Email

Strategies and Best Practices

Story

Email Still Rules

In 2024, Forbes reported that despite Slack threads, Teams chats, and project management dashboards, workers overwhelmingly preferred email as their main mode of business communication. Even in hybrid and remote environments, employees chose email for its clarity, traceability, and professional tone.

Andrew Brodsky, in his 2024 book Ping: The Secrets of Successful Virtual Communication, confirms this trend. While workers may prefer chat for speed, they still turn to email when they want to document decisions, maintain professionalism, or convey a more thoughtful message. Email, Brodsky writes, is the default for high-responsibility communication—and knowing how to write it well creates career advantage.

Main Idea

Email Remains the Cornerstone of Professional Communication

Despite a growing number of workplace communication tools, email is still the most widely used and preferred method. Writing clear, professional emails is a vital skill for effective business communication and leadership.

"Email is still how business gets done. Learn to write it well."

Agenda

What You’ll Learn in This Chapter

How to configure your professional email presence
Why subject lines and structure matter
How to write concise, scannable messages
What etiquette rules still apply—and why they matter
How to manage CC, BCC, attachments, and replies with professionalism
Insights from Ping on when (and how) to use email effectively

Reasons

Why Good Email Writing Matters

1. Configure Your Email for Professionalism

Your display name and signature block are part of your brand. Brodsky reminds us that first impressions in virtual communication often happen before the message is read—through the sender's name, formatting, and tone.

TIPS

Use a clear name-based display (not initials or student IDs).
Include a professional signature block with your name, title, organization, and LinkedIn.
Use school-affiliated email while in college and brand-aligned personal email after graduation.

Use a clear name-based display (not initials or student IDs).
Include a professional signature block with your name, title, organization, and LinkedIn.
Use school-affiliated email while in college and brand-aligned personal email after graduation.

2. Write Clear, Specific Subject Lines

Subject lines are headlines. They determine whether your message gets opened. Brodsky emphasizes that vague subject lines signal disorganization and lower urgency.

Vague	Better
"Hi"	"Strategy Meeting Confirmed for July 5 at 2 p.m."
"Important"	"Action Required: Q4 Budget Approvals Needed"

TIP

If you're requesting action, say so in the subject line. If you're just informing, signal that too. People scan their inbox by intent.

3. Be Concise and Easy to Read

Avoid TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read). Use bullet points, bolded subheadings, and white space. According to Brodsky, long paragraphs decrease perceived urgency and make your audience more likely to delay responding.

Quick Wins:

Put the main point in the first sentence.
Break long messages into scannable chunks.
Bold important deadlines or action items.

4. Use Professional Etiquette and Tone

Tone doesn't travel well digitally. Brodsky notes that email is often interpreted more negatively than intended. Always revise for clarity and warmth.

Do:

Use greetings and sign-offs
Match tone to audience and context
Avoid sarcasm, ambiguous jokes, or excessive emojis

Don't:

Use ALL CAPS (shouting)
Skip names or closings on first contact

"With no tone of voice or facial expressions, words carry more emotional weight. Choose them carefully." —Ping

5. Be Timely and Set Expectations

Email isn’t instant messaging. Brodsky advises communicating your response rhythm: "I'll reply to this by tomorrow" sets expectations and eases anxiety.

TIPS

Respond within 24 hours
Use out-of-office replies when away
Don’t train others to expect immediate responses unless that’s your job

6. Manage Threads Thoughtfully

Email threads can become messy fast. Use subject lines that reflect updated context. Start a new thread when the topic shifts.

Use CC to:

Inform stakeholders
Maintain transparency
Invite feedback from secondary recipients

Use BCC to:

Protect privacy in mass emails
Avoid reply-all clutter

Avoid Reply-All unless:

Everyone truly needs the update

TIP

When in doubt, reply to just the sender. Fewer recipients = less cognitive load.

7. Handle Attachments Professionally

Brodsky notes that poorly managed attachments can derail productivity. Always reference them in the message body and provide context.

Best Practices:

Use PDFs for final documents
Link to cloud storage for large files
Mention the attachment in the body of the message
Confirm the recipient before sending sensitive info

Task

Write, Reflect, Improve

Take one of your recent or upcoming assignments and practice:

Write an email version of your message.
Ask AI to revise it for clarity and tone.
Edit again, adding personalization and adjusting for your audience.

Then ask:

What did the AI help with?
What did you have to fix?
How did you tailor the message to your professional context?

Remember: Good email is not about flair. It’s about clarity, consideration, and getting things done—exactly what professionals notice.