{"id":37640,"date":"2017-12-07T14:14:32","date_gmt":"2017-12-07T13:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/?p=37640"},"modified":"2021-02-01T10:33:14","modified_gmt":"2021-02-01T09:33:14","slug":"how-to-write-the-perfect-business-email","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/how-to-write-the-perfect-business-email\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write the Perfect Business Email"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Business is all about communication. Whether it\u2019s colleagues, clients or suppliers, we spend a big chunk of our working lives interacting with other people. There are powerful, new tools out there &#8211; like <a href=\"https:\/\/basecamp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Basecamp<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/podio.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Podio<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/slack.com\/uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Slack<\/a> &#8211; that can help us collaborate on projects and stay in touch. But, for most of us, email remains <em><span style=\"color: #008000;\">top dog<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Email facts:<\/p>\n<div class=\"list_styles\"><ul class=''>\n<span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-caret-right'><\/i>We send <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radicati.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Email-Statistics-Report-2017-2021-Executive-Summary.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">269 billion emails<\/a> every day<\/li>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-caret-right'><\/i>The average office worker sends 40 business emails a day<\/li>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-caret-right'><\/i>We read 66% of our emails on mobile devices<\/li>\n<\/span>\n<\/ul><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Writing emails can be frustrating and time-consuming, especially in a second language. Don\u2019t worry, here is Oxford House\u2019s <em><span style=\"color: #008000;\">surefire<\/span><\/em> guide to writing effective emails.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1>Before you begin&#8230;<\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\">Style and register<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Before you start writing, there are some things to consider. Who are you writing to? Is it an internal email (e.g. to a colleague) or an external one (e.g. to a client)? Is it a delicate issue or something more general?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The answers to these questions will shape the style of your email and how formal it needs to be.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Here\u2019s an example of what we mean:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37641\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Formal-informal.jpg\" alt=\"Formal and informal register - How to write a business email\" width=\"477\" height=\"165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Formal-informal.jpg 477w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Formal-informal-300x104.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 477px) 100vw, 477px\" \/><\/p>\n<h1>Ready to go&#8230;<\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Business emails normally consist of five parts:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>subject line &gt; salutation &gt; opening &gt; body &gt; closing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">We\u2019ll take you through them step by step, giving you examples and tips along the way.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\">Subject line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">It\u2019s important you <em><span style=\"color: #008000;\">start off on the right foot<\/span><\/em>. The subject line is where you briefly state the topic of your email. If you leave it blank, your email might get overlooked; if you write too much, it might look like spam. Keep it short and to the point.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/evento\/chatty_thursday\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-37645 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Email-Subject.jpg\" alt=\"Email Subject - How to write a business email\" width=\"598\" height=\"98\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Email-Subject.jpg 598w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Email-Subject-300x49.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 598px) 100vw, 598px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Salutation<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">An email is often the first contact you make with someone and it can be a <span style=\"color: #008000;\">minefield<\/span>! The last thing you want to do is offend the <span style=\"color: #008000;\">recipient<\/span> by messing up the salutation. Follow this <a href=\"https:\/\/dkru86weszx9t.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Sir-Madam-Flow-Chart.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">flow chart by Grammarly<\/a> and you\u2019ll be fine.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\">Opening<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">This is where you explain the reason you are writing. You might introduce a topic or mention a previous conversation. To get started, try out one of the phrases below.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37646\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Opening-formal-informal.jpg\" alt=\"Opening in an email - How to write a business email\" width=\"532\" height=\"114\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Opening-formal-informal.jpg 532w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Opening-formal-informal-300x64.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 532px) 100vw, 532px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\">Body<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">You\u2019ve made a good start, now it\u2019s time for the detail. You might be requesting information, answering a question or accepting a proposal. Whatever the purpose of your email, the message must be clear and coherent.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Here are three quick tips to help you get your message across:<\/p>\n<div class=\"list_styles\"><ul class=''>\n<span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-pencil'><\/i>Avoid big blocks of text. Keep to the \u2018One Idea &#8211; One Paragraph\u2019 rule. If you start a new topic, start a new paragraph.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-pencil'><\/i>Be careful when using acronyms &#8211; just because people in your office know what <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Corporate_social_responsibility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CSR<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Unique_selling_proposition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">USP<\/a> are, it doesn\u2019t mean everybody does! The same goes for technical jargon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><li><i class='icon-pencil'><\/i>Stay positive. Words like \u2018problem\u2019, \u2018fail\u2019 or \u2018delay\u2019 can affect how people read the email. So, even if you have to give bad news, choose your words carefully and <em><span style=\"color: #008000;\">sugar the pill<\/span><\/em>.