How to write formal email

6 samples on how to send a formal email

Learn how to write a formal email including format, structure, greetings, body, and sign-offs with the help of our formal email examples and template.

Table of contents

Formal emails play a crucial role in communicating information clearly and without errors in our business, professional and personal lives. So, whether you’re enquiring about an opportunity, inviting someone to an event, or resigning from a job, knowing how to write a formal email is an essential skill you need to know.

In this guide on how to write a formal email, we break down the process into simple steps. Then, we describe the ideal formal email format and provide a selection of formal email examples that you can use as the basis for your correspondence.В В

What is a formal email?

A formal email is an email that you send to a person (or group of people) that you don’t know or an important email that you are sending to a person in a position of authority – your boss, for example.

Writing a formal email is similar to writing a formal letter, with the same structure, salutations, and sign-off. They’re free from spelling and grammatical errors, planned and written with a clear purpose.

Formal emails are polite, professional, and get straight to the point. They’re 100% focused on an outcome, leaving no room for mistakes or misunderstandings.

Some examples of formal emails include:

You may be asking why, in a digital world, we still need formal emails?В

Many organizations and individuals have indeed shifted to communicating less formally. However,В US researchers foundВ this can cause problems in the workplace, contributing to what they describe as a growing risk of «incivility». Organizations where individuals communicate formally, politely, and with respect are less likely to experience conflict, they say.

Formal emails have some influential friends. The Plain English Campaign has been calling for clarity in communication since 1979. «Remember that people are unlikely to be offended if you are too formal, but some may think you are being rude if you are too informal,» they advise.

The solution? «Always think about the reader.»В

We agree. If you know the person you are writing to, then you have the freedom to write more informally. If you don’t know the person or the message you are sending is important, be formal.В

We’ve written before about the importance of professional communication. To learn more, check out our guide onВ how to write a professional email.

Why write a formal email?

«People tend to believe that they can communicate over email more effectively than they actually can,» researchers at theВ American Psychological AssociationВ found. In a 2005 study, they performed a series of experiments and concluded that it’s hard to convey emotion and tone over email.В

The reason? Because of our own «egocentrism,» we’re unable to detach ourselves from our perspective and see someone else’s.В

Put simply, it’s easy for misunderstandings to occur if we’re too friendly or informal in our emails. TheВ tone of voiceВ may not be suitable for communicating vital information, too.В

Formal emails remove the potential for misunderstanding and misrepresentation. It’s all about observing the correctВ business email etiquette.

A formal email has a clear purpose and treats the reader with respect. It’s written in a standard way that travels across borders and cultures.В

Writing formal emails can benefit anyone in business, including leaders, says the influentialВ Forbes columnist Benjamin Laker. Emails should be respectful of emotions and delivered with empathy. Most importantly, your email says a lot about your «personal brand». How do you want to be perceived?

A well-written formal email is polite and professional, two powerful brand attributes that will improve your brand and increase business success.

Formal email format

Creating great formal emails is very simple. There are just five parts to the perfect formal business email format:

Each piece of correspondence follows the same formal email structure, which means that once you’ve mastered it, you’ll never need to change.

Formal email subject line

In business, time is money, so be brief.

Your subject line should be short and easy to understand. Tell your reader precisely what’s in the message. The ideal formal email subject line is a few words: «Leave Request», «Meeting Request», or «Customer Complaint», for example.В

Formal email subject lines shouldn’t attempt to be overly friendly or funny either.В

How to start a formal email

The formal way to start an email is to use ‘Dear’.

It may seem old-fashioned or strange if you know the person, but it’s about following some set rules that we’ve used for generations to communicate formally. Dear is a formal email salutation that continues to be used to this day.

If you know the person’s gender, you can use what’s called an honorific – Mr, Mrs, etc. – but we’d suggest simply using the full name if you have it. This advice may seem to contradict some of the older guides on formal writing, but it reflects broader changes in society.

If you want to know how not to open a formal email, avoid «Dear Sir/Madam» or stuffy-sounding collective terms such as «To whom it may concern».

Formal email greetings with no name

Suppose you’re worried about how to write a formal email without knowing the name. In that case, you can use «Dear Sir/Madam» as a suitable substitute. This approach is practical, too, if you don’t know how to address a formal email to a company.

When deciding how to start a formal email to multiple recipients, you have several options. For example, you can address the team («Dear team»), collective («Dear all», «Dear Colleagues»), or for events («Greetings»).В

You can check out our guide onВ how to start an email.В

Formal email opening lines

There is no standard formal email opening. Instead, you’ll have to decide what’s appropriate for the communication and the context.В

If you don’t know the person (or organization) you are writing to, it’s polite to introduce yourself. However, if you know the person, you don’t need to do this and can jump straight into the meat of your message.

We provide examples of several formal email opening sentences below. If you need some more email intro inspiration, read ourВ article on best email opening lines.

We would advise against using empty phrases such as «I hope you are doing well» in a formal email. Such phrases are clichГ©s that add nothing to a message, and you should avoid them.

