Perfect your email skills
E-Mails: Sie sind zwar nicht so förmlich wie Geschäftsbriefe, aber bestimmte Regeln sollten Sie dennoch beachten.
You may think it’s not worth investing much time learning how to write good emails.
After all, they are informal, they are written quickly and even native speakers make mistakes.
This might be true for emails to good friends or even close business partners, but if you want to make a good impression, you should take as much care with an email as you do with a business letter.
Five tips for writing perfect emails
1 Write a subject line that summarizes the contents of the message, for example: Confirm meeting Tuesday 12:30.
2 Only write about one subject in one email.
3 Use short, simple sentences.
4 Make sure your language is formal – or informal – enough by comparing it to how the person writes back to you. If the person calls you by your first name, uses abbreviations, idioms, emoticons and so on, do the same when you reply.
5 Read through what you have written carefully before sending it.
Once you’ve pressed ‘send’, you can’t change anything.
Below are some general email phrases you can use in various business situations. Compare them with the more formal phrases used in business letters.
Email Formal business letter
Hi Mike Dear Mr Hawthorne
Re your last email With reference to your last letter
Thanks for the email Thank you for your letter
This is just to let you know …… We would like to inform you that …
We’re glad to confirm that ….. We are pleased to confirm that
Sorry for … We apologise for …
Unfortunately … We regret to tell you …
Can you …? We would like to ask you …
Shall I …? Would you like us to …?
I’d be glad of your help on this. We would very much appreciate your assistance in this matter.
I’ll get back to you. We will contact you again.
Please get back to me asap. We would be glad to hear from you as soon as possible.
I’ve attached … Enclosed, please find
Thanks for your help. Thank you for your assistance.
Looking forward to hearing We look forward to hearing from you.
from you.
Regards / Best regards Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully
The following phrases are friendly and polite and are suitable for use in emails to other companies or to colleagues.
if you need information:
- I am writing to ask for more information about your products.
- I’d appreciate more information about your special offers.
- Please get back to me with the details.
- I’d like to know a little more about …
if you need help:
- Do you think you could help me?
- This is to ask for your assistance.
- I’d like to ask you to do me a favour .
if you want to give information:
- As requested, here is the information you need:
- I’m pleased to give you the following information:
- Here are the facts you wanted
if you want to offer help:
- Would you like me to …?
- Please let me know if I can help you.
- Please contact me again if you need any more help.
if you want comments:
- Let me know what you think.
- Let me have any comments.
- Feel free to send me your comments.
if you are attaching something:
- Please find attached the latest figures.
- Please find enclosed my report.
- My report is enclosed.