Skip to product menu
close
  • Sales
    Press Space or Enter to display list of options
EXPLORE ALL PRODUCTS

Sales

 
CRM

Comprehensive CRM platform for customer-facing teams.

CRM
 
Bigin

Simple CRM for small businesses moving from spreadsheets.

Bigin
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
RouteIQ

Comprehensive sales map visualization and optimal route planning solution.

RouteIQ
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Suites
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

CRM Plus

Marketing

 
Social

All-in-one social media management software.

Social
 
Campaigns

Create, send, and track targeted email campaigns that drive sales.

Campaigns
 
Forms

Build online forms for every business need.

Forms
 
Survey

Design surveys to reach and interact with your audience.

Survey
 
Sites

Online website builder with extensive customisation options.

Sites
 
PageSense

Website conversion optimization and personalisation platform.

PageSense
 
Backstage

End-to-end event management software.

Backstage
 
Webinar

Webinar platform for webcasting online webinars.

Webinar
 
Marketing Automation

All-in-one marketing automation software.

Marketing Automation
 
LandingPage

Smart landing page builder to increase conversion rates

LandingPage
 
Publish

Manage all your local business listings on a single platform.

Publish
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Thrive

Complete loyalty and affiliate management platform.

Thrive
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
NEW
LeadChain

Sync, manage, and convert leads across channels seamlessly.

LeadChain
 
NEW
CommunitySpaces

Online community platform for individuals and businesses to grow their network and brand.

CommunitySpaces
 
Suites
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Marketing Plus

Commerce and POS

 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce

Service

 
Desk

Helpdesk software to deliver great customer support.

Desk
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
FSM

End-to-end field service management platform for service businesses.

FSM
 
SalesIQ

Live chat app to engage and convert website visitors.

SalesIQ
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
Suites
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Service Plus

Finance

 
Books

Powerful accounting platform for growing businesses.

Books
 
FREE
Invoice

100% Free invoicing solution.

Invoice
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Inventory

Powerful stock management and inventory control software.

Inventory
 
Billing

End-to-end billing solution for your business.

Billing
 
Checkout

Collect payments online with custom branded pages.

Checkout
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo
 
Practice

Practice management software for accounting firms.

Practice
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Commerce

eCommerce platform to manage and market your online store.

Commerce
 
Suites
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Finance Plus

Email and Collaboration

 
Mail

Secure email service for teams of all sizes.

Mail
 
Meeting

Online meeting software for all your video conferencing & webinar needs.

Meeting
 
Writer

Word processor for focused writing and discussions.

Writer
 
Sheet

Spreadsheet software for collaborative teams.

Sheet
 
Show

Create, edit, and share slides with a sleek presentation app.

Show
 
Notebook

Beautiful home for all your notes.

Notebook
 
Cliq

Stay in touch with teams no matter where you are.

Cliq
 
Connect

Employee experience platform to communicate, engage, and build positive employee relations.

Connect
 
Bookings

Appointment scheduling app for consultations with customers.

Bookings
 
TeamInbox

Shared inboxes for teams.

TeamInbox
 
WorkDrive

Online file management for teams.

WorkDrive
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Office Suite

Powerful collaborative work platform for teams.

Office Suite
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
Calendar

Online business calendar to manage events and schedule appointments.

Calendar
 
Learn

Knowledge and learning management platform.

Learn
 
Voice

Cloud Contact Center Software for businesses.

Voice
 
ToDo

Collaborative task management for individuals and teams.

ToDo
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
FREE
PDF Editor

Collaborative online PDF editing tool.

PDF Editor
 
Suites
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Workplace

Human Resources

 
People

Organize, automate, and simplify your HR processes.

People
 
Recruit

Intuitive recruiting platform built to provide hiring solutions.

Recruit
 
Expense

Effortless expense reporting platform.

Expense
 
Workerly

Manage temporary staffing with an employee scheduling solution.

Workerly
 
NEW
Payroll

Payroll software with automated tax payments and filing.

Payroll
 
Shifts

Employee scheduling and time tracking app.

