Email Etiquette Guide to Improve Your Communication with Samples

6 min readDec 21, 2022

Email is a powerful communication tool, but it’s also easy to misuse or abuse. If you want to improve your email etiquette, here are some basic guidelines to follow.

Take Away

Make sure the subject line is concise and clear.
Make sure you have a header with your name and contact information.
The body of your email should be short and to the point, using bullet points to break up text if necessary.
Use bold text in important sentences or ideas.

Be Polite

Kindness is not just about saying “thank you” and “please” — it’s about using formal language in your emails. Avoid using slang, abbreviations, and informal language (even if you are sending an email to someone you know well).

It’s also important to remember that there are certain rules for writing emails:

A salutation must be used at the top of each message
A closing should be used at the end
A signature should be included at the bottom
Every message needs a subject line so people can tell what it’s about without even having to read it!

Be Brief

Keep it short and sweet. If you can’t say something quickly, you probably shouldn’t be saying it. Make sure that your emails are concise and get to the point quickly.
Use bullet points when appropriate. Bullet points will help break up the text, which makes your message more effortless for the reader to digest.
They should also be used sparingly — don’t make them too long, or they’ll overwhelm the reader!
Make important points bolded or italicized to emphasize key takeaways from your email (but don’t go overboard with either).

Be Professional

Use a professional email address.

if you use an email address like “yourname@gmail.com” or “yourfirstname.lastname@gmail.com,” consider switching to a business-focused email address such as “[your name]@yourcompanyname.com” or “yourfirstname.lastname@yourcompanyname.com” instead.

Use a professional signature.

Instead of using “Sincerely, Your Name” in the signature, you could use “Sincerely, Your Name (Account Manager)” or “Sincerely, Your Name (Account Manager) at Company Name”.

Use a professional salutation.

“Dear Ms. Smith” or “Dear Account Manager.” Avoid using slang, abbreviations, emojis, and other informal languages in your emails. Instead of writing “Hey!” or “How are you?” try something like “Good morning! I hope all is well with you.”

Use a professional closing.

“Best Regards,” “Sincerely,” and “Regards” are better than “Cheers!” or “Thanks.”

Be polite and respectful in all your communications, no matter how informal or casual.

Be Specific

Keep the email to one topic.
If you have multiple questions or if several people are participating in the meeting, then you should probably have a separate email for each one.
Use bullet points or numbered lists rather than paragraphs when including a list of items in your email. This will make it easier for the recipient to read and understand what you want them to know about each item on your list.
Plus, they look great when you have lots of information to share with someone — which will most likely be the case if you’re emailing people at work!
Use quotes when referencing any information from another source
If someone else has already said something that you agree with wholeheartedly (or part-heartedly), copy and paste their exact words into your own text so that readers can get an idea of where their opinion comes from without having to go look at their blog post or article first!

Be Aware of Your Tone.

People often miscommunicate when angry or annoyed. The tone of your email can be more important than what you actually say.

When writing an email, be aware that readers often interpret tone based on word choice and how the words are used in context.

For example, sarcasm is often conveyed by using humor or irony to mock something or someone (as with an email about work).
Similarly, passive-aggressive language can convey anger and frustration without explicitly stating it (e.g., “I wasn’t able to finish this project by Friday because I had other priorities”). To avoid sounding sarcastic or passive-aggressive when communicating via email.

Be positive

Don’t sound angry or annoyed.

Get to the point.

Don’t ramble on too much or use too many words. If a coworker sends out an email asking if anyone wants coffee in his office, don’t reply with something like this:

“Hey Jim, I’m not sure if anyone else wants coffee, but I sure do! It’s been such a long day here at work and I could really use some caffeine right now! Would love some coffee from your office :) Thanks so much!”

You can probably guess why this isn’t great etiquette. It wastes everyone’s time by making them read through unnecessary fluff that doesn’t add anything new or valuable (and might even take away from their experience).

Additionally, it makes Jim feel bad because he was trying his best not to bother people unnecessarily — and now he seems like an inconsiderate jerkface who won’t stop sending emails about getting coffee…even though no one wants any.

Proofread.

Proofread the email before you send it. This is so important!

Read your email aloud. Does it sound right when you say it? If not, rework it until it does.
Have a colleague or friend proofread your email for you. They’ll be able to catch errors that spell check won’t catch and that your brain just missed because you were too close to the project (or in a hurry).
Use a spell checker (Google Docs has one built-in). You’d be surprised how many people use “tihs” instead of “this,” or “your” instead of “you’re.”
If all else fails, use Thesaurus.com as a last resort. Improve your communication skills.

How to Begin an Email to a Company Samples

Here are some examples of good emails to companies:

“Dear [Surname],
I am writing to apply for the position of [position] at your company. I received my Bachelor’s degree in [major] from [school name] in May of this year, and since then, I have had experience working in a similar position for [company name] under the supervision of [name]. My responsibilities included managing a team of five workers, analyzing market trends, and making recommendations, as well as compiling all data into reports that were presented to upper management.”
“Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to inform you that I am interested in the position of [title] and would like to know if any open positions fit my skills.”
“Dear [Company],
I am a student at [School], and I was doing research on [topic]. I noticed that you are involved in this area and thought it would be interesting to learn more about your work. Could you please provide me with some information about your research?”

How to Ask for Raise Email Samples

“Dear [Surname],
I would like to request a raise in my salary. While the amount is unimportant, I have been with this company for [length of time] and feel it is time for me to be compensated accordingly. Please let me know if you are interested in discussing this further.”
“Dear [Surname]
I am writing to request a meeting with you regarding compensation for my work at [Company]. Over the past year, I have more than doubled our profits by improving sales and reducing costs. I feel that our company has been more than generous in compensating me for my work and I would like to discuss the possibility of a raise.”
“Dear Mr./Mrs. [Surname],
I am writing to request a meeting with you to discuss my performance and the possibility of getting a raise. As you know, I have been working for [Company] for two years now, and during that time, I have acquired many new skills in addition to performing at an exemplary level as a member of your team. The knowledge I gained through my work has allowed me to make significant contributions towards accomplishing our company’s mission statement by [insert examples here].”
How to Decline a Job Offer Email Samples
Here are some examples of how to reject a job offer politely email.
“Dear Mr./Mrs. [Surname],
Sorry that it has taken me so long to reply, but after considering in details, I have decided to accept another job offer instead of yours. Thank you for your time and consideration in the process of my application. I wish you all the best with your search.”
“Dear Mr./Mrs. [Surname],
Thanks a lot for your kind offer of employment with [Company]. After careful consideration, I have decided to accept an offer from another company. With great regret, I must decline your job offer.”
“Dear Mr./Mrs. [Surname],
Thank you for offering me a position with [Company]. While I am grateful for this opportunity and appreciate the time you’ve taken during our conversations, it has become clear to me that my skills do not match those required by this position. I will be continuing my search for opportunities elsewhere.”

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about the importance of good email etiquette. The most important thing is to practice courtesy and be respectful at all times, even when you’re writing an angry email.