Recipe of a perfect business E-Mail:

Today, most of us in the professional world use emails as the main, and in some cases the only, means of written communication. For many students studying Business English and practising business email writing skills is an important part of their course.

While most of us are happy to write informal emails to friends and family that might have grammatical mistakes in them, the same is not true when writing to colleagues, higher management and clients whom we want to maintan a good impression with. Here, we need to be a lot more careful or diplomatic than usual.

Here are some tricks to write effective emails −

• Plan your message.

• Use the subject line to grab reader’s attention.

• Keep your message brief and clear.

• Check the tone - be polite.

• Proofread your message al least twice before sending it and assume accountability.

• If you are angry, take a few minutes to cool down before sending the mail.

• Don't type the entire message in capitals. Capitals are considered to be virtual SHOUTING.

In certain cases, emails may not be suitable. Prefer to call someone when −

• You have to discuss personal, sensitive or confidential information.

• You are going to give bad news.

• Your message is complex and meaning might be lost in the wordings.

• You need an immediate response.

Now that you are ready, follow these five simple steps to make sure your English emails are perfectly professional.

1. Begin with a greeting- 'Dear' or a simple 'Hi' is sufficient followed by the first name of the recipient.
2. Thank the recipient- “Thank you for contacting ABC Company”. “Thank you for your prompt reply” or “Thanks for getting back to me”. Thanking the reader puts him or her at ease, and it will make you appear more polite.
3. State your purpose- If this the very first email communication, it may not be possible to include a line of thanks. Instead, begin by stating your purpose. For example, “I am writing to enquire about …” or “I am writing in reference to …”. Make the purpose clear early on in the email, and then move into the main text of your email. 
4. Add your closing remarks- “Thank you for your cooperation” or “Thank you for your consideration” and then follow up with, “If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to let me know” and “Looking forward to hearing from you”.
5. End with a closing-  “Best regards”, “Sincerely”, and “Thank you” are all professional. Avoid closings such as “Best wishes” or “Cheers” unless you are good friends with the reader.

Finally, before you hit the send button, review and spell check your email one more time to make sure it’s truly perfect!