While you may not be a business person, you may find yourself writing business emails on a regular basis especially when in communication with University staff, Faculty or during a job search. Following the structure outlined here will make it easier for your reader to respond quickly.
The key components of a business email include:
- good subject line
- salutation (Dear Ms. Wolfe)
- body
- signature block
When composing a subject line it is best to ensure it is relevant to your recipient. Have a look at the three samples below. Which one do you think would be most effective?
- “Need Help!”
- “Need help with registration.”
- “Please help with ENGL 1110 registration.”
The body of your email should follow the same guidelines as those used for written letters. Short emails with a single topic and a clearly stated call to action will be answered more quickly than longer emails with multiple topics.
Last, but not least, you should always include a signature block, so that the recipient can easily identify you and assist you more quickly. As a student, your signature block could include your name and your program of study, as well as your phone number.
Example:
Jane Doe Thompson Rivers University Biology Student Cell: 250-333-1111
You can find more information on how to improve your email writing here: http://careerplanning.about.com/od/communication/a/email_etiquette.htm
