These days, and contrary to what you might think, email is still one of the most effective ways to communicate with professionals, companies and individuals. However, it also comes with the risk of being misunderstood.
When we send a written message, the person reading it can’t see us. They can’t hear our tone of voice, let alone read the expression or intention behind our words.
That’s why knowing how to write a formal email is essential (at least if you want to make a good impression). In other words, you need to avoid ambiguity so that your message says exactly what you mean.
When you write a formal email, you need to think not only about what you say, but also about how you format it. A clear, readable text is much 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 might think. To decide on the right style, keep in mind that formal emails can have different purposes:
- Requesting information from a company or a professional.
- Sending information about your products or services to a potential customer.
- Handling different matters with colleagues, employees or suppliers.
- Sharing important news.
- Introducing your contacts to build partnerships.
These are the key points to keep in mind when you write a formal email to your customers:
A clear and concise subject line
One of the most important parts of an email is the subject line, because the first goal is to get the recipient to open your email. That’s why you should write emails with clear, compelling subject lines.
In a formal email, your subject line should get straight to the point and make the purpose clear.
More often than not, the subject line is what makes the difference between an email being opened or ignored. It should preview what the reader will find inside; otherwise, all the effort you put into writing it will be wasted.
A 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
Whether you want to know how to write a formal email to request information, send it or for any other purpose, a friendly and polite introduction is the first step.
The introduction of an email should be well written and give the reader some context.
The introduction can include a short greeting and, before getting into the body of the email, a sentence to build rapport and break the ice. A simple “I hope you’re well”, for example, works nicely. Then you can explain the purpose of your email.
The body of the message
This section is the core of your email: it contains the information you’re requesting or providing, so it needs to be crystal clear. That’s why, besides writing your formal email carefully, you’ll need the right formatting. The same principle applies to any email marketing message.
Conclusion and call to action
Just like with other types of emails, when you write a formal email you should add a call to action at the end. The conclusion should clear up any doubts and suggest the next step.
Do you want to schedule a meeting, close a deal, share information or wait for a reply? Think about what you want the recipient to do and include 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, job title, company or institution, and contact details.
Professional and respectful language
Avoid jargon, informal abbreviations and grammar mistakes.
Why formal emails still matter
Email has become an essential email marketing tool for professional and personal communication.
And in the workplace, knowing how to write formal emails is essential, since they play a key role in how you interact with colleagues, customers, suppliers and other professional contacts.
That’s why, in a professional setting, formal emails are one of the most common forms of written communication, and writing them well is key to maintaining a good image and making a positive impression.
Formal email: a step-by-step writing guide
To make sure your formal emails look professional, are easy to read and understand, and convey respect and expertise, in this article I’ll share some key tips for writing a formal email.
What format should a formal email have?
Writing a formal email like this takes more than good writing. To make it readable, it also needs the right layout.
I don’t mean graphics or colors, but a simple and clear format. Here are some elements you can add to your emails:
Bullet points
They help you organize the topics or ideas in your email and make it easier to understand.
Bold text
It highlights important terms so the reader can quickly spot the key points.
Italics
You can use them to add emphasis and meaning to a sentence, highlighting relevant information.
Short paragraphs
They make reading quick and easy, and help you avoid dense blocks of text that are hard to get through.
Check your spelling and punctuation
Correct spelling and proper punctuation are essential to come across as professional and make your message clear.
Tips for writing a formal email
- Don’t leave out any important points when replying or making a request.
- Write simple sentences so your email is easy to understand and read.
- Avoid words with negative connotations that could make the reader feel bad.
- Make it easy to read with a friendly tone and plain language.
- Use as few words as possible to keep things clear.
- Include all useful details to avoid an endless back-and-forth of emails.
Mistakes to avoid when writing a formal email
Before we look 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 your guard and get better results.
These are the points you should pay special attention to:
- Greeting. In US business emails, a colon after the salutation (“Dear Ms. Smith:”) is the most formal option, while a comma (“Dear Ms. Smith,”) is standard in the UK and widely accepted everywhere. Whatever you choose, be consistent and always address the person correctly.
- Start of the introduction. After the greeting, continue with the introduction of your email, always starting with a capital letter.
- Use of capital letters. If you’ve ever been tempted to write an entire email in capital letters, don’t. It comes across as shouting and leaves the recipient with a bad impression.