Formal email body

So, you’ve engaged the recipient and introduced yourself (if required), now it’s time to get to the point.В В

We provide some examples below, but formal email communication should follow the Pyramid Principle. Developed by a leading executive at McKinsey, theВ Pyramid PrincipleВ states that you should start with the answer first and structure the information underneath it to support your argument.

In a formal email, the recipient will want to know what the message is about and why they should care about it. So, tell them!

You can see some examples below of how we address several examples. We also illustrate how to end a formal email, including common formal email closing sentences.

Formal email sign off

A formal email ending uses a specific ending (or a valediction to give it its formal name). Readers will be familiar with (and expect) formal ways to end an email.

In most cases, you’ll use the formal email ending «Yours sincerely» if you know the name of the person you are writing to.

If you don’t (or are writing to a group of people, for example), you’d typically end a formal email with «Yours faithfully».

However, there are changes in how to end an email formally. Examples of acceptable formal endings include «Sincerely», «Regards», and «With best wishes».

The best way to end a formal email depends on the individual, the context, and what you’re communicating. In most cases, we’d suggest sticking with either «Yours sincerely», or «yours faithfully».

Are you struggling to find a fitting ending? See our in-depth guide onВ how to end an email.В

Formal email examples

To illustrate the points above, we’ve created a selection of formal email writing examples for situations you may encounter.В

While it can be helpful to see an example of a formal email, we don’t recommend that you cut and paste these and use them yourself. You should tailor every formal email to your specific circumstances. Instead, use these as an essential guide to increasing understanding before creating your own – or usingВ FlowriteВ to write your emails for you.

Formal introduction email

There are several reasons you may want to introduce yourself formally. For example, you may inquire about a job vacancy, research opportunity or reach out to someone you want to ask for some advice. If you’re struggling with how to introduce yourself via email formally, this one’s for you.В

Check out our formal introduction email sample below for an example.

Dear Professor Stuart,

I’m a third-year student at the University of Oxford. I’m contacting you to request access to your online series of tutorials. I’m fascinated to listen and learn from you and believe these resources would support my current studies.В

If you are willing to provide me access, please contact me here with the details. I await your reply.

Yours sincerely,
Sarah Thomas

Formal thank you email

After excellent service or support, it’s polite to show your appreciation, but just how to thank in an email formal?

In thisВ formal thank you email sample, we demonstrate how to construct a personal and positive reply that can be shared within an organization and externally with other clients or customers.

Dear Philip Rose,

I want to thank you for the hospitality you showed during a recent stay at your property. My partner and I enjoyed a fantastic break and would like to express our gratitude to you and your staff for all your hard work.В

Please extend my warmest regards to your staff. We will be delighted to return in the future.

Yours sincerely,
Sarah Thomas

Formal resignation email

When resigning from a job, it’s vital that you send a formal resignation email. The resignation not only notifies your employer that you are leaving but also acts as proof of your resignation date.

A formal email resignation can be short – in some cases, just one line. However, as you’ll see in this formal resignation email sample, we’ve taken the time to show our appreciation to our employer.

Dear Thomas Payne,

I am writing to inform you that I am resigning from my position of Head of Marketing.

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to learn and develop in the organization, and I have enjoyed my time here. I’m willing to work with you to support the appointment of my successor.

You can contact me here at any point to discuss any support I may offer or any details you may need from me to make the transition as smooth as possible.В

Yours sincerely,
Steve Welch

Formal invitation email for an event

Here’s a formal invitation email sample sent to a group of colleagues. Every formal invitation email should include a clear subject line, all details about the event (including date, time, and location), and how people can RSVP.

Here’s a formal invitation email for an evening event at business.

I want to invite you to an event we are holding for Steve Welch, our Head of Marketing who is leaving on 12 December. The event will take place between 7 pm – 12 pm on 12 December.

Numbers are limited, and guests will be required to RSVP before the event to ensure adequate space and refreshments.

If you would like to attend, RSVP to this email with any dietary requirements. If you cannot attend, we encourage you to send your messages of support for Steve before he leaves to start his new role.

Regards,
Mandy Smith

Formal complaint email

If you have received poor service or are disappointed with a product, a formal complaint email can raise awareness of your issues. In formal emails, it’s important to state facts but to avoid becoming overly emotional.В В

Here’s an example of a formal complaint email.

I am contacting you to complain about the service I received on 12 September. Your staff was rude and uncommunicative during my visit.

I have been a long-time user of your services and was disappointed that, on this occasion, you failed to live up to your typically high standards.

I want to request a formal apology and learn what you plan to do to avoid this happening in the future.

Yours faithfully,В
Steve Roberts

Formal apology email

Composing a formal apology email can be challenging, but admitting a mistake has been made is crucial at limiting damage and restoring a relationship.

Here’s a straight-to-the-point formal apology email sample from a company toВ deal with a customer who has made a complaint.

