How to write a formal email? A Complete Guide for 2025

We write emails daily.

Whether you are running a business, working in a corporate job, or B2B professional writing, it’s a part of your routine.

Do you ever get into a situation where you find yourself confused about the tone of your emails?

It’s quite normal.

According to recent data from the Radicati Group

Business professionals send and receive an average of 126 emails per day, with this number projected to grow to 140 by 2025.

That’s quite a big number.

Your ability to craft compelling, professional emails can significantly impact your business relationships and career success.

In this article, you’ll find out how to write formal emails.

Let’s get into it.

What is a formal email?

Formal emails are a bit different from other emails. These are in polite tone, to the point, and well-structured emails.

Any work related conversation or any professional conversation is done via formal emailing.

These emails are different from normal emails that we share with our friends and colleagues.

Anatomy of Professional Email

1. Subject Line

Your email’s subject line is its first impression on the recipient. It’s your email’s headline, and it determines whether your recipient will open your message.

Campaign Monitor reports that

47% of email recipients open emails based on the subject line alone.

Best tips for Subject Lines:

Keep it under 60 characters
Be specific and relevant
Use action-oriented verbs
Avoid spam triggers like “urgent” or excessive punctuation
Build curiosity

Examples :

– Proposal for Q1 2025 Marketing Strategy

– Following Up: Marketing Director Position Interview

– Request for Partnership Meeting – [Your Company]

These subject lines show a professional tone and value in your emails.

2. Professional Greeting

Your greeting sets the tone for the entire email. Research shows that emails with personalized greetings have 26% higher open rates. Make your recipient feel like you are talking to them.

Examples:

Appropriate Formal Greetings:

Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. [Last Name],
Dear [Full Name],
Dear [Title] [Last Name],

For unknown recipients:

Dear Hiring Manager,
To whom it may concern, (use sparingly)
Dear Selection Committee,

For a group or a team

Dear All,
Dear[Team/Department Name],

For Business communication

Dear Valued Client

3. Opening Paragraph

The first paragraph should immediately state your purpose. Studies show you have approximately 8 seconds to capture your reader’s attention.

Example Opening:

” I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to discuss our upcoming partnership opportunity in the B2B software sector. Based on our previous conversation at the Tech Summit last week, I believe there are several synergies we could explore. ”

4. Body Content

This part of your formal email should discuss relevant points while being direct and to the point. It must include all the essential details needed.

The best tip is to write an email that covers the visual screen size.

Structure your email body using the SCRAP principle:

Situation = Context of your email
Complication = The problem or opportunity
Resolution = Your proposed solution
Action = What you want the recipient to do
Politeness = Maintaining professional courtesy

Statistics for Email Body:

Optimal length = 50-125 words
Readability level = 8th grade or lower
Paragraphs = 2-3 sentences maximum

5. Formal email formatting

Visual Hierarchy

– Use short paragraphs

– Implement bullet points for lists

– Include white space for readability

– Bold important information sparingly

Font Guidelines

Stick to professional fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
Size: 10-12 points
Color: Black or dark gray
Avoid fancy formatting or colored backgrounds

6. Call-to-Action (CTA)

Your formal emails must include a call to action, no matter what your end goal is. Make your desired outcome clear.

According to HubSpot,

Emails with a single CTA increase clicks by 371%.

Good CTAs:

Please review and provide your feedback by [date]
Could we schedule a 30-minute call this week?
Kindly confirm receipt of this proposal

7. Professional Email Signature

Your signature should include:

Full Name
Title
Company
Contact Information
Professional Social Media (Optional)
Company logo (optional)

Common Email Scenarios and Templates

1. Introduction Email

2. Follow-Up Email

Tips for Email Excellence

1. Timing Matters

In professional life, timing matters a lot.

The best days to send are Tuesday through Thursday
Optimal sending times can be 10 AM – 2 PM recipient’s local time
Response time = Within 24 hours for business emails (response as quickly as possible)

2. Mobile Optimization

61% of emails are now opened on mobile devices. Keep these things in mind;

Use short paragraphs
Implement plenty of white space
Test your email on multiple devices
Keep subject lines under 30 characters for mobile visibility

3. Cultural Considerations

When writing internationally:

Research cultural communication norms
Be mindful of time zones
Use clear, simple language
Avoid idioms and colloquialisms

4. Things not to do

We have talked about things that are important for formal email writing. Now we are going to talk about things that should not be in your emails:

Using all caps
Multiple exclamation points
Emotional language
Lengthy emails (keep under 200 words when possible)
Reply-all unless necessary

AI in Formal Emails

Some Modern AI tools can help you in this area, like:

Check grammar and tone
Suggest professional alternatives
Analyze sentiment
Optimize subject lines
Schedule sending times

However, maintain authenticity by:

Personalizing AI generated content
Double check all suggestions
Maintain your unique voice
Using AI as a tool, not a replacement

Measuring Email Success

Key Metrics to Track:

Open rates (industry average: 21.5%)
Response rates (aim for >30%)
Click-through rates (if applicable)
Time to response
Meeting conversion rates

Conclusion

Formal email writing is an important business skill that directly impacts your professional success. Follow these guidelines and consistently practice proper email etiquette, and you’ll be able to create better results in your business communications.

Remember these things;

Clear, concise subject lines
Professional greetings and closings
Well-structured content
Clear calls-to-action
Proper formatting and signature

Most importantly, always proofread before sending and ensure your message adds value to the recipient’s inbox.

Quick Checklist

Before you press send button, verify:

✓ Clear and specific subject line

✓ Professional greeting

✓ Concise and well structured content

✓ Clear CTA

✓ Professional signature

✓ Proper formatting

✓ Grammar and spelling

✓ Attachments (if mentioned)

✓ Tone and courtesy

✓ Mobile friendly format

Thanks for reading 🙂