Emails are used largely as it can quickly reach wide recipients. Emails are an efficient communication tool and are easy to use, but people can easily ignore your emails because of improper structured email.
Contents and appearance of your email message will create an impact on your email recipients. That’s why you have to focus on structure of an email, which will ensure that your emails are clear, properly ordered and focused.
An email should be professional, properly structured, clear and grammatically correct. But generally good communication skills are frequently forgotten when it comes time to structure an email message. This will result in poorly composed emails.
How to write structured email message?
To write structured email message we have to first understand the all Nine components, which is use to structure an email message.
These nine structural components of email are;
- Subject Line
- Greeting
- Pleasant comment
- Self-introduction
- Email reason
- Describe the situation
- Plan of action
- Closing line
- Sign-off
Let understand the above mentioned structural components of email in details.
Subject Line
Purpose = Subject line is used to deliver main content of the email.
Examples =
“Requesting information about XYZ”
“Interested in learning about XYZ”
Greeting
Purpose = It makes more or less formal tone.
Examples =
Formal: “Dear Professor XYZ,” “Dear Mr. Surname,” “Dear XYZ,”.
Informal: “Hello Dr. Surname,” “Hi Ms. Surname,” “Hi XYZ,” “Hey XYZ,”
Pleasant comment
Purpose = A politeness tactic that creates human connection with the recipient.
Examples =
“I hope you are doing good”
“Thanks for your email”
“I hope you had a nice weekend”
“Thanks for sharing details”
Self-introduction
Purpose = This depends on how well you know the email recipient.
Probable purposes includes;
Introducing yourself for first time.
Reminding mail recipient how you met or got his/her contact details.
Examples =
“My name is XYZ. Mr. Surname gave me your contact information”
“This is XYZ from production department”
“My name is XYZ. We met last week at the technical seminar at your university”
Note = Self introduction is needed only for first time i.e. first email to recipient.
Email reason
Purpose = Let email recipient know initially on what to do with the email. To be aware that:
The email reason may need to be simple depending on the recipient’s position and what you’re asking him/her to do.
Describe the situation in one or two sentence before mentioning your actual purpose.
Examples =
“I was hoping I could meet with you to discuss the financial status of this year”
“I know you’re busy, but would you be able to review my resume when you have time?”.
“I’m interested in learning more about electronics”
“I have an update on your loan status”
“Would it be possible for us to meet and discuss the possibility of you writing a letter of recommendation for my job application?”
Describe the situation
Purpose = It provides background of situation by telling the purpose of the email in more detail.
Examples =
Depending on the nature of the situation, the purpose of the email will differ in length.
Plan of action
Purpose = It tells recipient what he/she can assume from you afterward. Normally it includes; available meeting schedules, discussions, completion of tasks, etc.
Examples =
“I would be happy to meet you as per your convenience”
“If you’re free, I’m available to meet you on tomorrow after lunch”
“If you’re willing to look over my test report, could you possibly do it within the next week?”
“If you have some free time, can we schedule meeting to discuss project report?”
Closing line
Purpose = It states appreciation or apology. Also, it highlights the action stuffs.
Examples =
“Thank you for taking out some time for considering my invitation”
“I truly appreciate the help you have given to my team”
“Thank you once again for your help for solving this matter”
“Once again, I’m truly sorry for supplying faulty machine”
“I am eagerly waiting for your reply”
“For further information, please feel free to contact me”
Sign-off
Purpose = It makes a more or less formal tone.
Examples =
“Sincerely,” “Best Wishes,” “Thanks and Regards,” “Best Regards,” “Many Thanks,” “Regards,”
Example of email structure
Below is an email example, which is clearly stating the structure of an email.
Email Example =
Subject: Requesting information about oven testingDear Mr. Michael,I hope you are doing good.My name is John Wood, working as Senior test engineer in DB test solutions. We met last week at the technical seminar at your university.This mail is regarding to the oven testing which you are carrying out in your university lab.Further we are planning to expand our lab capability by including some environmental tests. For the same purpose we want to purchase a new oven.In the seminar I get to know that, your newly purchased oven can support environmental testing’s up to 200°C. We are also interested in to buy same oven for our lab.Before proceeding for it, we want to see live demo of the oven and want to discuss your experience with this oven in more detail.I would be happy to meet you as per your convenience. Please suggest time and date, so I can visit your lab.I am eagerly waiting for your reply.Thanks and Regards,John Wood
Conclusion
Each structural component of an email plays a big role in your effective and understandable email, so try to include all of them in your email. Proper structure of an email will give a good appearance of your email message and will be easy to understand by any email recipients.
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