Let’s take a cue from recipes.
We all like different food dishes but I bet you that if your kind of food is well prepared, it all depends on the process embarked upon by your chef to give you the taste you desire. This also applies to email writing and the recipient.
When writing an email, you have a recipient in mind to taste the beauty of what you’ve got. However, during the processing of your email, any mistake will render it insignificant. If you have a good content without an attractive introduction, your recipient will find it a rough recipe made by an amateur.
How do you want your recipients to judge your email?
Wrong Ways to Start an Email
Here are seven wrong ways to start emails:
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Wrong Spellings Weighs Strong Contents Down
You have to be cautious of everything you write in your business emails. Most emails have horrible beginnings because they fail to take cognizance of spellings of the names of their recipients. No recipient will celebrate you for spelling their names or company’s name wrongly.
Be sure of every detail you plan to present to your recipient. It could be shocking to have a salutation like the one below.
Dear Mr. Judge,
What a crack! It looks incredible but you actually wanted to spell ‘George’ but lose the real spelling for your low level of information. Don’t be cultured spellers; be sure of the names you are spelling in your emails as they mean a lot to your readers.
Also note that using names in your email salutation is not compulsory, especially in cases in which you do not know the names of the recipient. Addressing such recipients with their titles is the most conventional way to address them when names are not used as exemplified below.
Dear Sales Manager,
Dear Executive Director,
It is advisable and more appropriate to use this format in cases you are not sure of the recipient’s gender.
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Starting Your Email Without a Greeting
The first idea behind your email is to motivate your recipient. Going straight to the point without a courteous acknowledgement of the presence of the recipient makes your email a trash to discarded.
I will expect you at the meeting tomorrow at 2 pm as agreed upon by both of us during our last meeting.
The above is not a courteous way to start an email. The recipient will count it an unreasonable command and may not respond well to it.
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Starting Your Email With Too Long Sentences Will Bore Recipients
Your recipients are not ready to read too long sentences that will bore them. When you write emails to your clients, write short sentences that will be easily digestible for your readers.
It is wrong to write thus:
It is my greatest joy to write to you acknowledging the receipt of your email on 10th of January, 2015 which states clearly your interest in getting more information about our services to your company from time to time with interesting tips that will make our work together easier.
The sentence above is too long and will inevitably bore a recipient rather than inform them.
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Starting Your Email With Self Emphasis Lessens Recipients Interest
Your email is geared towards your recipients, not you.
Starting by talking about yourself and your company is self-emphasis. Make your recipients aware that you are more interested in them. It is wrong to start this way.
I am Wilson. My company is Nielsen Limited, a 60-year-old company which is remarkable for the supply of building products with 100 stores both nationally and internationally. Our services are recognized as the best and we strive to do better always.
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Starting Your Email With Incoherent Subject Lines
There are subject lines that do not correlate with the content of the emails. Such are unplanned and hurriedly written subject lines. It is wrong to start with such subject lines. For example, you are writing a follow-up email to a client you had a business meeting with, as a busy person, you have a constant email subject line which is,
Subject: Answers to Questions on Products and Services
I was glad to discuss with you on your business ideals of competence and loyalty.
I have decided to work on your suggestion of creating accessible sales unit. I will like us to meet tomorrow at 2 pm to discuss ways of making this idea work in the best interest of both of us.
The above email does not correlate with the subject line which makes the sender inconsistent and incoherent in their presentation.
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Starting Your Email with a Wrong Focus
There are cases in which your recipient requires some necessary information. Starting with a wrong focus is giving your recipient unnecessary talks before diving into the main issue.
I know I would have wasted a lot of time getting across to your questions. It was because I had a lot on ground like taking my baby to the hospital for treatment which took me a long time.
This is a poor way to start. The information is vital than the unnecessary talks over your personal issues.
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Starting Your Email Negatively Creates Negative Impressions
Start in a way that will create a positive impression such as appreciating your recipient and using a polite language.
It is unfortunate that your complaint came late which made it impossible for us to get across to you early. It came at a wrong time and we would handle it as soon as possible.
This is a negative way to start because you would have created a negative impression on your reader and the result will be negative.