Shifts
 
Sign

Digital signature app for businesses.

Sign
 
Suites
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

People Plus

Security and IT Management

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Directory

Workforce identity and access management solution for cloud businesses.

Directory
 
FREE
OneAuth

Secure multi-factor authenticator (MFA) for all your online accounts.

OneAuth
 
Vault

Online password manager for teams.

Vault
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Toolkit

Complete resource for any admin-related lookup queries.

Toolkit
 
Lens

Interactive remote assistance software with augmented reality.

Lens
 
Assist

Remote support and unattended remote access software.

Assist
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA

BI and Analytics

 
Analytics

Modern self-service BI and analytics platform.

Analytics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep
 
NEW
IoT

Harnessing IoT analytics for real-time operational intelligence.

IoT

Project Management

 
Projects

Manage, track, and collaborate on projects with teams.

Projects
 
Sprints

Planning and tracking tool for scrum teams.

Sprints
 
BugTracker

Automatic bug tracking software for managing bugs.

BugTracker
 
Solo

The all-in-one toolkit for solopreneurs.

Solo

Developer Platforms

 
Creator

Build custom apps to simplify business processes.

Creator
 
Flow

Automate business workflows by creating smart integrations.

Flow
 
Catalyst

Pro-code platform to build and deploy your apps.

Catalyst
 
Office Integrator

Built in document editors for web apps.

Office Integrator
 
ZeptoMail

Secure and reliable transactional email sending service.

ZeptoMail
 
QEngine

Test automation software to build, manage, execute, and report testcases.

QEngine
 
Tables

Work management tool to connect people, processes, and information.

Tables
 
NEW
RPA

Automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks easily.

RPA
 
NEW
Apptics

Application analytics for all apps.

Apptics
 
Embedded BI

Embedded analytics and white label BI solutions, tailored for your needs.

Embedded BI
 
NEW
IoT

Build, deploy, and scale IoT solutions for connected businesses.

IoT
 
DataPrep

AI-powered data preparation service for your data-driven organization.

DataPrep

IoT

 
NEW
IoT

Low-code IoT platform and solutions for connected businesses.

IoT

Search Result

 
CRM Plus

Unified platform to deliver top-notch customer experience.

Try now
CRM Plus
 
Service Plus

Unified platform for customer service and support teams.

Try now
Service Plus
 
Finance Plus

All-in-one suite to manage your operations and finances.

Try now
Finance Plus
 
People Plus

Comprehensive HR platform for seamless employee experiences.

Try now
People Plus
 
Workplace

Application suite built to improve team productivity and collaboration.

Try now
Workplace
 
Marketing Plus

Unified marketing platform for marketing teams.

Try now
Marketing Plus
 
All-in-one suite

Zoho One

The Operating System for Business

Run your entire business on Zoho with our unified cloud software, designed to help you break down silos between departments and increase organizational efficiency.

TRY ZOHO ONE
Zoho One
Zoho Marketplace

With over 2000 ready-to-use extensions across 40+ categories, connect your favorite business tools with the Zoho products you already use.

EXPLORE MARKETPLACE
Marketplace
Skip to main content
All
  • All
  • Admin Settings
  • Setting up Zoho Mail
  • Getting Started
  • Managing Inbox
  • Using Mail suite apps
  • Drafting emails
  • Sending emails
  • Composing Emails
  • Integrations
  • Customizing settings
  • Inbox management
  • Integrating with apps
  • Securing your data
  • Searching your Inbox
  • Email

How to write an effective email

Even though there are multiple communication modes, email is still considered the most reliable and formal mode of communication. Unlike social media platforms or chat applications, email is universal. This makes email one of the most preferred communication tools, for work. With more and more organizations adapting to hybrid mode, where some employees work from distributed remote offices and some of the employees work from their homes, email conversations have increased manyfold. While chat, comments in team collaboration software can be to the point and a bit informal, business email is still considered formal and elaborate. It is one of the most important asynchronous modes of communication. The recipients can receive the email, read it, understand it and then respond to the email. 

