How is a formal business email structured?
Email messages consist of two major sections, the message header and the message body, collectively known as content. The header is structured into fields such as From, To, CC, Subject (which should summarize briefly and clearly the content of the message), Date, and other information about the email. The body contains the message, which in the case of a business email, should include a formal salutation, a brief and to-the-point main message, a complimentary close and a standardized signature.
An example of a formally structured email
Find obligatory and optional elements of a structured business email (click on the plus and learn more).
Additional tips for writing formal business emails
For a formal email to work, it needs to be easy to read and understand by the person receiving it. And you do this by how you both structure what you write (where you say what) and the vocabulary you use in it. A good and well-written business email should adhere to the rules of formal structure to be fit for reading.
Therefore, its body should consist of salutation, introduction, message, conclusion, complimentary close and signature, and regular fonts like Arial or Times New Roman, size 11, colour black should be used.
The important information should be written first so the reader immediately knows what the message is about. Some of the additional tips for making your message reader-friendly and visually attractive include having one idea per paragraph (<100 words), using bullets and numbering, leaving plenty of white space and sending diagrams, pictures or maps instead of long descriptions.
Five wrong ways to start your business emails
