197. Avoid Common Mistakes: My High-Level Tips for Business Emails
Nov 22, 2023
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This podcast provides easy and quick tips to avoid common mistakes in business emails. It discusses the importance of addressing the recipient and considering formality. It also highlights common punctuation mistakes and the need to adapt when communicating in English. The podcast provides high-level tips for writing business emails, such as breaking up paragraphs and starting sentences with 'regarding' or 'in terms of'. It also discusses common mistakes when ending emails and invites listeners to sign up for a newsletter.
Choose an appropriate greeting that matches the level of formality required in the email.
Pay attention to punctuation, use shorter sentences, and maintain a professional tone when writing the body of the email.
Deep dives
Starting an Email
When starting an email, it is important to consider the formality and choose an appropriate greeting. 'Hello' or 'Dear' followed by the recipient's name are common options. However, be cautious with using 'high' as it may appear too informal for certain contexts. Choose a greeting that matches the level of formality required.
Writing the Body of the Email
In the body of the email, pay attention to punctuation. Especially for Spanish speakers, it is crucial to use the correct apostrophe and not confuse it with a Spanish accent mark. Avoid using a full stop after a question mark, as the question mark itself serves as a full stop. Additionally, be aware of the flow and readability of your email. English emails tend to be more concise compared to other languages, so break up long paragraphs with shorter sentences. Start sentences with 'regarding' rather than 'about' to maintain a professional tone.
Ending an Email
When concluding an email, it is important to avoid ending with 'hugs' or 'greetings'. While these may be acceptable in other languages, they come across as overly personal in English. Instead, use a professional sign-off such as 'Best regards' or 'Sincerely'. Remember that having email templates or key phrases ready can save time and create consistency in your communication.
Do you have to write emails in English? In this episode I give you easy and quick tips to help you avoid the most common mistakes that I see on a regular basis. I go through the beginning, middle and end of the email. I hope it's useful.