8 Tips To Master Email Writing
Read on โmy websiteโ | Read Time: 5 Minutes
Nothing screams "junior employee" faster than a rambling email with the ask buried at the bottom.
You know executives are skimming your emails, thinking "what does this person actually want?”
Today I'm sharing the 8 email rules that separate great communicators from everyone else. Master these, and watch how differently people respond to your messages.
The Problem That's Costing You Credibility
Most professionals write emails like this:
Subject: Strategic Partnership Opportunity
Hi Maria,TechFlow has recently established a strategic partnership with DataSync, a competitor to CloudConnect. We're currently identifying qualified leads within select TechFlow and DataSync Beta accounts for the integration. Currently we are working through 86 leads and forming rep-to-rep connections.Could you help us validate if your accounts (Retail Corp, Fashion Plus, & Government Services) are Net New or Existing opportunities for us?
This doesn’t seem like a bad email at first glance. But "Strategic partnership," "86 leads," "rep-to-rep connections" — all this jargon before we get to the actual ask buried at the bottom. Maria has to wade through corporate word salad before understanding what you need.
The 8 Rules That Change Everything
Rule #1: Start With Your Ask Up Front
Here's the same email, transformed:
Subject: [2 min] Validate 3 DataSync leadsHi Maria,Ask: Can you confirm if you've had active conversations with these 3 DataSync contacts in your accounts?Context: DataSync built an integration with TechFlow. I'm reaching out because they've identified potential buyers in your accounts.
BAM. "Ask: Can you confirm?" — right there in the first line. The bullet points make it scannable. Maria knows exactly what you need in 3 seconds.
Rule #2: Subject Line Magic
Keep subject lines under 50 characters with clear calls-to-action:
โ Bad: Request for strategic partnership opportunity between Nike and Kellogg's Corporationโ Good: [2 min read] Review Kellogg's partnership proposal
Add a time estimate, specify the exact action, and ruthlessly cut words. Your recipient can immediately prioritize this in their inbox.
Why under 50 characters? People often check emails on their phones. The narrower screen will cut off a portion of your subject line if it’s too long.
Rule #3: Bold Your Action Items
For recap emails, forget the fluff. People don’t have time for your conclusions or takeaways. Just bold the company names and who's responsible for what:
Subject: Next Steps - Strategic Alliance PartnershipHi Rachel,Thanks for connecting us with Strategic Alliance registrants. Please review these action items:Strategic Alliance:• Rachel to introduce us to ~25 prioritized accounts in Column F for demos• Rachel to confirm the best way to connect with Column D accountsTechFlow:• Our team will register for the conference using Emily's discount code• We'll schedule meetings once email intros are madeLet me know if you can make these intros by Friday.
See those bolded names? Rachel can scan this in 5 seconds and spot exactly what she owns. No hunting through paragraphs trying to figure out who does what.
Rule #4: Name-Drop Strategic Allies
When making requests to executives, mention trusted allies:
โ Weak approach:Alex, for our upcoming strategic partnership meeting with Walmart, I'm preparing an agenda and would like your input. Can you ask Mark and Jennifer to join? I think it would be helpful to share our AI strategy and see if that gets them excited about partnering with us.
This feels like you're going rogue with some random agenda. Why should Alex trust your judgment?
โ Strong approach:Alex, would you be willing to ask Mark and Jennifer to meet with us at the on-site?Would love for you to pitch our revamped AI strategy that Marcus developed to Walmart That way, we can explore more custom, strategic partnerships vs. standard ones.
"That Marcus developed" — three magic words. Now it's not just your idea, it's backed by Marcus whom Alex deeply trusts. This dramatically increases your response rate.
Nurture relationships with people who have influence over your target audience just as much as you do with your subjects directly. This is a next-level skill called โmultithreadingโ, and I’ve done it both externally and internally.
Rule #5: Kill Passive Voice
โ Passive voice disaster:It has been brought to my attention that customers haven't been easy for us to come by in the past quarter, despite us having launched new products that were supposed to drive more pipeline.
Who brought it to your attention? Are you a bystander in your own company?
โ Active voice power:We haven't closed as many deals as we had hoped with our new product launch.
Direct. Honest. You own it. And it's literally one-third the length. Active voice makes you sound like a leader, not a bureaucrat.
Rule #6: One Thread, One Topic
Keep all Project Phoenix discussions in the Project Phoenix thread. Your colleagues will thank you for not creating inbox terrorism with scattered updates across multiple threads.
Rule #7: Write Like You Speak
โ Corporate speak:I am writing to inquire about the possibility of scheduling a meeting to discuss our Q4 objectives and align on strategic priorities moving forward.
Nobody says this. "The possibility of scheduling" — just ask! "Strategic priorities moving forward" — pure corporate fluff.
โ Human speak:Hey Sarah, do you have 30 minutes this week to discuss our Q4 goals? I want to ensure we're aligned before the quarter starts.
"Do you have 30 minutes?" — that's how humans talk. "Make sure we're aligned" — clear and direct.
The secret: Read your email out loud. If you stumble over the words or feel ridiculous saying them, delete and rewrite.
Rule #8: The ALERT Framework
Before hitting send, use this 10-second mental check:
- Action: Is my ask clear?
- Length: Can I cut 30% more?
- Essentials: What context actually matters to them?
- Recipient: Who should REALLY receive this message? Am I missing anyone?
- Timing: When should I send this? When do I need a response?
This isn't about rewriting your whole email. It's a quick mental scan that catches those moments where you're about to send three paragraphs of context for a simple yes/no question.
The Bottom Line
Mastering email isn't about impressing people with fancy words. It's about respecting everyone's time, including your own.
These 8 rules won't just make you a better emailer. They'll make you someone people actually want to work with. Someone who sounds like leadership material.
If you want to master organizing your thoughts instantly when communicating, check out โThe Impromptu Speakers Academyโ. It's my flagship program for professionals who want to communicate with clarity and confidence in any situation. When you join, you'll get exclusive access to the 2-hour kick-off call and group coaching session with me on Thursday, August 21st at 3pm Pacific Time (session will be recorded). Hope to see you inside.
Best,
Preston