something is missing.

Example 7: formal thank-you email

Thanking someone in writing for a meeting, a recommendation or a collaboration strengthens the professional relationship. For customers, you’ll find more templates in our guide to letters to clients. Send it within 24 hours.

Subject: Thank you for yesterday’s meeting

Dear Carmen:

I wanted to thank you for the time you gave us yesterday and for how clearly you explained your department’s needs.

As agreed, on Monday I will send you the proposal with the three scenarios we discussed.

Kind regards,
Javier Luna

Why it works: it’s short, specific and recalls the agreed next step.

Tips for making a good impression with your formal email

In addition to writing a formal email correctly, there are other aspects to keep in mind to make a good impression in a professional setting.

Reply to emails in a timely manner

Replying to emails in a timely manner helps make a good impression and shows commitment and responsibility.

While it may not always be possible to reply right away, it’s advisable to do so within the first 24 hours or, failing that, within a reasonable time frame. If you need more time, at least reply to confirm you’ve received it.

This shows that you value the sender’s time and communication and are taking their request or inquiry seriously.

Keep information confidential and private

It’s important to keep this information private and confidential when writing and replying to formal emails.

You shouldn’t share personal or business data without the consent of the parties involved, and you should be careful when using the “Reply all” function to avoid disclosing information to unauthorized recipients. If you’re writing to several people who don’t know each other, use blind carbon copy (BCC) and check the thread before forwarding a message.

Be polite and respectful at all times

Courtesy and respect are the foundation of professional communication, and formal emails are no exception.

When writing and replying to emails, it’s important to use a respectful and friendly tone, avoid offensive or inappropriate language and show empathy toward recipients.

How to write a formal email with the help of AI

More and more people ask an artificial intelligence tool, such as ChatGPT, to help them write an email. It’s a good way to get a first draft in seconds.

The result depends on what you ask for. The more context you give it, the better the email will be. Here’s a prompt template you can copy:

Help me write a formal email in English.

Recipient: [name and position]. Relationship: [first contact / customer / supplier].

Goal: [what you want to achieve].

Details to include: [dates, order numbers, amounts].

Tone: formal, polite and direct. 150 words maximum.

Also suggest three possible subject lines.

That said, always review the text before sending it. Check the details, remove filler phrases and make sure it sounds like you. And don’t paste confidential customer or company information into the tool.

If you want to learn more, our blog has a guide on how to use AI in email marketing. And if you send emails to lots of contacts, the Mailrelay editor also includes an AI assistant that writes a first draft of your campaigns.

Review your formal email before sending it

Before you hit “Send”, take a minute to go over the message. This checklist will help you not to forget anything:

If the email is important, read it out loud. It’s the fastest way to spot sentences that are too long or a tone that isn’t the one you were going for.

Frequently asked questions about formal emails

How do you start a formal email? With a greeting followed by a colon, such as “Dear Ms. García:” or “Good morning, Laura:”. Then, on the next line and with a capital letter, a sentence explaining the reason for the email.

How do you end a formal email? With a sentence stating the next step and a sign-off such as “Yours faithfully”, “Kind regards” or “Best regards”. Below it goes your signature with your contact details.

Can you use the informal “tú” in a formal email? It depends on the context. With a first contact, a public administration or a superior, use the formal “usted”. If the other person uses “tú” in their reply, you can switch to it.

How do you write a formal email to request something? State what you’re asking for and why in the first few lines, add the necessary details and propose a specific date or deadline. You’ll find a template in example 4.

What should you put in the subject line of a formal email? A brief summary of the reason, with a detail that identifies it: “Meeting request to review the contract” or “Complaint about order no. 2458”.

Ready to write formal emails that have the effect you’re looking for? As you can see, it comes down to simple rules: a clear subject line, a correct greeting, a well-organized message and a sign-off with the next step.

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Applying good copywriting techniques and taking care of your email signature are two details that make all the difference in a formal email.