How to improve your email etiquette

Email is one of the most important methods of communication in the business world and for contractors it is a vital way to communicate with clients and land new contracts. Whether you’re establishing a point of contact, sending over a proposal or sharing important files for a project you’re working on, your email needs to represent you in a positive and professional manner. So just how can you further improve your email etiquette?

1. Use a professional greeting
   

   Whether you’re emailing a client for the first time or the tenth time, use a professional greeting. The trouble with using a slang salutation is that it can give the impression that you don’t respect the individual and could easily offend the wrong person. Greetings such as “Hello” and “Hi” are professional greetings which you can use to your advantage, whereas using “Howdy” or “Hey” to start a conversation may hinder your chances of building a solid relationship with that client.
   
   

2. Address the recipient by their name
   

   It may seem like an obvious thing to do but you should always include the recipient’s name when starting a new conversation through email. Avoid using “Sir/Madam” as this lacks personalisation and will likely be deleted from an inbox.
   
   

3. Be clear and concise
   

   If you’re sending an email which could potentially land you your next contract then make sure you stick to the point. The purpose of your email is to highlight how you are the best choice for the contract so be sure to sell yourself as best you can and substantiate it. We’d recommend using short sentences as they are snappier and easier to understand.
   
   

4. Add a signature
   

   A signature is a great way for you to add some important information about yourself and even your services. Don’t overload your signature, it should follow the same rules as your email, clear and concise. Things to include are your name, job title, a link to your website, links to your professional social media accounts and your telephone number. This prevents an information overload whilst still giving the recipient further options to explore what you do.
   
   

5. Proof read your emails before you send them
   

   It may sound like an obvious thing to do, but so many people don’t do it! Proof reading your emails before you send them reduces the likelihood of any grammatical errors. How many times have you received an email from someone and immediately spotted all the typos and missing words? Get in to good habits and stand out from the crowd!
   
   

6. Ensure the subject line reflects the email
   

   The subject line should give an insight on what the content of the email is. “Proposal for (relevant project)” would be a good subject line if you were sending across a proposal for your next contract. A subject line with no relevance to the email serves no purpose to anyone and makes filing your emails much more difficult than it should be.
   
   A simple change such as improving your email etiquette could make a difference to the number of contracts that you’re successful with and this extra work load could mean that you need to free up time elsewhere. This can easily be achieved by ensuring you are using an umbrella service provider that provides a slick and efficient service, or an accountancy service provider that you can trust. That’s where PayStream can help, not only can we offer help and support whenever you need it, but our award winning umbrella company and limited company accountancy services are designed to give you what you need. Whichever you choose, you benefit from free, quick and easy setup, a dedicated team and 24/7 portal access.