How to write an email
A well-drafted email with a neat structure provides the reader an understanding of what you are trying to convey and the details that they need to respond with. While writing an email is an art, it can be perfected with practice. Some of the best practices in drafting a perfect email - the one that the recipient doesn't miss among the heap - are listed below: 

  1. Use a professional email address
  2. Have a simple and clear subject
  3. Begin with a positive greeting
  4. State the background
  5. Provide the purpose in a crux
  6. Mention the CTA
  7. Add closing remarks
  8. Use professional signatures
  9. Run a spelling/ grammar/ sanity check 
  10. Use CC/ Bcc wisely 
  11. Format your email consistently 
  12. Schedule your email 
  13. Set up reminders for follow-ups

1. Use a professional email address

Imagine that you are a hiring manager and you receive the following two emails - 

From: cute_dog_lover@hmail.com & 

From: email_sebastian@hmail.com 

Which email are you more likely to open and read and which person would you consider hiring? Obviously the second person, given that all other parameters are the same. Ensure that you send non-personal emails from a professional email address. Whether you are applying for a new position or just contacting a support team to get your questions answered, the email address you use helps you gain the trust of a new recipient. 

It is highly recommended to use a custom domain-based email address while sending official communication or sending emails to your business contacts. However, if you do not have one, ensure that your email address is professional, with your name or with your business name. 

2. Have a simple and clear subject

The Email Subject is the first thing that anyone reads (sees?) in any email and is often one of the factors that influence the recipient to open and read the emails. Whatever is said, most of the readers 'judge' the email by the 'Subject' line.

In fact, a lot of recipients decide whether to open an email or not, based on the subject - when they receive emails from non-contacts or strangers. It is the most precise content of the email, and most business relationships have begun with great subject lines. Your subject line should be a small summary of the email and can also set an expectation on the call to action needed from the email. In short, your subject should be able to pull the attention of the recipient, enough to click on the email and read it. 

Examples:

Subject: Quarterly revenue report | Includes analysis 

Subject: Our meeting @ <event> | Let's catch up! 

Subject: Request your presence at <event>

 

3. Begin with a positive greeting

Start the email with a positive note. Provide a relevant greeting for the recipient, based on the region they are from, the time of the year they receive this email, or just a simple 'Good day from...'. 

When the email turns into an email thread or conversations with a lot of to & fro replies, you can drop the greeting. However, when you are emailing someone for the first time, the greeting gives a positive vibe to the reader and you can be assured of a response in a positive tone. 

Examples: 

Thanks for the great insights about <discussion topic> at <event name> 

It was a pleasure meeting you at <>.  

4. State the background

If you are emailing someone for the first time, introduce yourself, and state the background of the email. You need to state how you know the recipient, and why you are emailing the person. For example, when you are emailing someone you met at an event or emailing a contact introduced by a friend, be sure to mention the event name or your friend's name along with the details on how you know the recipient. 

Examples: 

It was great discussing with you about <>.

I am emailing you to take <> forward. 

I am reaching to you about <>. 

5. Provide the purpose in a crux

This is the main part of the email where you mention the core content or purpose of the email. Ensure that you write the core email content in clear short sentences. Avoid unwanted jargon, or too technical/industry-specific terms in the very first email, when you are not sure about the recipient's knowledge in those areas. If you are reaching out, based on research or if someone has recommended this contact, make sure you mention that in the email. This will help the reader understand the context of the email better. If you have a lot to say, it would be better to communicate the main and important items in the first email and save the rest for later. 

Too long emails might be skipped and you might not get the much-needed response from the other person. 

6. Mention the CTA

Every email is essentially a task list for someone. It either expects a response with some details or action from the recipient. In some cases, the recipient might have to connect you with someone who can act on the email. In any case, mention the action expected from the recipient clearly in the email. This should be immediately after the core email where you state the purpose of the email. 

Examples: 

Reply to the email with the following details. 

Can we meet for a coffee and discuss further. 

Let me know a suitable time and contact details, to schedule a call regarding this. 

