How to start an email correctly.

Today’s lesson: How to start an email correctly and create a good impression

Lesson Title

How to start an email and create a good impression.

Duration: 60 minutes
Level: Upper intermediate or Advancede

How to start an email correctly

The first few sentences of your email are important because they set the tone for the rest of the message. By following a few simple tips, you can start your email on the right foot and make a good impression on the recipient.

When you make a good impression, it can have many positive results.

Making a good impression is an important skill that can benefit you in all areas of your life. It can help you to achieve your goals, be more successful, and build stronger relationships.

Making a positive impression can can make or break an opportunity.

Opportunities

When people think highly of you, they are more likely to offer you new chances, like jobs, promotions, or business deals.

Stronger relationships

People prefer to form and maintain relationships with individuals who leave a positive impression. This can lead to stronger personal and professional connections.

Trust and credibility.

When people hold you in high regard, they are more inclined to trust you and have confidence in your abilities

Some simple ways to open your email.

Always open your email with a greeting, such as “Dear Jay”.
If your relationship with the reader is formal, use their family name:
“Dear Mr. Andrews” or “Dear Mrs. Andrews”.

If the relationship is more casual, you can simply say, “Hi Jay”.
If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to, use:
“To whom it may concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.

Thank You!

Thanking the reader (your client or co-worker) puts him or her at ease, and it will make you appear more polite. In English, we are normally very polite, so this is important to incorporate in your email.

If you are replying to a client’s inquiry, you should begin by thanking them. For example, if someone has a question about your company, you can say,
“Thank you for contacting The Company”.

If someone has replied to your emails, be sure to say,
“Thank you for your prompt reply” or “Thanks for getting back to me so promptly”

Do not use slang or emojis in your emails.

Professional emails require a certain level of formal language.
Don’t use slang or emojis. In addition, pick a simple typeface and don’t add too many colours, if any at all. Less is more!

Avoid being imperative, if you don’t need to be.

In English, we can influence the person we are speaking to by prompting them to perform or to not perform a specific action. The most direct way of doing this is through use of the imperative. The imperative mood in English is generally used to give an order, to prompt someone to do something, to give a warning or to give instructions.

Always use the imperative politely.

Writing in the imperative is considered rude in English because it gives the impression that the speaker or writer is commanding the listener or reader to do something. Imperative sentences are typically used in situations where the speaker or writer has authority over the listener or reader, such as in a military setting or when giving instructions to a child.

In most other situations, it is more polite to use a more indirect and respectful form of communication. For example, instead of saying “Send me the report” you could say “Would you mind sendng me the report” or “Could I please send the report“.

Here are some examples of the imperative used to give orders or instructions.

Hurry up or you’ll miss the deadline!
Switch the laptop off.
Put the document as an attachment in your email.

Wait for me to finish
Close the door to the meeting room.
Don’t be late!

How to use the imperative politely.

Given that the above examples this is a very direct way to give orders, it can be accompanied by other expressions such as just, please, and if you don’t mind in order to soften the tone.

Now look at the examples that are imperative but polite.

Please hurry up or you’ll miss the deadline!
Switch the laptop off, if you don’t mind.
Please, put the document as an attachment in your email.

Just wait for me to finish, if you don’t mind.
Please close the door to the meeting room.
Please don’t be late!

By adding a word or phrase such as “please,” “could you please,” or “would you mind,” you are softening the tone of the command and making it more polite.

There are some situations where it is perfectly acceptable to use the imperative, such as when giving instructions in a safety emergency or when asking someone to do something small and quick, such as “Pass the salt.” However, in general, it is best to avoid using the imperative in writing, especially when communicating with people you do not know well or who are in a position of authority over you.

Dear Mr. Smith,

I hope this email finds you well.

My name is Beth McKnight and I am the product manager for the new product launch.
I am writing to you today to schedule a meeting to discuss the launch timeline and marketing plan.

I am available to meet on Monday or Wednesday next week.
Please let me know what time works best for you.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Beth McKnight

Sales Team.

And finally re-read the email.

Even when you write quick and short emails, it can easily include mistakes. Small grammatical errors can be very unprofessional.

Tip: Re-read your email and always use spell check, before you sand it, to avoid any mistakes.

Question:
Did you see the error in the sentence?

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