How to Write a Formal Email [10 Templates] - Yesware

Below, we look at various ways to perfect your formal emails. We cover email format including subject lines, punctuations, email greetings, ... YeswareOpenmenuProductLearnPricingSignInContactSalesTryFreeLearnmoreabout:SalesProspectingColdEmailingColdCallingFollow-upEmailB2BSellingHowtoWriteaFormalEmail[10Templates]MelissaWilliamsMelissaWilliamsMay 18,2022·11minread·0readsEmailTemplates,EmailTips,Productivity ContentsWhatIsaFormalEmailTipsforWritingaFormalEmail10FormalEmailTemplatestoCopyandPasteHowYeswareCanHelpYouBetterManageEmailSendingaformalemailisoneofthosethingsweputoffdoing. Why?Becauseitcanbealittleuncomfortable. Butwhenreachingouttosomeoneyoudon’tknow,formalemailsarethewaytogo.It’llhelpyoumakeagoodfirstimpressionandcomeoffasprofessionalratherthantoocasual. Below,welookatvariouswaystoperfectyourformalemails.Wecoveremailformatincludingsubjectlines,punctuations,emailgreetings,andsign-offsaswellaspre-madeformalemailtemplatesforvarioussituationsthatyoucancopyandusetoday. AccelerateresultsSaveandmeasureyourformalemailtemplatesTryYeswareFreeWhatIsaFormalEmail Aformalemailisanemailsenttosomeoneeither1)youdon’tknowwellor2)inapositionofauthority. Formalemailsrequireproperformat,language,andtonality.Theyserveaclearpurposeandgetthemessageacrossinaprofessionalandpolitemanner. Let’stakealookatsomeimportantelementsforwritingformalemails. TipsforWritingaFormalEmail UseFormalEnglish FormalemailsrequireformalEnglishwriting.Thismeansincludingcompletesentences,conjunctions,andtransitionwords.Informalwritinghasfragmentsandcommasplices.Informalmessagingrarelycontainsconjunctionsortransitionwords. Thisisimportantinsalesbecauseyouwanttobeperceivedasprofessionalandsharp. Punctuation,paragraphform,greetings,andsign-offsalsovaryfromformaltoinformalcommunication. Here’sagraphicshowingthecompletelistofdifferences: UseProperCapitalization Thecorrectstyleofcapitalizationtouseinyoursalutationissentencecase. Herearetheworstoffendersforformalemailgreetings: “GoodMorning”→shouldbe“Goodmorning” “GoodAfternoon”→ shouldbe“Goodafternoon” “ToWhomItMayConcern”→shouldbe“Towhomitmayconcern” Theexceptiontotherule:propernouns(i.e.people’sfirstnames,Ms./Mr.+lastname,orjobtitle). WriteaFormalSubjectLine Whenwritingformalemails,yoursubjectlineshouldbeclear,concise,andaccurate. Describewhattheemailisaboutinonetofivewords.Infact,ourresearchshowsthatthislengthyieldshigheropenandreplyrates. Moralofthestory:gettothepointanddon’twastetheirtime. EndYourSalutationWithaColon Whenyou’rewritingaformalemail,yoursalutationshouldendwithacolon,notacomma. Whensendingaprofessionalemail,thecolonwillchangethetoneofthemessagerightfromtheget-go.Insales,thiscanhelpyougaugetheattentionofyourrecipientrightoffthebat. UseShortSentences Yourformalemailsshouldneverhavecommasplices. Acommaspliceiswhathappenswhenyoujointwocompletesentenceswithacomma. Thetakeaway:CommasplicesareincorrectEnglishgrammar.Theybelongintextmessagesandotherinformalconversations. Usingshortsentencesinyouremailisabettersalesstrategybecauseyouwantprospectstounderstandyourofferingasquicklyaspossible.Beshortandconcise. UseProperPunctuation Wheneveryouhaveaphraseorsentenceinquotes,yourendpunctuationshouldgobeforetheendquote. Thisappliestocommasthatgoontocontinuesentencesandperiodsthatendthem. Theexceptionstothisrulearethefollowingtypesofpunctuation:semicolons,colons,anddashes.These shouldgooutsideofquotationmarks(questionmarksarealittlemoretricky). FormalEmailsShouldBeDirectandPersuasive AsAmericans,weprideourselvesonbeingdirect. Butwearen’talways. Howmanytimeshaveyoufoundyourselfwritingphraseslike“Iamwritingto”? Thisisaroundaboutwayofsettingupyourrequest.It’sveryindirect. Youcan’taffordtobesheepishwhenyourentireemailhas