Dear Steve Roberts,

My name is Ryan Davies, and I am a Customer Service Representative at XXX. I want to take this opportunity to formally apologize for the service you received on 12 September 2021.В

Unfortunately, we failed to reach our high standards on this occasion. We have spoken with all team members involved and have reiterated the importance of customer service. I would like to assure you that this will not happen again.

You can contact me directly if you would like to discuss your complaint further. We have attached a voucher for ВЈ10 for you to use on your next visit, to show our appreciation.

Sincerely,В
Ryan Davies

Want to write better formal emails?В Try Flowrite

Writing formal emails is simple if you follow our process. The formal email templates included in this blog post should provide a guide but should always be adapted and updated to reflect your specific circumstances.В However, there’s an even easier way. Flowrite is an AI writing tool that turns short instructions into ready-to-send emails and message. If you’re still struggling to find the right words for writing formal email, Flowrite can help you get started and offer some inspiration – or even write the whole email for you with click of a button. As you can see from the example below, all it takes is a click of button.

Do you still wonder how to send a formal email? We hope not. The next time you are writing a formal email just keep these examples in mind and you can communicate with confidence.

Supercharge your communication with Flowrite

Turn words into ready-to-send emails and messages.

How to Properly Write a Formal Email (That Gets Results)

Do you need to know how to write a formal email? If you’re used to writing casual emails to friends and family, you may not know how to write a formal email properly.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Many people struggle with writing a formal email. This article will help.

Formal emails are often called for when you’re sending an email to someone you don’t know well. A formal email is also the right choice for some business situations. If you’re not sure whether to send a formal or informal email, it’s usually better to send a formal message.

Are you ready to learn how to write a formal email? (graphic source)

In this article, you’ll learn how a formal email differs from an informal email. We’ll provide examples of the various parts of an email so you can see the difference between informal and formal email messages. We’ll also show you how to properly write a formal email, format a formal email, and send a formal email. Plus, you’ll learn how email signature templates can give your formal email more impact.

Get more helpful email tips and professional strategies in our free ebook, The Ultimate Guide to Inbox Zero Mastery.

Now let’s get started with learning–either by watching the video tutorial:

or by walking through the detailed written steps below on how to write formal emails.

1. What Is a Formal Email?

A formal email is typically sent to someone you don’t know well or to someone who’s in authority. Examples of someone who you might send a formal email to include your professor, a public official, or even a company you’re doing business with.

If your workplace has a formal environment, use formal emails with your boss and colleagues unless you’re told to do otherwise. Many workplaces are moving towards a more casual environment and this often carries over to email communications. If you’re not sure what’s right for your workplace, ask.

Casual Versus Formal Email: What’s the Difference?

A formal email differs from a casual email. A casual email usually goes to a person you know well—often it’s someone you’re on good terms with such as a friend or family member. When sending a casual email, you don’t need to worry as much about structure and tone.

In fact, part of what makes a formal email different from a casual email is the structure. A formal email has a very defined structure, with a definite salutation (the opening part of the email), signature section, opening sentence, and body.

You also use language differently in a formal email than in a casual email. Avoid using abbreviations, contractions, slang, emoticons, and other informal terminology. The tone of a formal email is different as well. An informal email may not even use complete sentences or proper grammar, but a formal email always does.

Here’s an example of formal email language:

The meeting is scheduled for December 5th at 9:30 a.m. All students must attend. Your project updates are needed.

Compare the formal language with the informal email language in this email:

Required meeting—Dec 5, 9:30 a.m. Updates needed. See ya there. 🙂

Both statements share the same information. But the tone of the first is much more formal. Notice the incomplete sentence, slang, and emoticon in the informal example.

2. Writing a Formal Email

While an informal email can often be sent quickly, writing a formal email typically takes a bit more thought and a bit more time. Careful consideration needs to be given to each email element.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at some common elements of a formal email:

Subject Line

The subject line is what the reader sees in their inbox. If the subject line is misleading or missing information, your email may not get read. The message may even be sent to spam. The more formal your email is, the more detailed your subject line should be. But beware of making your subject line too long.

Here’s an example of a formal email subject line:

Required Student Meeting: December 5th, 9:30 a.m.

Compare that subject line with this informal email subject line:

Notice that the first subject line is more informative and complete. The informal subject line, sent to someone you know well, just barely touches on the topic.

Salutation

The salutation directly addresses the person you’re sending the email to. It’s always used in formal email messages, but sometimes skipped in informal messages. Here are some examples of formal and informal salutations:

If you’re sending the email to a group, address the entire group. Here’s an example:

If you’ve got the person’s name you want to send the email too, it’s proper to use their name along with any title the person has. Here’s a sample formal salutation for an individual:

If you don’t know the name of the person you’re trying to reach, you should make every effort to discover that information. As a last resort, it’s okay (but less effective) to address the email to the title of the person you hope to reach. Here’s an example of a formal salutation without a name:

In rare instances where you don’t know a person’s name or title, it’s okay to use this salutation:

Contrast the formal salutation examples with the following informal salutations:

Informal Salutation for a Group

Informal Salutation for an Individual

As you can see, the formal and informal salutations are very different.

Introduction

The opening of a formal email often requires the sender to introduce themselves. In contrast, informal emails are sent to someone you know and the introduction isn’t needed.

Here’s an example of an opening in a formal email:

My name is Jordan Smith. I am the professor of Statistics for XYZ University. This message is for all current students.

In this article, you’ll find even more examples of email openings:

The body of a formal email typically elaborates on the purpose of the email. Elaboration may not be needed in an informal email. Although the body contains detailed information, it’s important to write clearly and concisely in a formal email. Remember your reader isn’t familiar with you and may not be familiar with your topic. You don’t want your email recipient to misunderstand an important point.

Closing

How you end a formal email is equally important. Since the email closing is the last thing your recipient looks at, your email closing can leave a lasting impression.

A good formal email closing also reminds the reader who you are since it should include your full name, contact information, and title (if appropriate). If you can, use a professional signature template for added impact. (Learn more about signature templates in the next section.)

In contrast, an email closing may be extremely casual for an informal email. In some instances where the recipient is well known to you, you may even omit the email closing.

The most common way to start a formal email closing is with the word «Sincerely.» It may be a common closing, but it’s also a safe closing.

Here’s an example of a formal email closing:

Jordan Smith
Professor of Statistics, XYZ College
[Email address goes here]
[Phone number goes here]

In these articles, we provide even more examples of formal (and informal) email closings:

You now have the information you need to write each section of a formal email. Formal emails are very similar to professional emails, since professional emails are often written in a formal style. The principles that apply to professional emails are also useful for formal emails. Learn how to write an effective professional email in this tutorial:

3. Formatting and Structuring a Formal Email

While many informal emails are unstructured, how you format and structure your formal email is important. At a minimum, a formal email should contain all of the following elements:

As we mentioned earlier, there are many similarities between a business email and a professional email. This tutorial explains the proper way to structure a business email:

Your email font choice is also important when you’re formatting a formal email. Although many modern email platforms allow you to use many different fonts, it’s best to stick with a common, readable font like Verdana, Calibri, Times New Roman or Georgia. Helvetica and Arial are common sans-serif fonts you could use as well.

Avoid novelty fonts like Comic Sans, handwriting fonts like Bradley Hand, and script fonts like Brush Script. Remember that if you choose an unusual font for your formal email, that font may not be supported by some email platforms.

Also, stick to one or two fonts in your formal email. Using too many different fonts can make your email look too casual. Too many fonts may even make your formal email less readable.

4. Sending a Formal Email

Once you’ve written and formatted your formal email, you’re almost ready to send your message. But before you press that Send button, review your email carefully. Look for:

Remember, a sloppy email full of mistakes makes a bad impression.

Also, pay attention to the email address you’re using to send the email if you want to be taken seriously. Many of us created email addresses when we younger that aren’t appropriate for formal emails. If you can get it, your email address for formal emails should be a variation of your name without any extra characters.

Here are some examples of appropriate and inappropriate email address:

Email Address #1

Save this type of email address for casual emails to your family and friends.

Email Address #2

This email address can be used for formal and professional emails.

Note: These email addresses used here and throughout this article are for example purposes only. They aren’t intended to represent real email addresses.

If you’re a student or writing on behalf of an organization, it’s a good idea to use the email provided by your educational institution or the organization you’re representing. Most colleges, for example, provide their students with email addresses in the format:

5. Using Templates for a Formal Email

One way to add extra impact to your formal email is to use a professionally designed signature template. A signature template adds graphic interest to your email. A signature template also includes your complete contact information.

Here’s an example of an email closing with a professionally designed signature template:

Here is an example of a formal email closing with a signature template.

Note: The previous example uses the Email Signature Template Pack from Envato Elements, which is a good source for professional email templates like the one used in the example above.

Notice the difference that a quality template makes. For more great examples of email signature templates, review the article:

Conclusion

You may not have much experience writing formal emails, but if you need to write one it’s important to do it right. Writing a formal email isn’t difficult when you know what to do.

A formal email is quite different from an informal one. There’s a proper structure, formatting, and tone that you should use for a formal email.

Now that we’ve explained what you need to know about formal emails, you’re ready to write, format and send your own formal email. Good luck!

In addition to writing great emails, it’s also important to keep on top of your email inbox.

Download Our New Email Management eBook (FREE)

Learn all about professional email management strategies in our free eBook, The Ultimate Guide to Inbox Zero Mastery.

We’ll show you how to get started with Inbox Zero, how to implement it, and how to adopt healthy email habits. Grab it for FREE with your subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.

How to Write a Formal Email [10 Templates]

Sending a formal email is one of those things we put off doing.

Why? Because it can be a little uncomfortable.

But when reaching out to someone you don’t know, formal emails are the way to go. It’ll help you make a good first impression and come off as professional rather than too casual.

Below, we look at various ways to perfect your formal emails. We cover email format including subject lines, punctuations, email greetings, and sign-offs as well as pre-made formal email templates for various situations that you can copy and use today.

What Is a Formal Email

A formal email is an email sent to someone either 1) you don’t know well or 2) in a position of authority.

Formal emails require proper format, language, and tonality. They serve a clear purpose and get the message across in a professional and polite manner.

Let’s take a look at some important elements for writing formal emails.

Tips for Writing a Formal Email

Use Formal English

Formal emails require formal English writing. This means including complete sentences, conjunctions, and transition words. Informal writing has fragments and comma splices. Informal messaging rarely contains conjunctions or transition words.

This is important in sales because you want to be perceived as professional and sharp.

Punctuation, paragraph form, greetings, and sign-offs also vary from formal to informal communication.

Here’s a graphic showing the complete list of differences:

Use Proper Capitalization

The correct style of capitalization to use in your salutation is sentence case.

Here are the worst offenders for formal email greetings:

“Good Morning” → should be “Good morning”

“Good Afternoon”→ should be “Good afternoon”

“To Whom It May Concern” → should be “To whom it may concern”

The exception to the rule: proper nouns (i.e. people’s first names, Ms./Mr. + last name, or job title).

Write a Formal Subject Line

When writing formal emails, your subject line should be clear, concise, and accurate.

Describe what the email is about in one to five words. In fact, our research shows that this length yields higher open and reply rates.

Moral of the story: get to the point and don’t waste their time.

End Your Salutation With a Colon

When you’re writing a formal email, your salutation should end with a colon, not a comma.

When sending a professional email, the colon will change the tone of the message right from the get-go. In sales, this can help you gauge the attention of your recipient right off the bat.

Use Short Sentences

Your formal emails should never have comma splices.

A comma splice is what happens when you join two complete sentences with a comma.

The takeaway: Comma splices are incorrect English grammar. They belong in text messages and other informal conversations.

Using short sentences in your email is a better sales strategy because you want prospects to understand your offering as quickly as possible. Be short and concise.

Use Proper Punctuation

Whenever you have a phrase or sentence in quotes, your end punctuation should go before the end quote.

This applies to commas that go on to continue sentences and periods that end them.

The exceptions to this rule are the following types of punctuation: semicolons, colons, and dashes. These should go outside of quotation marks (question marks are a little more tricky).

Formal Emails Should Be Direct and Persuasive

As Americans, we pride ourselves on being direct.

But we aren’t always.

How many times have you found yourself writing phrases like “I am writing to”?

This is a roundabout way of setting up your request. It’s very indirect.

You can’t afford to be sheepish when your entire email has seven seconds to get their attention.

I am writing to tell you that it’s time to stop using this phrase.

Other examples of phrases to avoid:

Go ahead — jump right to that thing you’re winding up to.

Here’s why:

What to do instead:

Start your draft with “I am writing to” to get your writing flow going. When you’re done, go back and delete that phrase. In most cases, you’ll still have a complete sentence without it. If you don’t, make a slight edit to turn what you have into a complete sentence.

End with a Formal Signature

Your email signature should include all contact information so the recipient knows where they can reach you.

Here’s an example of a formal email signature:

Position | Company Name

10 Formal Email Templates to Copy and Paste

Now, let’s look at some email templates that all incorporate the necessary elements of a formal email format.

1. Formal Email Template for Making a Request

Subject Line Option A: Important – Action Required:

Subject Line Option B: Please Read: Needs Your Attention

More info on …

What it involves:

This matters because:

Grab a signoff line and tips for how to end an email here. Because writing “best” or “thanks” every time is a missed opportunity.

And here’s a similar professional email example to get you going with filling out the template:

2. Email Template for Cold Outreach

Subject line: Articles for your commute home

I thought you would appreciate these articles. I thought they did a great job at addressing :

If these resonated with you, let’s grab 15 minutes to see if can help by .

Is there a day or time that generally works best for you?

3. Email Template for Giving a Formal Update

[Who/Why/What/Where/When. Tell a story here about how this change came to be.]

[Who/Why/What/Where/When. Tell a story here about how this change came to be.]

[Final sentence reiterating change and how it affects readers.] Please join me in .

And here’s an example of the template above in real life. This business email announces promotions on our Customer Success team:

Tip: Always include your phone number and contact information in your email signature. For inspiration, here are 9 professional email signature examples.

4. Formal Email Template for an Apology

Subject line:

What it means:

What happened:

As soon as our team identified the issue, it was addressed and remediated .

What you can do:

On behalf of , we are very sorry for the inconvenience this causes you. I can assure you that we are analyzing how this issue occurred and ways to completely prevent recurrence in the future.

Thank you for your patience,

5. Email Template for a Termination

Please be advised that, effective immediately, we have terminated your account with due to .

We regret having to take this action, but after our discussions with you regarding , we have seen no change in .

The manner in which you are using our service jeopardizes as well as .

While the messaging is very direct, you need to be in a situation like this for legal purposes, clarity to the recipient, and finality. Language like “termination” and “effective immediately” show that this is a decision with no wiggle room for compromise.

