2 minute read
A great email can be thought of in terms of the human body. Doing this may allow you to remember the parts of a new email and what their functions are. Take your emails to the next level by studying the "anatomy" of a great email!
The Brain
Your "To" and "Cc" are the brain of your email, making sure it gets where it needs to be and does what it's supposed to do. Make sure you've addressed your email to the correct people, and Cc'd those who need a copy, but may not need to reply.
The Bones
Your "Subject" frames what the email will be about before someone even opens it. Make sure your message has healthy bones by keeping your subject clear, concise, and easy to search from your Inbox.
The Teeth
Your salutation line is the first bite of your email, a way to hook the reader and encourage them to read further. If it's an internal email, there's a little less pressure to knock the interest out of the park. For external emails, spend some time thinking about what will interest a reader.
The Heart
Your body paragraphs are the heart of your message and fill it with life. Make sure that your text is clear, easy to understand, and add pictures or attachments as needed. Write like you're talking to someone rather than a formal letter if you want to sound welcoming.
The Hands
Your final paragraph should contain a call to action that lets the recipient know what you want them to do next. This can be anything from asking for them to complete a task to requesting they confirmed they got your message.
The Blood
Your signature is the blood that keeps things moving. To make sure every part for your email can be discussed or followed up on, put as much contact information as you're comfortable sharing in the bottom of your message alongside your name.