7. Add closing remarks

In addition to the CTA, add closing remarks to give that finishing touch to your email. Use simple sentences as in the sample below, without being too pushy. 

Examples:

'Waiting for your positive response, to take it further'.

'Looking forward to work with you on this'.

'Feel free to call me on ######, if you need more details'. 

8. Use professional signatures

Do not forget to add a professional signature to the end of your email. Your signature helps you to establish your authenticity, your role, your brand, along with the required contact information.

When you are emailing someone for the first time, use an email signature that specifies your full name, your role, and the company or brand you are associated with. Additionally, you can include your company's website and links to social media handles. However, make sure that you use simple signatures when the email turns into a long conversation - or configure a simpler signature for replies/ forwards. 

Sign off the email with a 'Sincerely' or 'Regards' or 'Best regards'

If you are sending an internal email, you can include your department and role, but skip the company website and social media handles. You can save 2 or 3 signature templates and include the relevant ones in the emails you send. 

Examples:

Regards,
Rebecca Thomson,
Marketing Manager,
Zylker Inc.

 

Sincerely,
Rebecca Thomson
Ph: +1 234 234 2345 
Email: rebecca@zylker.com
Website: www.zylker.com

9. Run a spelling/ grammar/ sanity check 

Once you have completed writing your email, read the email again from the recipient's perspective and ensure that it makes sense. Add attachments, if required. Use a spelling/ grammar check to give the email a quick spelling/ grammar/ phrasing check. You might be surprised at how even experts benefit from the spell checks and sanity checks in their emails. Make sure that you spot the error due to commonly confused words, which can also cause embarrassing errors in the email. 
Running a spell check for your email

10. Use CC/ Bcc wisely 

You can include other relevant contacts in the email cc/ bcc to have them in the loop. For example, when you send an email to someone, who has been introduced by another common friend, it is good to copy that common friend in the cc of the email, thank him/ her for the introduction, and continue the email. 

In general, it is not a good practice to Bcc someone without the actual recipient knowing unless you think that future conversations are irrelevant for them. In some cases, you may need to add a compliance email address in BCC to archive the emails separately. 

11. Format your email consistently 

A poorly formatted email not only puts the sender in poor light but also affects the readability of the email. Ensure that your email is of consistent font face and font family. Use a 'professional' and 'readable' font for your emails. You can use 'Bold' or 'Underline' formatting to highlight portions of email content. Most of the email services provide 'Rich text editors' with multiple formatting options. In some cases, using tables in emails can help reduce a lot of unwanted bloated content in the email. 
Email formatting

To ensure that you can choose 'presets' for the default font family and size, which matches your signature settings. By this, you can be assured that your emails are neatly formatted and presented to the recipients. 

12. Schedule your email 

If you're a night owl or work with people across timezones, the scheduling feature in your email will make sure that your email reaches the recipients at the right time and catches their attention. Though people wake up to their emails, it is mainly to scan if there's something urgent or too important that's waiting for them. Most people respond to emails only later, when they get to their work tables. Hence scheduling an email, to reach the recipient during their peak work hours enhances the chance of them responding immediately. 
Scheduling your email

Do a little homework to check the timezone of the recipient and schedule the email to be sent at the right time, that matches the recipient's location and timezone. 

13. Set up reminders for follow-ups

Even after all hard work, the recipient might have read the email and missed it or sometimes even missed reading your email. So set up reminders for the emails, to notify you when there's no response from the recipient within a day or two of sending the email. 

A genuine follow-up email, reminding the recipient might sometimes work wonders. A lot of people who miss the first email or intentionally ignore them, often respond to the follow-up email in the same conversation instead of a new email on the same topic. The follow-up email can be simple and to the point. 
Sending reminder emails

Example: 

Hey there! 

Did you get a chance to revisit my previous email? Please let me know if you require any further information to take this forward.

Email communication is essential to establishing contacts and building relationships. Writing an email can be a breeze when you ensure that you keep it simple, to the point, and follow the email etiquette rules.