06-02-2025
I grew up in Texas and my Texas heritage comes out often in my cooking. There are three key ingredients I use in several different recipes – chili powder, garlic powder and pepper. While I may mix and match other ingredients, these staples have never steered me wrong.
Effective emails also have three key ingredients that make them generally successful. They are: (1) Consider if email is the right communication channel to use, (2) Make the message clear, and (3) Make the message concise.
In my own experience and when speaking with academic colleagues and executives I coach, writing and responding to emails can be a stressful part of people’s workdays. Imagine opening your email to find 10, 20, 30, 50+ emails all wanting, and in some cases demanding, your immediate attention. One of the main reasons people are so stressed about email is because a lot of people still do not know how to use it effectively, which leaves you trying to figure how to triage situations and figure out what email-senders need.
This post is designed to help people learn how to write clear and concise emails that will get read and get a response, all the while building a positive reputation as an effective communicator.
When writing an email, a person should first consider their audience, the situation/context and the message to determine if email is the best communication channel to use. If writing to share bad news about a client with a boss, think carefully – is email the best way to handle that? Maybe a one-on-one conversation would work better because more context could be shared. However, what if a person just needs to give a quick project update (with no negative news) with a boss or a team? Then an email would most likely suffice.
You also should consider how your audience feels about email and how they use it. Are they good at responding in a timely manner? If not — and you need quick feedback — try to set up a call or a quick meeting instead of allowing your message to get lost in a pile with other emails.
When writing emails, messages need to be as clear and direct as possible. Start with a clear subject line. For example, if I am writing to my team to change our scheduled meeting time, I would include the subject line “Time Change for Tuesday’s Team Update Meeting.”
Have a Clear Lead that Identifies if Action is Needed
The first sentence or two of any document is called the lead. A good lead will get to the point right away. If you are providing information, state it, if you are asking for information ask it here — you can always mention it again later. Just don’t bury the lead.
Have a Clear Structure
One good, common way to structure an email is using the “What? So What? Now What?” structure. State what it is you are emailing about, why it matters and what needs to be done. Email recipients appreciate this clear and direct approach.
All business communication should include all necessary information to make the message or document complete, but emails need to be as concise as possible. If you need to include more detailed information then it should probably be a memo, a proposal, a report, a one-pager, etc., and those should be included as an attachment to the email. The email itself should be short and to the point.
If you really want to include all the information in the email, then at least provide subheadings for people so the content is easy to skim.
When you write emails that are clear, concise and get to the point of what is needed, you are building a reputation of being an effective communicator and your email recipients will not avoid opening your emails. Being an effective communicator also means that you are most likely a problem solver. You provide information or do things that get things done. That is helpful and people respect that.
Next time you are drafting an email consider:
Do this, and your email recipients will be grateful — and so will you, as you see how effective emails can positively change your collaboration with others over time.
This blog post is part of a series written by Professor Kasie Roberson. This series is designed to share best practices in business communication. Each article highlights a business communication principle or idea and actionable strategies.
Kasie Roberson is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Business Communication and Associate Director of Outreach and Coaching for the Center for Working Well at the Mitch Daniels School of Business at Purdue University.
A strategic communication expert, executive coach, and award-winning faculty member, Roberson is also the author of “Strategic Business Writing: A People-First Approach.”
If you are interested in scheduling Roberson as a speaker for your organization or company, please contact the Center for Working Well.
This blog post provides general insights and best practices for business communication. It is for informational purposes only and should not be considered coaching, consulting, or professional advice. Neither Professor Kasie Roberson, nor the Mitch Daniels School of Business, nor Purdue University are responsible for how readers apply this information in practice. Readers should use their discretion and seek professional guidance as needed.
