Professional Email Writing Tips

Why Professional Email Language Matters

In international business, your emails create lasting impressions. A well-crafted email demonstrates professionalism, builds trust, and ensures clear communication across cultures.

For German professionals, adapting to English email conventions can be challenging—the tone, structure, and level of formality often differ from German business correspondence.

Email Structure Essentials

1. Subject Lines

Your subject line should be clear and specific:

• ✅ "Meeting Request: Q3 Budget Review - Thursday 2pm"


• ✅ "Action Required: Contract Approval by Friday"


• ❌ "Meeting" (too vague)


• ❌ "Quick Question" (not informative)

2. Professional Greetings

Choose your greeting based on your relationship:

Formal (first contact or senior colleagues):

• "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],"


• "Dear Dr. [Last Name],"

Semi-formal (established relationships):

• "Dear [First Name],"


• "Hello [First Name],"

For groups:

• "Dear Team,"


• "Dear All,"


• "Dear Colleagues,"

3. Opening Lines

Start with context or pleasantries, depending on the situation:

• "I hope this email finds you well."


• "Thank you for your email regarding..."


• "Following our conversation yesterday..."


• "I am writing to inquire about..."

Key Phrases for Common Situations

Making Requests

• "I would be grateful if you could..."


• "Would it be possible to..."


• "I would appreciate it if you could..."


• "Could you please..."

Providing Information

• "Please find attached..."


• "I am pleased to inform you that..."


• "I would like to bring to your attention..."


• "As per our discussion..."

Apologizing

• "I apologize for any inconvenience caused."


• "Please accept my apologies for..."


• "I regret to inform you that..."

Following Up

• "I am following up on my previous email..."


• "I wanted to check in regarding..."


• "Just a gentle reminder about..."

Tone and Formality

Avoid Being Too Direct

German business communication tends to be more direct. In English, especially with international colleagues, softer language is often preferred:

• ❌ "Send me the report."


• ✅ "Could you please send me the report?"

• ❌ "This is wrong."


• ✅ "I noticed a small discrepancy that we might want to address."

Use Hedging Language

Softening statements makes them more polite:

• "I think this might be..."


• "Perhaps we could consider..."


• "It seems that..."


• "I was wondering if..."

Closing Your Emails

Call to Action

Be clear about what you need:

• "Please confirm your availability by Friday."


• "I would appreciate a response by [date]."


• "Please let me know if you have any questions."

Professional Sign-offs

Formal:

• "Kind regards,"


• "Best regards,"


• "Yours sincerely," (UK, if you know the name)


• "Yours faithfully," (UK, if you don't know the name)

Semi-formal:

• "Best,"


• "Thanks,"


• "Many thanks,"

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overly long emails - Keep it concise. If it's longer than two paragraphs, consider whether email is the right format.

1. Missing subject line - Always include a clear, descriptive subject.

1. Reply All unnecessarily - Only include people who need to see your response.

1. Emotional language - Keep emails professional, even when frustrated.

1. Forgetting attachments - Double-check before sending!

Email Template Example

Subject: Project Update Request - Marketing Campaign Q1

Dear Sarah,

I hope this email finds you well.

I am writing to request an update on the marketing campaign for Q1. As we discussed in last week's meeting, we need to finalize the budget allocation by Friday.

Could you please provide:

• The current campaign status


• Updated cost projections


• Timeline for deliverables

I would appreciate receiving this information by Thursday if possible, so we can prepare for the budget meeting.

Please let me know if you need any clarification or additional information from my side.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Conclusion

Professional email writing is a skill that improves with practice. Remember to be clear, courteous, and concise. When in doubt, err on the side of formality—it's easier to become more casual than to recover from appearing too informal.