Subject Lines That Get Opened
The subject line determines whether your email gets opened, deferred, or deleted. It should be specific enough to convey the content, concise enough to display fully on mobile (50 characters or fewer), and, when appropriate, action-oriented. Avoid vague subjects like "Following up" or "Question" — these give the recipient no information. Instead, try "Decision needed: Q3 marketing budget by Friday" or "3 options for the client onboarding redesign." If you are replying to a thread that has changed topic, start a new thread rather than continuing under a misleading subject.
- Keep subject lines under 50 characters
- Put the most important word first (it renders on all devices)
- Use [Action Required], [FYI], or [Decision Needed] prefixes when appropriate
- Avoid all caps, excessive punctuation, and spam trigger words
Greeting and Opening Line
Match your greeting to the relationship. "Dear Mr. Smith" is appropriate for formal first contact with a senior external stakeholder. "Hi Sarah" is fine for colleagues and ongoing client relationships. Avoid "To Whom It May Concern" unless you genuinely do not know who will read the email — it signals a lack of personalization. Your opening sentence should connect to the reader's context rather than starting with "I." Compare "I am writing to follow up on..." with "Following our conversation last Tuesday, here are the three options we discussed." The second version is immediately more useful.
Structuring the Email Body
Business emails should follow the BLUF principle: Bottom Line Up Front. State your main point or request in the first sentence or two, then provide the supporting context. This is the opposite of how most people naturally write — they build context before reaching the point. Busy readers skim emails looking for the ask; if it is buried at the bottom, many will miss it. Use short paragraphs (3–4 lines maximum) and bullet points for lists of more than two items. Bold key information such as deadlines, names, and decisions — but use bold sparingly or it loses impact.
Tone and Word Choice
Professional emails should be warm but direct. Avoid passive-aggressive language ("As per my previous email..."), excessive softening ("I was just wondering if maybe..."), and corporate jargon that adds no meaning ("synergize," "leverage," "circle back"). Write at the reading level of your audience — not below it, which can seem condescending, and not above it, which obscures your meaning. Read your email aloud before sending it. If a sentence sounds unnatural when spoken, rewrite it.
- Prefer "Can you send the report by Thursday?" over "It would be greatly appreciated if you could..."
- Replace "I wanted to reach out" with "I am writing about..."
- Use "you" more than "I" — focus on the reader's perspective
Calls to Action and Closing
Every business email should have a single, clear call to action. If you need multiple things, prioritize and ask for the most important one explicitly, listing the others as secondary. Vague closings like "Let me know your thoughts" produce vague responses. "Please confirm by Wednesday" or "Which of these three options works best for you?" produce specific responses. For your email closing, "Best regards" is safe for most business contexts. "Sincerely" skews formal. "Thanks" is fine with colleagues. Always include your name and, for external emails, your job title and company.
Common Business Email Mistakes
The most damaging email mistakes go beyond grammar. They include hitting Reply All when only the sender needs your response; sending sensitive information to the wrong recipient because email autocomplete suggested the wrong address; and writing an email when a 5-minute phone call or Teams message would be faster and clearer. Other common errors: CC-ing people who do not need to be on the thread (which trains them to ignore your emails), using aggressive language in a heated moment, and treating email as a chat tool by sending many short messages instead of one complete one.
- Proofread before sending — especially if you wrote it quickly
- Never send angry emails. Write the email, save as draft, revisit in an hour
- Check attachments are actually attached before hitting send
- Reply within 24 hours to set professional expectations