sevensecondstogettheirattention. Iamwritingtotellyouthatit’stimetostopusingthisphrase. Otherexamplesofphrasestoavoid: “Iwantedtoaskyou” “Iwantedtoletyouknowthat” “Iamreachingoutto” “Thereasonformyemailisthat” “Thepurposeofthisemailisto” Goahead—jumprighttothatthingyou’rewindingupto. Here’swhy: Eachphrasebecomesself-evidentwiththetextthatfollows.Thismakesyouredundantwhereyourmessagingismostimportant:yourfirstline. Beingindirectdoesn’tchangethefactthatyou’reaskingfororstatingsomethinguncomfortable.Ifanything,itshowshesitancytoleaveyourcomfortzone. Theemailisn’taboutyou.It’saboutwhat’simportanttoyourrecipient.Startwiththem. Whattodoinstead: Startyourdraftwith“Iamwritingto”togetyourwritingflowgoing.Whenyou’redone,gobackanddeletethatphrase.Inmostcases,you’llstillhaveacompletesentencewithoutit.Ifyoudon’t,makeaslightedittoturnwhatyouhaveintoacompletesentence. EndwithaFormalSignature Youremailsignatureshouldincludeallcontactinformationsotherecipientknowswheretheycanreachyou. Here’sanexampleofaformalemailsignature: Name Position|CompanyName Phone Website EliminatetheguessworkKnowwhenrecipientsreadyouremails,clickonlinks,andviewattachmentsTryYeswareFree10FormalEmailTemplatestoCopyandPaste Now,let’slookatsomeemailtemplatesthatallincorporatethenecessaryelementsofaformalemailformat. 1.FormalEmailTemplateforMakingaRequest SubjectLineOptionA:Important–ActionRequired:{!Topic} SubjectLineOptionB:PleaseRead:NeedsYourAttention Goodmorning,{!all/team/person}:  {!Givepertinentcontexthere}. {!Linkforfurtherreference} Myrequesttoyou:{!formalrequestinonesentence}. {!ActionItem1} {!Actionitem2} Moreinfoon{!topic}… Whatitinvolves: {!1sentencesummingupthecontext}.  Thismattersbecause: -{!WIIFY—point1}. -{!WIIFY—point2}. -{!WIIFY—point3}.  Thankyouforyourhelp! Grabasignofflineandtipsforhowtoendanemailhere.Becausewriting“best”or“thanks”everytimeisamissedopportunity. Andhere’sasimilarprofessionalemailexampletogetyougoingwithfillingoutthetemplate: 2.EmailTemplateforColdOutreach Subjectline:Articlesforyourcommutehome Hi{!FirstName}: ThelastfewcallsI’vehadwithcompanieslikeyourswho{!specificstatsabouttherecipient’scompany}haveledmetoresearch{!topicthatcouldbeapainpointforthem}. Ithoughtyouwouldappreciatethesearticles.Ithoughttheydidagreatjobataddressing{!painpoint}: {!Linktocontent1}–{!descriptionofcontent1} {!Linktocontent2}–{!descriptionofcontent2} {!Linktocontent3}–{!descriptionofcontent3} Iftheseresonatedwithyou,let’sgrab15minutestoseeif{!YourCompany}canhelpby{!proposedsolutionforsolvingpainpoint}. Isthereadayortimethatgenerallyworksbestforyou? 3.EmailTemplateforGivingaFormalUpdate SubjectLine:{!Topic}|{!Who/WhatItAffects} Hi{!all/team/person}: Itismypleasuretoannouncethat{!changeandpeople/focusitaffects}. {!Personortopic1} [Who/Why/What/Where/When.Tellastoryhereabouthowthischangecametobe.] {!Personortopic2} [Who/Why/What/Where/When.Tellastoryhereabouthowthischangecametobe.] [Finalsentencereiteratingchangeandhowitaffectsreaders.]Pleasejoinmein{!action}. Andhere’sanexampleofthetemplateaboveinreallife.ThisbusinessemailannouncespromotionsonourCustomerSuccessteam: Tip:Alwaysincludeyourphonenumberandcontactinformationinyouremailsignature.Forinspiration,hereare9professionalemailsignatureexamples. Tiredofre-writingemails?Saveyourtop-performingemailsastemplatesTryYeswareFree4.FormalEmailTemplateforanApology Subjectline: {!focusareaofissue} Hello{!CustomerName},  {!We/teamname}discoveredanissuewith{!what}{!when}. Whatitmeans: {!Negativeaffecttousers}. {!Noteassuringusersofthingsunaffected} Whathappened:  Assoonasourteamidentifiedtheissue,itwasaddressedandremediated{!sameday}. Whatyoucando: {!Note}. Onbehalfof{!teamorcompanyname},weareverysorryfortheinconveniencethiscausesyou.Icanassureyouthatweareanalyzinghowthisissueoccurredandwaystocompletelypreventrecurrenceinthefuture. Thankyouforyourpatience, 5.EmailTemplateforaTermination Towhomitmayconcern: Pleasebeadvisedthat,effectiveimmediately,wehaveterminatedyouraccountwith{!Company}dueto{!reason}. Weregrethavingtotakethisaction,butafterourdiscussionswithyou{!Date&Time}regarding{!Wrongdoing},wehaveseennochangein{!usagetype}.   