Hint: If there were prior violations or instances where you gave warning, make sure to cite them.

6. Event Follow-Up Template

Subject Line: Great to meet you at

It was nice to meet you at . I loved learning more about .

If you have time in the coming weeks, let’s .

I’m generally free on , if that works for you?

Looking forward to keeping in touch!

7. Formal Resignation Email Template

Please accept this message as formal notification that I am leaving my position at effective .

I would like to thank you for all of the wonderful opportunities I have been given at and for everything you’ve taught me along the way.

During my last two weeks, please let me know what I can do to help make this transition as smooth as possible.

Wishing you and continued success and I look forward to staying in touch.

8. Formal Complaint Email Template

I am deeply disappointed about the outcome and hope to have the issue resolved. Please contact me at with the appropriate resolution and next steps.

9. Formal Thank You Email Template (Interview)

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me yesterday to discuss . It was a pleasure to learn more about , , and the team.

I particularly enjoyed learning about and it got me excited for .

Our conversion only increased my interest in this role and I’d be thrilled to use my to accomplish for .

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any additional information or have any questions.

I look forward to hearing from you,

10. Formal Announcement Email Template

I am thrilled in introduce you to who is our new !

Feel free to reach out to at and say hi!

How Yesware Can Help You Better Manage Email

Yesware can help your team better manage email with email templates that live in your inbox.

With email templates, you can save your top-performing emails in a template library that lives inside your inbox. You can personalize these templates in seconds with fill-in-the-blanks or dropdown options.

You can also send personalized templates to various users at once using campaigns.

Better yet, Yesware tracks all email sends so you’re always in the know of what is/isn’t working in your formal emails.

This guide was updated on May 18, 2022.

Get expert sales tips straight to your inbox to win more deals

Yesware is an all-in-one toolkit for sales professionals and sales teams. Try our Outlook or Gmail add-on for free!

Hit your number every month

Works on Outlook or Gmail (+ many more integrations)

How to Write a Formal Email

We all write all sorts of emails at work: Announcing company news, requesting information, replying to clients, following up on meetings, and more. If you feel uneasy about crafting such messages, we’re here to help!

In this article, you’ll learn how to write a formal email, what is a formal email format, and how to make sure your message is clear and professional. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find a couple of formal email examples for different occasions. Feel free to use them for reference!

Emailing is all about context so before drafting your message, take a moment to think about your relationship with a recipient. Is it your boss, colleague, potential partner? This will help you define the appropriate level of formality for your email. If you’re in doubt, it’s safer to stick to a more formal version.

Formal email format: What to include in your email

Writing a business email is far easier when you know how to structure it. Here are the key components your message should contain.

1. Subject line

This is the crucial part of your email which defines if a person actually opens it. A good subject line informs a recipient what the email is about and why they should read it. Try to make your subject line clear, specific, and to the point. For example:

Marketing Budget Q4: Please review till August, 31
Meet the new VP of Engineering
Spark for Android: First impressions from our users
Requesting a vacation for Aug, 10-20

2. Email greeting

How to start a formal email? At the beginning of your email, greet a person by name. Depending on the level of formality, your salutations may vary from a simple “Hi” to an official “Dear Mr./Ms./Dr./Professor…” For the most formal occasions, use a colon instead of a comma after the salutation. For example, “Dear Ms. Smith:”

Here are some email greeting examples:

Hi [Name],
Hello [Name],
Dear [Name],
Dear Mr./Ms./Dr./Professor [Last name],
Greetings,
Hi there,
Hi everyone,

Always do your best to find out the recipient’s name to address them in your email. If your research wasn’t successful, use a generic salutation like “Greetings.”

If you need more help with picking a proper salutation, check the best email greetings and the ones to avoid.

3. Email body

Now, it’s time to craft the main part of your email. Here’s how to do it:

I would like to invite you to speak at our annual developer conference.

I’m running a YouTube blog about cats, and we’d love to feature your brand in our next video.

I’ve been using your service for a while, and I would like to report an issue I’ve recently encountered.

4. Formal email closing

The formal email closing tells a recipient what’s next. If you want them to do something, include a clear and specific call to action. If you’re just wrapping up the discussion you’ve previously had, end your email on a friendly note to show a reader you’re willing to keep in touch with them.

Here’s how to end a formal email:

Please let me know by Friday, August 15th if you’d like to speak at the conference.

It would be great to jump into a quick call tomorrow to discuss our collaboration.

Thank you for help and feedback. Let’s keep in touch!

5. Signature

Here are the polite phrases you can use to sign off your email:

Sincerely,
Best regards,
Best,
Yours truly,
Respectfully,
Kind regards,
Thanks again,

Next, put in your name and contact details. If you’re writing on behalf of a company or organization, include this information in your signature as well. Learn more about creating a professional email signature.

Your email checklist before sending

Once you’ve crafted your email, there is a couple of things left to check:

Formal email examples

Once you’ve learned how to write a formal email, let’s take a look at the examples. Please note that these samples are for reference only, and we recommend you adjust them to match the tone and level of formality appropriate for a particular recipient and occasion.

