Key takeaways
- A proper email format includes five elements: subject line, greeting, introduction, body, and closing with signature
- Keep subject lines to 42 characters or 5-7 words for optimal mobile display
- Use short paragraphs (2-3 sentences maximum) and bullet points for scannability
- Lead with your main point using the BLUF method (Bottom Line Up Front)
- With over half of emails opened on mobile, formatting for smaller screens is essential
From colleagues and stakeholders to prospects and customers, we write emails every day. Professionals now receive an average of 117 emails daily, and poor workplace communication costs organizations $10,000 to $55,000 per employee annually in lost productivity. How can you ensure your emails are clear and concise?
The answer lies in writing well-formatted emails. This article covers everything you need to know about professional email format, from basic structure to mobile optimization, so you can write better emails that get read and acted upon.
What is an email format?
An email format is the standardized structure and layout used to organize a digital message for clear, professional communication. It typically comprises a subject line, greeting, introduction, body, and closing with a signature. A proper email format ensures your message is easy to read, conveys professionalism, and guides the recipient through your content logically.
This structured approach minimizes miscommunication and ensures your main points are easy to grasp. Research shows that well-formatted emails improve information recall and enhance perceptions of sender professionalism.
Why proper email format matters
Knowledge workers spend 28% of their work time managing emails, and according to Microsoft's Work Trend Index, most emails are skimmed in under 60 seconds. Poor formatting means your message gets lost.
Compare these two sales emails:
Poorly formatted:
Subject: Quick question
Hi, I'm Jane from Digital Lite. I looked at your company, and it seems cool. I was thinking maybe we could work together. I made a doc with ideas. It's attached. Check it, and let me know if we can talk.
Properly formatted:
Subject: Potential collaboration: Let's boost your social media accounts!
Hi Allan,
I'm Jane, representing Digital Lite, a social media agency. I've enjoyed learning more about your company, and your innovative approach stands out.
Recognizing the importance of a robust online presence, I see a valuable opportunity for us to collaborate and enhance your brand on social media platforms. I'm sharing a deck highlighting our agency and past successes.
Let's schedule a time to discuss these ideas. Please let me know a convenient time for you.
The difference is clear. Proper email format helps recipients understand your message quickly, improves information recall, reflects positively on your professionalism, and increases the likelihood of action on your requests.
How to format an email
Each element of an email contributes to your communication's overall structure and effectiveness. Here are the five key components.
Subject line
The subject line is the first thing someone sees, giving them a quick snapshot of what to expect. Studies show that emails from recognized executives receive 8% more attention, and a strong subject line amplifies this effect. Optimal subject lines are 42 characters or 5-7 words.
Best practices:
- Keep it brief and accurate to the email content
- Use keywords relevant to the main topic
- Personalize when appropriate
- Avoid all caps and excessive punctuation
Greeting
The email greeting sets a positive tone for the conversation. If you know their name, use it. Personalized greetings add warmth and show you've put thought into reaching out.
Tailor the formality based on your relationship with the recipient. "Dear Mr/Ms [Name]" works for formal situations, while "Hello" fits familiar interactions. Avoid overly generic greetings like "To whom it may concern."
Introduction
The email introduction sets the stage and provides context. Start by immediately explaining why you're reaching out and what action or information you need. This approach, known as the BLUF method (Bottom Line Up Front), respects your recipient's time.
Structure your purpose statement in the first 1-2 sentences, then provide supporting details. Reference previous interactions or shared experiences to build connection.
Body
The email body is where you present your key information. Structure it logically using short paragraphs of 2-3 sentences maximum. For multiple points or action items, use bullet points or numbered lists.
Prioritize your most important information at the top and eliminate unnecessary details. Ask yourself: Does every piece of information contribute to the email's purpose?
Closing and signature
The email closing wraps up communication and leaves a positive impression. Express gratitude, summarize the main point, or provide clear next steps.
Professional sign-offs include "Best regards," "Kind regards," "Sincerely," and "Thank you." Choose one that matches your email's tone.
Your email signature should include your name, job title, company name, and contact information. Keep it concise and use easy-to-read fonts.
Mobile email format best practices
With over half of emails opened on mobile devices, formatting for mobile is essential.
Key guidelines:
- Subject lines: Keep to 42 characters so the full subject displays on mobile preview panes
- Paragraphs: Limit to 2-3 sentences maximum for easy scanning
- Font sizes: Use a minimum of 16px for body text with 1.5x line height
- Touch targets: Ensure clickable elements are at least 46px x 46px
- White space: Add breathing room between sections
- Testing: Preview important emails on mobile before sending
Common email format mistakes to avoid
Even experienced professionals fall into formatting traps that undermine their message.