<\/span>\n<\/ul><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37680\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Negative-and-Positive-phrasing-1.jpg\" alt=\"Negative and Positive phrasing - How to write a business email\" width=\"610\" height=\"119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Negative-and-Positive-phrasing-1.jpg 610w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Negative-and-Positive-phrasing-1-300x59.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 610px) 100vw, 610px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\">Closing<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">You\u2019re nearly there! No matter how clear your email is, the recipient may require more details. Therefore, it\u2019s a good idea to end your message with an open offer of further information, advice or assistance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Then all that\u2019s left to do is select an appropriate closing salutation.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37662\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Closing-salutation.jpg\" alt=\"Closing salutation in an email - How to write a business email\" width=\"557\" height=\"134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Closing-salutation.jpg 557w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Closing-salutation-300x72.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 557px) 100vw, 557px\" \/><\/p>\n<h1>Not quite finished&#8230;<\/h1>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\">Check it<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">You\u2019ve <em><span style=\"color: #008000;\">tied things up<\/span><\/em> nicely, but you haven\u2019t finished yet. Before you click \u2018send\u2019, it\u2019s essential that you read your email one last time.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Most emailing sites have a spell-check tool, but what if you\u2019ve used the wrong word? If you\u2019re not sure, you can ask the world&#8230;well, the world\u2019s internet users!<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\">Google it<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">For example, you can\u2019t remember which preposition goes with \u2018further\u2019. Easy &#8211; just type your guesses into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google Search<\/a> in quotation marks (\u201c\u201d) and see how many results you get for each. The higher the number, the more certain you can be that it\u2019s correct!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.es\/search?ei=S6kgWrrhPIHjUqaxprgE&amp;q=%22Further+to+our+conversation%22&amp;oq=%22Further+to+our+conversation%22&amp;gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l10.69055.69149.0.69557.2.2.0.0.0.0.181.181.0j1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.1.181....0.f5EoafAMwbc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-37665\" src=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Google-your-Query.jpg\" alt=\"In doubt? Google it - How to write a business email\" width=\"501\" height=\"87\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Google-your-Query.jpg 501w, https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Google-your-Query-300x52.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d346f;\">Save it<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">You\u2019re probably thinking, we\u2019ve looked at doing it better, but what about doing faster?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">The great thing with emails is that once you\u2019ve got the structure and learnt some useful phrases, you can recycle them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Our final tip is to save these new phrases on a spreadsheet and keep it updated. Before long you\u2019ll have all the language you need to write fast, effective emails.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Here\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Oxford-House-my-new-phrases-for-emails.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free Google Sheets template<\/a> to get you started!<\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider3\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: ##ec6b05;\">Glossary for Language Learners<\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em>Top dog (exp):<\/em><\/span> the most important thing or person.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em>Surefire (adj):<\/em><\/span> guaranteed or certain.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em>To start off on the right foot (exp):<\/em><\/span> to begin doing something well.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em>Minefield (n):<\/em><\/span> something that could easily go wrong \/ a field with mines (bombs) in it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em>Recipient (n):<\/em><\/span> the person who receives something.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em>To sugar the pill (exp):<\/em><\/span> to make bad news sound better.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><em>To tie things up (pv):<\/em><\/span> to conclude or to finish something completely.<\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider1\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\"><strong>Key<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">n = noun<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">exp = expression<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">adj = adjective<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify; font-size: 15px;\">pv = phrasal verb<\/p>\n<div class=\"devider element_size_>\"><div style=\"margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:20px; \" class=\"divider1\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #055f65;\"><strong><div class=\"messagebox alert alert-info\" style=\"align:left; background:#ffffff; color:#2D346F; border:1px solid #ffffff\"><h4>Study English at Oxford House Barcelona<\/h4><i class=\"icon-info-sign\"><\/i>Interested in taking an English course at Oxford House Barcelona? Check all the different <a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/english-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">English classes<\/a> we can offer you.<\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Business is all about communication. Whether it\u2019s colleagues, clients or suppliers, we spend a big chunk of our working lives interacting with other people. There are powerful, new tools out there &#8211; like Basecamp, Podio and Slack &#8211; that can help us collaborate on projects and stay in touch. But, for most of us, email [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":37688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_joinchat":[]},"categories":[268],"tags":[178,195,986],"yst_prominent_words":[1332,1340,2643,9580,1559,2648,2645,1252,2479,2490,2945,2950,2949,9579,2948,2947,2649,1037,9581,2946],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37640"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37640"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46168,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37640\/revisions\/46168"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37640"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oxfordhousebcn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=37640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}