Business Writing Skills: Successful Emails

Before taking on the task of writing a professional email, questions of purpose and audience need to be answered.

• Recognize the importance of identifying purpose and desired outcomes before writing professional emails
• Discuss the intended audience and describe how to write effectively for different readers
• Practice writing for a specific audience and purpose

Consider the communication style of the recipient and the content of the email to determine its correct role in communicating at work.

• Define the role of email in the workplace in the context of time and type of information to be shared
• Discuss best practices for communicating the intended message through email
• Practice writing for impact: Message matters

By increasing the impact of emails, the number of exchanges needed will be reduced. This is achieved by writing concisely and with clear purpose.

• Discuss how to communicate purpose quickly
• Recognize the basics of writing professional emails
• Identify techniques to review email drafts for appropriateness

Excellent grammar and punctuation skills are essential to presenting a polished and professional email.

• Define skills and review the basics of business grammar
• Describe common grammar, punctuation and spelling errors
• Identify basic punctuation rules and note current trends

The techniques in this module will provide a specific process to organize thoughts before beginning to write emails.

• Identify a prewriting habit that fits most writing scenarios
• Practice writing a draft of a professional email
• Review work before rewriting

Presenting unpolished writing, whether internally or externally, can harm a professional reputation, particularly if it’s a pattern of behavior.

• Consider the most important components of proofreading
• Examine the purpose and methods of troubleshooting written content
• Application: Proofread and troubleshoot a piece of writing