When you’re running (or launching!) a business, clear communication with your customers is key. We’re breaking down how to write a professional email to help you land and retain more customers.

Sending an email to a new or prospective customer might seem like a simple task, but think about how many other emails they’re inundated with every day. 

A total of 293.6 billion emails are sent each day in 2019 (Radicati). That’s a LOT of emails! In a separate study, 59% of respondents say marketing emails influence their purchase decisions (SaleCycle), which means every spot in a customer’s inbox is important. Let’s walk through how to write a professional email, starting with the email structure.

How To Structure Your Professional Email

Think of your email as a sandwich:

• The greeting is the top slice of bread.
• The opening sentence is the lettuce.
• The body of the email is the meat (or tofu!).
• The closing is the bottom of the crust.
• Your signature is the plate holding the sandwich!

No need for any mayo, mustard, or sauces – the email “fluff.” We’re getting straight and to the point to keep our customers engaged. We’re already taking up time out of their day, plus a coveted spot in their email inbox, so we want to make sure we’re showing customers the value of our email. 

How To Write A Professional Email: Step-By-Step

1. Greet your customer with one of the following intros, depending on your relationship with him or her: 
   • Ex: Dear Sam, 
   • Ex: Hello Sam, 
   • Ex: Good afternoon Sam, 
   • Ex: Sam,
     
2. Be cordial, but to the point. 
   • Ex: Thank you again for our phone call. Now that I have a better understanding of what your team is looking for, I’d love to work with you to improve your strategy on X.
3. Provide just enough information in the email for your customer to understand why you’re contacting him or her, but leave out just enough to require a follow-up discussion.
   • Ex: Since your company specializes in X, I think it would be beneficial if we incorporated Y into your strategy because of Z.
4. Close the email with a call-to-action. These aren’t just reserved for marketing emails – you can include these in your direct customer emails too!
   • Ex: Let’s discuss this together when it’s most convenient for you. What would be the best time and date for a meeting?
5. Include a pleasant outro with the customer’s name.
   • Ex: Looking forward to hearing from you, Sam.
6. Sign the email with your name.
   • Ex: Thanks! Kelly
   • Ex: Kind regards, Kelly
   • Ex: Talk soon, Kelly

How A Professional Email Can Help Your Strategy

Outside of regular marketing emails, customers like to form professional relationships with businesses before working with them. This helps create a sense of trust so they understand who they’re working with and the intention behind the product or service. Writing a quick email to your customer – prospect or existing – can help keep your business top of mind to maintain a positive working relationship.

Need Help With Your Marketing Strategy?

Outside of walking you through how to write a professional email, we also help small to medium-sized businesses grow their marketing reach! 

If you have questions about growing your business or want to chat more about your professional email, fill out the form below to schedule a free 30-minute phone call with Kaitlyn: