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Who has time for bad – and bad often means overly lengthy – business emails? Not me. That’s for sure. (Even though AI email summarizing tools are super helpful nowadays.) But, writing better business emails is possible and starts with understanding the recipient and getting the length right— not just for the overall message but especially for individual paragraphs.
And I get it: Email has a ton of baggage for many of us. It’s been around forever and negative experiences with it have been abound for perhaps everyone who has used it. I know that’s true for me.
So, how can we make business email better? Here are some ways. And, yup, it all starts with the sender. Let’s look at:
- The recipients’ needs
- Email formatting
- AI tools for better business email
- When longer emails work
- Conciseness of emails
Understanding email readers and their needs
Understanding the recipient has become increasingly important as email volume continues to grow. The number of messages people receive in their inboxes is overwhelming, making it crucial to help people get through their inboxes efficiently while ensuring they stop at your message, understand it, and value it. That’s not usually accomplished by sending a 1,500-word message filled with lengthy paragraphs.
It comes back to:
- What do they need to know?
- Why do they care?
- What makes them even read and stay with your email?
The sheer volume of messages flooding inboxes makes it crucial to keep things concise and to the point. Short, focused paragraphs help readers quickly scan and understand messages. When paragraphs get too long, important information can get buried and overlooked.
“You didn’t see my request? I sent it last week in one of my 2,993-word emails,” represents exactly what we want to avoid. Simply sending emails doesn’t guarantee they were received, understood, or acted upon. And please don’t send another “Per my last email…” message. These situations often arise from poorly structured emails where key information gets lost in dense paragraphs.
Long emails – especially ones with long run-on sentences in never-ending paragraphs are particularly problematic. They are even worse when an important takeaway is embedded within them. Breaking up these walls of text into digestible chunks makes your message more accessible and more likely to achieve its intended purpose.
Understanding that formatting impacts cognitive load and recipient understanding plays an important part.
It’s important to consider how personality types prefer different communication styles. For example, some programs analyze recipients’ DISC personality profiles to suggest appropriate communication approaches, including optimal paragraph length and overall message structure.
Some readers prefer direct, concise paragraphs that get straight to the point, while others appreciate more detailed explanations with supporting context. Understanding these preferences helps ensure messages resonates with the recipient. This personalization extends beyond just length to encompass tone, style, and organization of information.
Read next: How long should a news release be?
Formatting emails for impact
The most effective business email paragraphs follow a clear structure. Each paragraph should contain two to three sentences maximum, with each sentence limited to around 15 words. This approach ensures your message remains focused and easy to comprehend. The entire email should ideally stay between 75-100 words for maximum impact.
When crafting paragraphs, focus on one key concept per section. This helps readers process information more effectively and reduces the chance of important points getting overlooked. Clear paragraph breaks provide visual breathing room and make the email more inviting to read. Consider making your main request or key point in the first paragraph to ensure it doesn’t get buried.
Consider the five-sentence email approach, which encourages keeping entire emails to five sentences or less.
How AI tools are transforming email writing
AI email assistants have transformed the landscape of email writing. These sophisticated tools analyze writing in real time, offering suggestions to optimize paragraph length and overall message clarity. They’ve become invaluable allies in crafting more effective business communications.
Grammarly’s Mac (and Safari) extension works well for me. After installation, it integrates seamlessly across different programs and apps, providing real-time suggestions for improving clarity while maintaining appropriate length. The tool’s ability to work across platforms ensures consistency in communication style regardless of where you’re writing. You can easily toggle it on and off for specific apps if you prefer not to use it everywhere.
Smartlead’s AI Email Copywriter represents another advancement in email composition. The tool analyzes your target audience and crafts engaging, personalized content while maintaining appropriate length and structure. It helps streamline your email outreach by understanding your ideal customer profile and ensuring messages resonate with specific audience segments.
HoppyCopy’s AI Email Copywriter offers proven formulas like AIDA (Attention → Interest → Desire → Action) and PAS (Pain → Agitate → Solution). The platform generates content for various email types including product launches, welcome emails, abandoned cart sequences, and more. And while these are designed for marketing emails, the concept can be applied to all type of business emails.
When longer emails serve a purpose
Despite the general preference for brevity, certain situations call for longer emails. Documentation of complex project details, comprehensive background information, or detailed follow-ups may require more extensive communication. In these cases, the key is to structure the longer content effectively.
Long emails can potentially be useful for documenting something in a project that was already discussed. However, they are not good for having a lengthy collaborative exchange. People often read things incorrectly, and without body language to read intent, misunderstandings can multiply in longer messages.
Or consider moving that documentation elsewhere – like a project management software tool.
Even in longer emails, maintain paragraph discipline. Use clear section breaks and organize information logically. Consider leading with a brief summary of key points before diving into details. This approach helps readers understand the email’s purpose quickly while still having access to comprehensive information when needed.
Mastering conciseness in business email
Effective email writing isn’t just about keeping things short – it’s about being clear and purposeful with every word. Start paragraphs with the main idea and support it with relevant details. Avoid mixing multiple topics within a single paragraph, as this often leads to confusion and reduced comprehension.
White space becomes your ally in email composition. Clear paragraph breaks help readers process information in manageable chunks. They also make the email more visually appealing and less intimidating, increasing the likelihood that recipients will read and respond to your message.
When a message appears to need more length, consider whether that’s a sign to pick up the phone or hop on a video call instead. Sometimes, what requires a long email is better handled through direct conversation.
Today’s email tools offer sophisticated assistance in maintaining appropriate length and structure. AI writing assistants provide real-time suggestions, while grammar and style checkers help refine the message.
The key to successful implementation lies in the thoughtful integration of these tools into the workflow.
But after all, effective business email communication isn’t about adhering to strict rules, but rather about finding the right balance of the right context and audience. By understanding recipients, utilizing available tools, and following best practices for email structure, you can create messages that consistently achieve their intended purpose while respecting your readers’ time and attention.
The goal remains simple: help recipients quickly understand and act on the message.