Email is still one of the most popular ways to communicate online, especially when it comes to business communication. But open and reply rates for emails have been steadily falling. It's estimated that most people now open only one email for every six they receive.
If you want your email to be opened and read, you need to structure it properly. Use business-like organization to achieve business-like communication. First, have your main purpose in the email's heading to make sure your mail is opened. Then, organize it into four different sections - four boxes.
Box 1. Purpose
If the reader can't determine within 15 seconds what the mail is about and why it's important, you risk losing their attention. People are too busy to read lengthy introductions before getting to the main point. The opening one or two short paragraphs in your mail should answer two questions: What is the mail about? Why has the reader received it?
Always write with a clear sense of purpose and make sure your reader knows what that purpose is. Do you want your reader to react quickly? Then, tell them that you want them to react quickly. Do you want your reader to analyse a problem? Then, say so. Do you want to motivate your reader? Then, use motivating language.
Remember the 15-second rule. Open with your main idea, avoiding clichéd greetings. Be absolutely clear, using simple sentences, for example:
A. Re sales figures 2nd quarter 2024
Dear Chris
Just a quick mail to remind you that we need your quarterly sales figures by Friday lunchtime at the latest.
Or
B. Re: Late delivery of order 254/WE
Dear Ms Howard
I am writing to tell you that the delivery of the above order was 24 hours late.
According to the penalty clause in our agreement, the sales invoice should therefore be reduced by 20 per cent.
Box 2. Background information
Here, you support or explain the main point and answer the questions Why? How? Who? When? Where? List reasons, arguments or evidence, and arrange the list in descending order of importance, for example:
A. This is a week earlier than was originally planned. We have had to move it forward so as not to clash with the International Sales Conference.
If you need any help with this, just let me know.
Or
B. As you know, we work with a just-in-time delivery agreement and any delay in supplies is costly for us. The late delivery meant that we had to shut down one of our production lines for several hours.
Box 3. Details
Does the reader need more detail? Sometimes, details reinforce what you've written in box 2. These might include a schedule, steps in a process, sales or production data. Keep this section as short as possible. There's usually no end to the amount of background detail that could be supplied, but there's always an end to how much detail the reader can absorb. Include only details that will help your reader. If possible, put detailed information in an attachment.
A. I attach the revised sales reporting forms. You will notice that we have simplified the forms with easier-to-view, colour-coded bar charts that you just fill in.
Or
B. I attach the breakdown of the stoppage provided by our production team so that you can see the effect of the delay. I also attach a copy of the warehouse log, showing the time when the goods were received.
Box 4. What's next?
Restate or summarize the main idea. Say what you expect the reader to do next. Be polite, but always avoid clichéd endings.
A. Looking forward to getting your report by Friday lunchtime and seeing you at the ISC.
Or
B. Could you please send me a revised sales invoice for this delivery with the 20 per cent reduction? If you need to contact me, my direct phone number is…
In a well-written email, the sentences and paragraphs follow each other logically, like the links in a chain. Make sure each sentence is simple and clear. A good length is between 10 and 19 words per sentence.
Each paragraph should contain only one major idea, with the key message at the start — this makes your ideas easier to understand and remember.
Make sure there's plenty of white space and that the mail has a clear layout with short paragraphs and bullet points.