Editor's Corner

Hello campers! It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy…at least that’s what Ella’s told me. But many of you have asked me for something different than sunshine and lollipops, something actually related to work. Recently, I’ve had several requests for tips on writing professional email. I am here for you, so, let’s have a look at what Grammarly.com says. It’s a lengthy article, so I’m going to pick and choose pieces of their message, but you can go to their web site if you want to read the entire thing without my smart aleck remarks.

Let’s get right into it.

What should a professional email include?

• A professional tone [KC – Really? I mean, you really had to say that?]
• An appropriate greeting [KC – For more information see the article I wrote called “Hello,”
  and no, Lionel Ritchie, it’s not me you’re looking for.]
• A clear subject line
• A concise message
• An appropriate closing, explaining any action items
• An appropriate sign-off [KC – For more information see the article I wrote called “Yours
  Truly.” You’ll need to scroll down on the page.

Include the topic in the Subject line.

The first thing your recipient sees in their inbox is your email’s subject line. (T)he subject line can make the difference between the recipient opening it and deleting it. Your subject line needs
to be concise, attention-grabbing, and relevant.

State exactly what your email is about in the subject line. This way, the recipient knows what to expect from your email. The recipient will appreciate a clear subject line that helps them read
and respond to your email efficiently.

Keep it focused.

A professional email should cover one topic. It could be a question, a request, an answer, or an explanation. Whatever it is, the email’s body should be focused on this topic. Keep your email concise
but don’t leave out key information. Concise means “only as long as it needs to be.”

Proofread.

Before you click
Send, proofread your email. Do a quick read-through to make sure it doesn’t contain any typos, spelling mistakes, or grammatical mistakes. Email
mistakes can undermine your entire message and make you look unprofessional.
[KC – Use the error-checker that comes with Outlook. See these instructions to set it up:
Enabling Microsoft® Proofreading Tools in Outlook®.]

Avoid a casual tone.

In most cases, this means not using emojis. [KC – Don’t hate on me. I’m only delivering a message and advising you to think twice about the recipients. In Knowledge Enablement, we’re pretty free with our emojis among each other for
the sake of fun, but sometimes you have to put fun in your pocket and take it out later. Consider your audience.]

A professional email should be written in a professional tone. Avoid slang, colloquialisms, and anything else that feels casual enough to be a text message. Similarly, steer clear of cliché phrases like “just circling back” when following up.

Watch your words.

Remember, anybody can forward your email to anybody else. Similarly, anybody can download, print, or screenshot your email. An email is a written record of a conversation, so if you don’t want a written record of something, don’t say it in an email.

Make your directions clear.

Don’t assume the recipient knows where a specific file is located or which sources you used to support your position in a recent essay. Spell out everything you mention and include links when applicable so your recipient knows exactly what you’re talking about—and can access it easily.

Those are the basic messages from the article. I provided some links to introductions and closing words (above), but if you want to know why you should include your signature or see some sample emails, again, feel free to read the whole article at Grammarly.com.

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Technical Publications

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

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