Email Etiquette: Write Emails That Get Results
Email is the backbone of professional communication. Poor email habits waste time, damage relationships, and kill opportunities.
Before You Write
Ask: Is Email Right?
- Documentation
- Non-urgent communication
- Detailed information
- Multiple recipients
- Urgent matters (call or message)
- Emotional discussions
- Complex negotiations
- Anything requiring nuance
Rule: If you've exchanged more than 3 emails on a topic, pick up the phone.
Anatomy of a Good Email
Subject Line
Make it specific and actionable:
Bad: "Meeting"
Good: "Proposal Review Meeting - Thursday 2pm Confirmation Needed"
Bad: "Question"
Good: "Budget Approval Needed by Friday - Project X"
- Front-load important words
- Include deadlines if relevant
- Update subject when topic changes
Opening
Get to the point:
Bad: "I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to reach out regarding..."
Good: "I'm following up on our conversation about the Q4 budget."
Skip pleasantries in ongoing threads.
Body
- One topic per email
- Short paragraphs (2-3 sentences)
- Bullet points for lists
- Bold key information
- White space between sections
Clear Ask
State exactly what you need:
Bad: "Let me know your thoughts."
Good: "Please review and confirm the deadline by Thursday."
Sign-Off
- Best regards,
- Thanks,
- Best,
- (For casual): Cheers,
Common Mistakes
- Reply All when unnecessary
- CC overload
- Emotional responses
- ALL CAPS (shouting)
- Missing attachments (mentioned but not attached)
- "Per my last email" (passive-aggressive)
- Walls of text
- Vague subject lines
Reply Timing
- Same business day for urgent
- 24-48 hours for normal
- Set expectations if you need longer
Out of office: Always set one when unavailable.
The CC and BCC Rules
CC: People who should be informed (not required to act)
BCC: Large groups, or when protecting privacy
Never BCC to hide information from other recipients (bad faith).
Mobile Email
- Keep it brief
- Acknowledge brevity
- Double-check autocorrect
- Wait for complex responses