Have you ever scoured through your email folders and read how you normally start your messages? Or do you spend time thinking about what you should write first?  

In this blog, we have some suggestions for you to aid in starting your emails right and getting those important messages across. 

1. “Hello, my name is…” 

Make that lasting introduction. When sending an email to a receiver who does not know you or have not been introduced to, give a good introduction of yourself. You wouldn’t want the reader of your message to wonder who the sender is and what the message is for. In introducing yourself, make it brief and remember K.I.S.S. – Keep It Straight and Simple. Here are a few examples: 

  • I’m Andre, the new content creator for ABC Company. 
  • My name is Riley, and I’m the Project Manager at Construkt Inc. 
  • We met at the Annual Seattle Accountants Conference last summer. 

 

2. Stay out of the generic. Be specific. 

In sending well wishes, make sure that it is relevant to the receiver of your message. Instead of the generic “I hope this email finds you well”, that has been in the cycle for an nth time, try to be more specific and relate to actual experiences that you have knowledge of such as big presentations, family events, a work milestone, a season, etc. For example: 

  • I hope you’re keeping well and staying healthy during the latest COVID wave. 
  • I hope you’re as ready for the weekend as I am! 
  • I hope you’re wrapping things up ahead of the holiday and excited for your break! 

 

3. Appreciate and Recognize 

Compliment your team member, support staff, or boss. Everyone likes to receive some appreciation and recognition. So, the next time that you find an accurate and clear report, or a smooth execution of an event, or are impressed with an excellent launch of a product, make sure to give credit where it is due. For instance: 

  • Awesome job on the presentation! Your explanation was very helpful in understanding the different facets of a production report. 
  • I’ve been so impressed with your work so far! When we both have the time I’d love to learn more about how you’ve been making those Excel macros. 
  • Congrats on receiving the employee of the year award! Truly well-deserved. 

 

 4. Small-talk matters 

If you are sending an email to a teammate, or someone you already have a rapport with, use that and create some small talk. Stick to topics that matter to the reader or one that they can relate with. Some examples: 

  • I found this new dog treat. My dog Bruno absolutely loves lit. I think your pup Sophie might too. I can’t wait until we can introduce them! 
  • Did you notice the new report function in our system? Let me share the link.  
  • Remember that new Beyoncé song we were talking about? It has been my go-to mood booster lately.  

 

5. Set the expectation 

In our fast-paced and technologically-advanced world, we can’t afford to spend an hour just browsing through our inbox, labeling what we need to do first. If you’re sending an important and urgent email, set the priority option correctly so that the reader will be able to prioritize accordingly. Make sure to assess the level of importance of your email, before setting the notification. Here are some examples: 

  • Appreciate if you could have a look and share your input by EOD. 
  • No need to respond, just wanted to let you know Slack isn’t working for me. 
  • I need your input on this project. Would you have some time to collaborate today? 

 

6. Say what you need to say 

According to research, emails with 125 words and below are more likely to be responded to. So when you have an idea and message that you want to share, go ahead and jump right to it. It will save both of your time. Just be careful not to sound insensitive, rude, or cold.  

Hopefully, these suggestions will help you spice up your email and make them more meaningful. Go and try any of these suggestions and share with us which one worked for you.  

 

 Looking for the right boutique recruitment firm that can help you rewrite your Job Descriptions? Consult one of our high-caliber recruiters at recruiting@nwrecruitingpartners.com or call us at 206.343.8732.        

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