Writing good emails is an art form.
There’s so much to consider: what is the purpose of the email? Is it formal or informal? How well do you know the recipient? etc.
Let’s also acknowledge the elephant in the room: this stuff is really really important! Writing business emails is high stakes. Get it wrong and we could leave a bad impression on someone. Get it right, however, and the working world is our oyster!
With all that in mind, I want to share a collection of well-established phrases that you can use to make your business emails sound more professional. They cover a range of functions; from opening an email to making a polite request. These are the kinds of phrases proficient English speakers use on a daily basis, so it’s imperative you become familiar with them.
10 Brilliant Business Phrases For Emails
‘I hope this email finds you well.’
A polite way to open up an email in a warm and friendly way. It’s a touch too formal for close colleagues, but works well with clients, customers or people you don’t know so well.
‘Hi Priya, I hope this email finds you well.’
‘This is just a quick note to…’
This is a friendly and informal way to give a reason for your email. Perfect for close colleagues and team members.
‘This is just a quick note to remind you all about the training session at 2pm.’
‘As per your request…’
We often need to respond to requests from colleagues, clients or customers. A nice way to deal with them is by using this phrase ‘As per your request’. It’s a little formal, so you might want to use a variation like ‘As requested,…’. Of course, the verb that follows these phrases is going to depend on the request, e.g. sending, attaching etc.
‘As per your request, I’m sending the finalised timetable for the conference.’
‘If possible, could you…’
An effective way to politely make a request.
‘If possible, could you send me the updated figures, so I can make the changes in the spreadsheet?’
‘I wanted to let you know that…’
A nice professional way to introduce new information to someone. It could be a change in plans or something more serious. Either way, ‘I wanted to let you know…’ is a go-to phrase you can use to share news in a professional way.
‘I wanted to let you know that I’ll be away from next Tuesday for four days.’
‘Just a quick heads up!’
This is a very informal way to get someone’s attention and alert them to new information.
‘Just a quick heads up! We’ve moved tomorrow’s meeting to Friday.’
‘Happy to discuss.’
Short, sharp and to the point. This often goes at the end of an email to indicate that you are available to talk about the content of the email with the recipient.
‘Happy to discuss.’
‘I appreciate your…’
A great way to show gratitude towards someone is to say ‘I appreciate your (time/patience/help)’. It’s a nice way to sign off an email and express thanks. You could even throw in a ‘really’ to add a little emphasis.
‘I really appreciate your help with the editing.’
‘Thank you in advance…’
This phrase is all about setting expectations. You are showing gratitude for something you now expect the recipient to do. It can be perceived to be a bit cheeky, but it’s also quite effective.
‘Thank you in advance for your help.’
‘If you have any questions…’
A classic way to round off an email is to offer up the opportunity for the recipient to ask more questions. We can do this with ‘If you have any (more) questions…’.
‘If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.’