- Paragraph length. As we said, paragraphs should be short to make your email easier to read and understand. If you write your whole email in a single paragraph, you may overwhelm the recipient.
- Subject line. Make sure it’s relevant and sums up what the email is about. And never leave it blank.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in a formal email is leaving out information. Make sure your email achieves the purpose it was written for.
3 formal email examples
As I mentioned above, a formal email can have different purposes or uses, such as:
- Requesting information from a company or a professional.
- Sending information about your products or services to a potential customer.
- Handling different matters with colleagues, employees or suppliers.
- Sharing important news.
- Introducing your contacts to build partnerships.
With that in mind, and now that we’ve covered the elements to consider when writing a formal email, let’s look at some examples to make it even clearer.
Example 1: Formal email requesting information
Here’s an example of how to write a formal email:
Good afternoon,
I hope this email finds you well.
My name is Susan Miller and I am the chair of our residents’ association at 9 Oak Street, Manchester.
I am writing because, after discussing it with the other residents, we would like to change our property management company.
At the moment, we are having trouble getting in touch with our current property manager, and issues with the building’s shared areas are not being resolved efficiently.
Could you please send us more information about your services?
In particular, we would like to know:
● What your property management services include.
● The minimum contract length and whether there is a lock-in period.
● The monthly fee.
● And, most importantly for us, whether you handle residents who fall behind on their payments.
I would appreciate it if you could reply to this email address.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Kind regards,
Susan Miller
Example 2: Formal email sending information
This could be an example:
Good afternoon, Sophie,
Thank you for getting in touch, and I hope you are well.
Regarding your question, please find below the details of the courses we offer at our fashion school.
First of all, all our current courses are taught in a hybrid format. In other words, we combine in-person and online classes to give students a better learning experience.
Whichever program you choose, you will have:
● Weekly tutoring sessions to answer your questions and discuss anything that concerns you.
● Easy-to-follow video lessons you can watch anytime, anywhere.
● Unlimited email support.
● 3 days of in-person classes every month for the duration of the course.
● Patterns created by our teachers.
● Additional resources to improve your sewing technique.
I have attached a PDF with more information, and I would be happy to arrange a short call to give you more details.
Would you be available to talk tomorrow? Could I call you at 5 p.m.?
Kind regards,
Robert Graham
Example 3: Formal email sharing news
Let’s look at an example:
Good morning, Luke,
It’s great to be back in touch with you. I hope you’re doing well.
I’m writing because I wanted to share some news that might interest you.
We only found out 24 hours ago, but we didn’t want to wait a second longer to tell you.
Everything is almost ready for the opening of our new club.
We are opening a new gym in London next week, on Wednesday the 5th.
Do you know what this means?
You’ll have brand-new facilities to get in shape.
Remember that, as a member of our club, you can use any of our gyms.
Go to the one closest to you. What matters is that you don’t miss a single workout.
The new gym will be located at 17 River Road.
We are giving away free passes for members’ guests who would like to try it out.
You can download yours from this link.
Will you be bringing someone along?
We look forward to seeing you!
Best regards,
Maggie Lane
Tips to make a good impression with your formal email
Besides writing your formal email correctly, there are other things to keep in mind if you want to make a good impression in a professional setting.
Reply to emails promptly
Replying to emails promptly is essential to make a good impression and show commitment and responsibility.
While you may not always be able to reply right away, it’s best to do so within 24 hours or, failing that, within a reasonable time frame.
This shows that you value the sender’s time and communication and that you are taking their request or question seriously.
Keep information confidential and private
It is essential to protect the privacy and confidentiality of information when writing and replying to formal emails.
You should not share personal or business data without the consent of the people involved, and you should be careful when using “Reply all” so you don’t share information with unauthorized recipients.
Be polite and respectful at all times
Courtesy and respect are essential in professional communication, and formal emails are no exception.
When writing and replying to emails, it’s important to use a respectful, friendly tone, avoid offensive or inappropriate language, and show empathy towards your recipients.
Ready to write formal emails that have the effect you want? I hope this guide helps you take note and apply a few key tips to get there. After all, the rules are very simple!
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Using good copywriting techniques and taking care of your email signature are two details that make all the difference in a formal email.
