When you’re emailing a client, it’s best always to have a greeting, even if it’s just their name and a comma. Introduction or GreetingĪgain, this isn’t your friend or your mom. Remember that the first couple lines of your email will probably preview in a client’s inbox so that you can be as concise as possible in the subject line. You should say, “Meeting request re: brief,” and then continue your message in the body of the email.
Instead of saying, “What’s a good time to talk about the brief? I have Monday free -” Don’t put the first half of the message in the subject and then keep going in the body. Here are the elements a good email should include: Subject Lineīack to the threads, keep this as relevant as possible.
There is a specific professional email format that clients will recognize and appreciate. While you want to be concise, you don’t want to be Tweeting or texting an email.
Now, let’s get into the actual process of how to write an email to a client. Have a strategy on organizing your client emails, keeping things as close to the subject and current as possible.Ĭircling back to my first point, should this thread even exist? If an email thread has more than 20 messages, a quick phone call or meeting might be more efficient. Suddenly, you have an email conversation that has nothing to do with the subject line, and is super hard to find when you need it. Have a Strategy for Email ThreadsĮmail threads seem to populate all on their own. You will almost always catch something, and you will always be glad you checked. Get in the practice of taking 20 seconds to re-read your email before you send it. The random misspelling or grammar mistake. The two periods at the end of a sentence. What time can we schedule a call?” Instead, you want to be direct.īe concise and always favor person-to-person (or video) communication for the important agenda items. In any communication with clients, be clear and be straight.ĭon’t use email as a way to hem and haw around a point.
If you tend to jam-pack your emails with critical information and time-sensitive tasks, you may be risking a dropped ball.įor anything that requires action or detail, use your project management software or other systems. Keep in mind that emails are skimmed, usually on mobile devices. If you’re saying a lot more than that in an email, it might require setting up a meeting to discuss instead. It is best to aim at around 200 words, max.
Unless you detail a project, clarify a point, or answer a series of specific questions, an email shouldn’t be more than a paragraph. Not only will this incentivize them to open them, but it reminds them that you are a hard worker who doesn’t have time to waste.Ĭonsider what’s in the email, and edit out anything that looks like fluff. This is, again, about precedent-setting: clients should know that emails from you have a point. And it should be professional.ĭon’t use excess punctuation (!!!!!!!!!), too much small talk, or sloppy language. Your communication style should be clear from day one of client onboarding. If you need to relay quick and important information, consider firing off a text message or do it the old-fashioned way and pick up the phone. The hazard of emailing is that threads easily get lost in busy inboxes. But the first question you should really ask is, “Should this be an email?” If you’ve seen any memes in the last year, you know the “this could have been an email” gripes. It’s crucial to optimize your emails, so they’re coherent, to the point, and sure to get opened. If you overdo your emails, clients will start ignoring or deprioritizing messages from you. There are some basic guidelines for writing client emails that you shouldn’t overlook.
General Guidelines: Best Practices for Emailing Clients Plus, you’ll find simple, effective email templates to streamline your client communications. This article will provide some tips on how to write an email to a client that gets opened, read, and answered. Instead of spending hours clearing your inbox, you can spend more time on strategies to grow your client base. Having standard responses and email templates is a big help. If you run an agency, you’ll find yourself writing the same email over and over. Whether you are sending an email to a prospective client, updating current clients, or asking for referrals, you need to master this essential form of communication. It’s more important than ever to know how to write an email to a client - and there are plenty of ways to do it wrong. Email is the primary method of business communication.