Email example 1: Announcement

Subject: Meet the new Customer Support Representative

I am pleased to introduce you to [Name] who is starting today as a Customer Support Representative. She will be providing technical support and assistance to our users, making sure they enjoy the best experience with our products.

Feel free to greet [Name] in person and congratulate her with the new role!

Best regards,
[Your name]
[Job title]

Email example 2: Business follow up email

Subject: RE: [subject line of your previous email]

Following up on my previous email about the collaboration with your website. I’m still interested in writing a guest post about the best UX practices for dating apps. With 10 years of experience in the mobile industry, I have a lot of insights to share with your audience.

Please let me know if you’re interested in collaboration!

Email example 3: Request

Subject: Vacation request for September, 10-15

I would like to request a vacation from Monday, September 9th till Friday, September 13th.

I will make sure to complete all my current projects and pending tasks in advance before the vacation. My colleagues [Name] and [Name] will cover my responsibilities during my absence.

Looking forward to your approval.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Job title]

Email example 4: Question

Subject: Do you have student discounts for the Annual Coding Conference?

I would like to ask if you provide student discounts for tickets to the Annual Coding Conference.

I’m a full-time student at the University of Texas and I’m very excited about your event, but unfortunately, the ticket price is too high for me. I would appreciate if you could offer me an educational discount.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Email example 5: Complaint

Subject: Complaint regarding the quality of the headphones

I purchased the headphones at Perfect Music on Monday, August 11. Later, I discovered that the left headphone wasn’t working. Unfortunately, the staff refused to replace the headphones or return my money although I provided the receipt.

I’m deeply disappointed about the quality of the product and the disrespectful treatment I received in your store.

I hope to have this issue resolved and get my money back, otherwise, I will have to take further actions.

Email example 6: Response to a complaint

I’m sorry for the unpleasant experience you had in our store and I can understand your frustration. I have forwarded your complaint to our management team, and we’ll do our best to make sure this never happens again.

Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience you had.

Best regards,
[Your name]
[Job title]
[Contact details]

Let’s summarize the main principles for writing a formal email. To make your message clear and effective, always keep in mind the context and your relationship with a recipient, stick to the formal email format, and value the reader’s time.

Once you’ve learned how to write a formal email, it’s time to practice. If you’d like to make emailing more fun and pleasant, try our email client Spark. It gives you email superpowers like snoozes, follow up reminders, and email scheduling so you can save time and focus on meaningful work.

How to write a formal email to an organization: a step-by-step guide

26 November 2020 • 0 min read

First, begin with, “Yo!” Just kidding. Read some tips for making formal emails professional, but not awkward.

Writing a formal email can feel a little awkward and stuffy. There’s no “haha” and probably no emojis — no GIF of your favorite Michael Scott quote. It might feel stiff.

That’s why it’s great to stick to a set structure. If you know how to form the body of the email and use the appropriate salutation, you can turn the process of writing a formal email into a quick and simple one.

Below we break down what a formal email looks like and the five steps you can follow to start writing formal emails to any organization. Whether it’s a job you’re trying to land, new client outreach, or any other formal email, the structure below can help you get your foot in the door and get the response you’re looking for.

What makes a solid formal email?

The hint is in the name. A formal email is an email that uses formal language, introductions, and signatures compared to other emails. Its structure is also different because it should follow formal writing standards. Yep, that’s right—no comma splices, no sentence fragments, and no informalities.

Formal emails also have a certain way they’re structured and delivered. The punctuation is more professional, the greetings are traditional, and they’re shorter in length. So, when are these emails normally used?

You can use formal emails for all types of situations, whether you’re trying to win a contract with a new client, respond to a complaint, or reaching out to an official or CEO. The nice thing about formal emails (especially for those of us that are stuck for time) is that no matter who you’re sending them to, all formal emails have the same basic structure.

Breaking down the structure of a formal email

Informal emails tend to be a little more carefree. They don’t have a set structure, and they can be long or short, funny or serious, with GIFs or emojis. Formal emails? Not so much. Obviously.

A formal email structure is nearly as important as the greeting you use or how you sign off. Because formal emails should be relatively short in length, you only have to get four elements right:

The subject line: It should be short and specific. Anything over ten words is probably too much!

The salutation: Always mention the recipient’s name and a suitable greeting. Lose the “Hey” and replace it with a “Hello” or “Dear.”

The body: Like any other email, formal emails have a body of text. This section is short, uses proper grammar, doesn’t have sentence fragments, and only has one ask.

The signature: Your signature needs to be as formal as the email itself. It’s also essential that you use your first and last name and include your company’s name if the email is being sent on behalf of them.

5 steps to writing a formal email to an organization

1. Write a subject line that catches the person’s attention

Start writing your formal email from the top — its subject line. We’ve already talked about keeping it to 10 words or less. But how many words is the right amount? According to Marketo data, subject lines with seven words or less get opened more, on average.