Themannerinwhichyouareusingourservicejeopardizes{!Thing1}aswellas{!Thing2}. Sincerely, Whilethemessagingisverydirect,youneedtobeinasituationlikethisforlegalpurposes,claritytotherecipient,andfinality.Languagelike“termination”and“effectiveimmediately”showthatthisisadecisionwithnowiggleroomforcompromise. Hint:Iftherewerepriorviolationsorinstanceswhereyougavewarning,makesuretocitethem. 6.EventFollow-UpTemplate SubjectLine:Greattomeetyouat{!Event} Hi{!FirstName}: Itwasnicetomeetyouat{!Occasionwhereyoumet}.Ilovedlearningmoreabout{!Somethingdiscussed}. I’mreallyinterestedtohearmoreaboutyourroleas{!Jobtitle}at{!Companyname},as{!Reasonwhyyou’reinterested}. Ifyouhavetimeinthecomingweeks,let’s{!Followupaction}. I’mgenerallyfreeon{!Daysoftheweek},ifthatworksforyou? Lookingforwardtokeepingintouch! 7.FormalResignationEmailTemplate Dear{!FirstName}, PleaseacceptthismessageasformalnotificationthatIamleavingmypositionat{!CompanyName}effective{!Date}. IwouldliketothankyouforallofthewonderfulopportunitiesIhavebeengivenat{!CompanyName}andforeverythingyou’vetaughtmealongtheway. Duringmylasttwoweeks,pleaseletmeknowwhatIcandotohelpmakethistransitionassmoothaspossible. Wishingyouand{!CompanyName}continuedsuccessandIlookforwardtostayingintouch. Sincerly, 8.FormalComplaintEmailTemplate Hello{!FirstName}, Iamcontactingyouabout{!Complaint}on{!Date}. {!Reasonforcomplaint.} Iamdeeplydisappointedabouttheoutcomeandhopetohavetheissueresolved.Pleasecontactmeat{!Contactinformation}withtheappropriateresolutionandnextsteps. Thankyou, 9.FormalThankYouEmailTemplate(Interview) Dear{!FirstName}, Thankyousomuchfortakingtimeoutofyourbusyscheduletomeetwithmeyesterdaytodiscuss{!Position}.Itwasapleasuretolearnmoreabout{!Role},{!Company},andtheteam. Iparticularlyenjoyedlearningabout{!Specificpoints}anditgotmeexcitedfor{!Opportunity}. OurconversiononlyincreasedmyinterestinthisroleandI’dbethrilledtousemy{!Skillsdiscussed}toaccomplish{!Goals}for{!Company}. Pleasedon’thesitatetoreachoutifyouneedanyadditionalinformationorhaveanyquestions. Ilookforwardtohearingfromyou, 10.FormalAnnouncementEmailTemplate DearTeam, Iamthrilledinintroduceyouto{!Name}whoisournew{!Positionname}! {!Name}willbeworkingon{!Tasks/Projects}for{!Teamname}. Feelfreetoreachoutto{!Name}at{!ContactInformation}andsayhi! Best, HowYeswareCanHelpYouBetterManageEmail Yeswarecanhelpyourteambettermanageemailwithemailtemplatesthatliveinyourinbox. Withemailtemplates,youcansaveyourtop-performingemailsinatemplatelibrarythatlivesinsideyourinbox.Youcanpersonalizethesetemplatesinsecondswithfill-in-the-blanksordropdownoptions. Youcanalsosendpersonalizedtemplatestovarioususersatonceusingcampaigns. Betteryet,Yeswaretracksallemailsendssoyou’realwaysintheknowofwhatis/isn’tworkinginyourformalemails. TryYeswareforfreetoday! ThisguidewasupdatedonMay18,2022. GetexpertsalestipsstraighttoyourinboxtowinmoredealsEmailSubscribeNowYeswareisanall-in-onetoolkitforsalesprofessionalsandsalesteams.TryourOutlookorGmailadd-onforfree!HityournumbereverymonthGetYeswareforfreeWorksonOutlookorGmail(+manymoreintegrations)RelatedArticlesHowtoWriteaFormalEmail[10Templates]MelissaWilliamsMelissaWilliamsMay 18,2022TheBestEmailTemplatesforSalesMeetingsCaseyO'ConnorCaseyO'ConnorApr 19,202215Follow-UpEmailTemplateSamples+Guide[2022]YeswareYeswareApr 14,2022Sales,dealmanagement,andcommunicationtipsforyourinboxEmailSubscribe