Email Composer

Follow-up email

Subject: Following up: Proposal for new payment system

Hi [Name],

I wanted to follow up on the payment system proposal I sent last week. I understand you're busy, so I wanted to make sure it didn't get lost in your inbox.

To recap, the proposed system would:
- Reduce transaction fees by 30%
- Integrate with existing accounting software
- Improve customer checkout experience

I'd be happy to schedule a brief call to discuss any questions you might have.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best,
[Your name]

Technical update

Subject: API Maintenance Window - [Date]

Team,

This is a reminder that we'll be performing scheduled maintenance on our API infrastructure on [Date] from [Time] to [Time] [Timezone].

During this window:
- API endpoints will be unavailable
- Database will be upgraded to v14
- SSL certificates will be renewed

Expected downtime: 2 hours

What you need to do:
- Notify your users of the planned downtime
- Ensure retry logic is in place for API calls
- Monitor your application after maintenance completes

If you have any concerns or conflicts with this schedule, please let me know by [Date].

Technical details available in our status page: [link]

Thanks,
[Your name]

Customer support

Subject: Re: Issue with order #12345

Hi [Customer name],

Thank you for reaching out about your order. I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing this issue.

I've looked into your order (#12345) and found the following:

[Explanation of the issue]

To resolve this, I've:
- [Action taken 1]
- [Action taken 2]

You should see [expected outcome] within [timeframe].

If you continue to experience any problems, please don't hesitate to reply to this email or call us at [phone number].

We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Best regards,
[Your name]
Customer Support Team

Meeting request

Subject: Meeting request: Discuss database migration strategy

Hi [Name],

I'd like to schedule a meeting to discuss our approach for the upcoming database migration.

Agenda items:
- Review migration timeline and milestones
- Discuss rollback strategy
- Identify potential risks and mitigation plans
- Assign team responsibilities

Estimated duration: 45 minutes

I'm available:
- Monday 2-4 PM
- Wednesday 10 AM - 12 PM
- Friday 1-3 PM

Please let me know what works best for you, or feel free to suggest alternative times.

Best,
[Your name]

Tone guidelines

Formal tone

• Use complete sentences
• Avoid contractions
• Professional language
• Proper titles (Dr., Mr., Ms.)

Casual tone

• Contractions acceptable
• Conversational language
• Still professional
• First names

Urgent tone

• Clear subject line with [URGENT] or [ACTION REQUIRED]
• Bold key points
• Explicit deadline
• Direct call to action

Subject line best practices

Good subject lines:

• "Action required: Submit timesheet by Friday"
• "Q4 Sales Report - Review needed"
• "Meeting rescheduled: Project kickoff now Thursday"
• "Quick question about deployment process"

Bad subject lines:

• "Update"
• "Question"
• "Hello"
• "Following up"

Email etiquette

DO:

• Respond within 24 hours (even if just to acknowledge)
• Use clear, specific subject lines
• Keep it concise
• Proofread before sending
• Include relevant context
• Use bullet points for multiple items
• End with clear call to action

DON'T:

• Use ALL CAPS
• Over-use exclamation marks!!!
• Mark everything as urgent
• Reply all unless necessary
• Send when emotional
• Include unnecessary recipients
• Forget attachments mentioned in email

Templates by scenario

Decline request politely

Subject: Re: [Original subject]

Hi [Name],

Thank you for thinking of me for [request/opportunity].

Unfortunately, I won't be able to [participate/help/attend] due to [brief reason - optional]. However, I'd recommend [alternative suggestion if applicable].

I appreciate your understanding, and I hope we can collaborate on future opportunities.

Best regards,
[Your name]

Apologize for mistake

Subject: Apology and correction: [Issue]

Hi [Name],

I'm writing to apologize for [specific mistake]. This was an error on my part, and I take full responsibility.

To correct this:
- [Action 1 already taken]
- [Action 2 in progress]
- [Preventive measure for future]

I understand this may have caused [impact], and I'm committed to ensuring it doesn't happen again.

If you have any concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Share good news

Subject: Great news: [Achievement/milestone]

Team,

I'm excited to share that we've [accomplished goal]!

This success is thanks to:
- [Team/person contribution 1]
- [Team/person contribution 2]

Impact:
- [Metric improvement]
- [Business benefit]

Thank you all for your hard work and dedication. Let's keep up the momentum!

Cheers,
[Your name]

Closing phrases by context

Formal:

• Sincerely
• Best regards
• Respectfully
• Cordially

Professional:

• Best
• Thanks
• Kind regards
• Regards

Casual:

• Cheers
• Thanks!
• Talk soon
• Best

Email composition checklist

• Clear, specific subject line
• Appropriate greeting
• Purpose stated upfront
• Key points organized with bullets/numbers
• Clear call to action or next steps
• Appropriate tone for audience
• Proofread for typos
• Attachments included (if mentioned)
• Recipients correct (To, CC, BCC)
• Professional signature