As you have so little room for error when writing your subject line, it’s best to plan out what you’re going to say. When writing out subject lines, think about:

Your recipient: Are you emailing the owner of the company? A CEO? The head of sales? Knowing what inbox you’re aiming for will help you with messaging and targeting.

Your connection: How are you going to get their attention? Think of something that can grab their interest. If you have a meeting scheduled, mention it. If you’ve had the recipient on a demo, include it. If you are cold emailing, mention a problem you can help solve.

Your credibility: This is a big one. Don’t spam your recipient’s inbox with subject lines that try to trick them into opening your email. If you don’t have a meeting booked, don’t pretend you do. If this is the first email you’ve sent, don’t write that you’re following up on an earlier email just so they open it.

Here are some subject line examples you can use to start your formal email:

How is (company’s name) handling (problem?)

Nice seeing you at (event)

Regarding this week’s demo call

Following up last week’s meeting

Meeting RE: product demo

About your interview with (company name)

2. Start with the right tone

It’s always difficult to switch to a formal email tone, especially if you don’t write them that often.

Now, formal emails don’t have to be stiff. But they do have to be professional and match the nature of your message and your audience.

This is called the salutation of the email, which is a posh way of saying how you first say hello to your recipient.

As business coach Barbara Pachter writes in her book The Essentials of Business Etiquette, the salutation will set the tone for the rest of the email, so she suggests scrapping informal expressions like «Hey” or «Hi folks.”

«The relaxed nature of our writings should not affect the salutation in an email,» she says.

«Hey is a very informal salutation, and generally, it should not be used in the workplace, and Yo is not okay either.

“Use Hi or Hello instead.»

She also advises against shortening anyone’s name. If you are writing an email to somebody named Joseph, don’t assume they’ll be okay with you calling them Joe. HubSpot’s Meg Pratersays you should also steer clear of stuffy salutations like “Dear Sir or Madam.”

“It should be avoided for a few reasons: First, today’s digitally connected world makes it easier than ever to find out who you’re emailing,” she says.

“Second, this greeting may not be reflective of the recipient’s gender.

“And third, it’s vague and a bit lazy.”

Use these salutations to start your formal email instead:

To whom it may concern (Although we’d recommend doing a little research to find the person’s name that you’re looking to contact!)

Hello (their name)

Greetings (their name)

Good morning (their name)

Good evening (their name)

3. Make one key point

Data shows that you have a whole seven seconds to get your recipient’s attention once they open your email, so don’t waste it. That means you have to cut the fluff — here are some words and phrases to leave out of your emails.

Skip the “I hope you had a lovely weekend” or the “I hope you are well” niceties because they not only waste time but they also don’t fit in with what a formal email should look like. Instead, jump straight into what you want the reader to know.

Harvard Business Review (HBR) calls this the BLUF strategy; writing your Bottom Line Up Front so the recipient can quickly answer the five Ws: who, what, where, when, and why. HBR’s Kabir Sehgalsays the strategy works because the reader can quickly and easily digest the email’s intent.

“The reader doesn’t necessarily want to know all the background information that led to the decision,” he says.

“He or she likely wants to know “how does this email affect me?” and the BLUF should answer this question every time.”

Here’s an example of how this strategy works in real life in a formal email about a meeting:

See how quick to the point it is? Formal body text like this works because it cuts right to the chase and only shares important information with the recipient. Remember, these types of emails aren’t about you—they’re about your recipient.

4. Close it as you started it—formally

Tie it up with a signature that reflects the tone of the email—formal and polite.

You should always include your first and last name when signing off on a formal email, as well as your company and your position. If you have a title, include it:

Don’t just write Jane.

An easy way to make sure you’re ticking all the boxes is to include an electronic business card at the bottom of every email you send. Using a tool like Front, you can create formal signatures, which are automatically added to the bottom of every email you send. All you have to do is create your signature in the dashboard, save it, and it’ll appear on every email you send!

5. Put all the pieces together to create the perfect formal email

All that’s left to do is to put each step together and write out your email. Let’s say you were emailing the CEO of an organization regarding a demo meeting. Your formal email should look something like this:

The best part? Formal emails follow a rigid process that doesn’t change much no matter what the aim is or who you are sending them to. You can use message templates to save time. A message template is a fancy term for an email template, so instead of writing formal emails from scratch, you can use a template to save time.

Here’s a walkthrough of how easy it is to create, use, and edit message templates in Front.

Formal emails should be no-nonsense

Writing formal emails doesn’t have to be boring, and it doesn’t have to be a time suck either. The first step is realizing that formal emails are quite simple to write. All you have to do is write a clear subject line, include a formal greeting, and cut to the chase about why you’re sending the email in the first place. No nonsense.

If you stick to these steps, use proper grammar, and drop the informal banter, you’ll be left with a foolproof formal email you can send to everyone from new clients to CEOs. And once you’ve created the perfect formal email, you can save it as a template so every time you send one—you’ll be confident it’s ticking all the boxes.

Written by Kimberlee Meier

Originally Published: 26 November 2020