- Wall-of-text formatting forces recipients to work harder to extract key information. With executives receiving over 100 emails daily, unstructured content is frequently deleted. Keep paragraphs to 2-3 sentences and use strategic white space.
- Vague subject lines like "Meeting" or "Question" reduce open rates. Use specific, action-oriented subject lines: "Q3 Budget Review: Approval Needed by Friday" is far more effective than "Budget."
- Burying action items in prose causes recipients to miss critical requests. Use bulleted lists for non-sequential items and numbered lists for steps or priorities.
- Inconsistent signatures weaken your professional image. Standardize your signature with name, title, company, phone, and email.
- Using personal email for business undermines professional credibility. Always use your company domain email address for professional communications.
- Poor logical organization confuses recipients. Lead with your purpose in the first sentence and provide supporting details in logical order.
- Unprofessional fonts or colors reduce perceived credibility. Use standard fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Maintain a 4.5:1 color contrast ratio between text and background.
- Neglecting preheader text is a missed opportunity. Craft preheader text (40-50 characters) that complements your subject line.
Email format examples and templates
Here are templates for common scenarios to help you communicate with the right tone and structure.
Professional email format example
Subject: Website revamp project update
Dear [Stakeholder's Name],
I'm sharing the latest on our website revamp project, highlighting our progress and next steps.
Our team updated the homepage last month, introducing a more customer-friendly interface with improved menus and faster load times. We've also integrated a live chat feature to enhance customer engagement. I've attached a detailed report.
Looking ahead, we will focus on optimizing content for search engines and improving mobile responsiveness.
Let's schedule a brief meeting to discuss. I'm available [suggest times] or can accommodate your schedule.
Regards, [Your Full Name]
Cold email format example
Subject: Quick thought on streamlining [Company Name]'s sales pipeline
Hi [Recipient's Name],
I noticed [Company Name]'s impressive growth in [industry/achievement]. Most sales teams we work with spend 3-4 hours weekly on manual lead tracking.
Here's what caught my attention:
- [Specific observation about their business]
- [Concrete example of their challenges]
We've helped similar companies reduce lead management time by 40% using targeted CRM workflows. Can we set up 15 minutes next Tuesday or Thursday?
Best regards, [Your Name] [Title] | [Company Name]
For more templates, see our guides on cold emails, follow-up emails, recruiting emails, and resignation emails.
How Superhuman Mail improves email formatting
Superhuman Mail helps you format and send professional emails faster with AI-powered features:
- Write with AI: Turn quick phrases into polished emails that sound like you
- Instant Reply: Generate contextual draft responses matching your writing style
- Snippets: Create reusable templates with built-in variables that automatically personalize messages
- Auto-Summarize: Get 1-line summaries above every conversation so you can often skip reading full threads
To use Superhuman Mail's AI, hit Cmd+J (Mac) or Ctrl+J (Windows) in any email. For additional writing support, Superhuman Mail's Grammarly integration provides real-time grammar correction and tone detection.
Master your email format for better results
A proper email format is your competitive advantage for effective communication. When you structure your message clearly with a strong subject line, appropriate greeting, focused body, and professional closing, people understand you faster and are more likely to take action.
Whether you're writing a formal email format to a company, a friendly email format to a friend, or an email format for school or student communications, these principles apply universally. Keep your emails tidy, and watch your communication results improve.
Frequently asked questions
What is the proper format of an email?
The proper email format includes five elements: a clear subject line (42 characters or 5-7 words), an appropriate greeting, a concise introduction stating your purpose, a well-organized body with short paragraphs or bullet points, and a professional closing with a signature. Lead with your main point, keep paragraphs brief, and match your tone to the recipient relationship.
What is the 5 email rule?
The 5 email rule suggests that if an email thread requires more than five exchanges to resolve an issue, you should switch to a phone call or meeting. This guideline helps prevent lengthy back-and-forth email chains and encourages more efficient communication for complex topics.
What does adding +1 to your email do?
Adding +1 (or any text after a plus sign) before the @ symbol in your email address creates an alias that still delivers to your main inbox. For example, yourname+newsletters@gmail.com delivers to yourname@gmail.com. This helps you filter, organize, and track where you've shared your email address.
What is the universal standard email format?
The universal standard email format follows RFC 5322, which defines how email messages should be structured. For practical purposes, the standard format includes a descriptive subject line, a professional greeting, a purpose statement in the first sentence, supporting details organized logically, a call-to-action or next steps, a professional sign-off, and a complete signature with contact information.
