How to Write a Formal Email with 6 Examples | Spark Blog

We all write all kinds of emails at work: announcing company news, requesting information, responding to clients, following up on meetings, and more. if you’re not comfortable with crafting such messages, we’re here to help!

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

Sending emails is all about context, so before you compose your message, take a moment to think about your relationship with the recipient. Is he your boss, colleague, potential partner? this will help you define the appropriate level of formality for your email. if 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 so much easier when you know how to structure it. These are the key components your message should contain.

1. subject line

This is the crucial part of your email that defines if a person actually opens it. A good subject line tells the recipient what the email is about and why they should read it. try to keep your subject line clear, specific, and to the point. for example:

q4 marketing budget: check it out until August 31st meet the new VP of engineering spark for android: first impressions from our users requesting vacations from August 10th to 20th

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 greetings can range from a simple “hello” to an official “dear sir/mrs/dr/professor…” For more formal occasions, use a colon instead of a comma after the greeting . for example, “dear mrs. blacksmith:”

here are some examples of email greetings:

hello [first name], hello [first name], dear [first name], dear sir/mrs/dr/professor [last name], greetings, hello, hello everyone,

Always do your best to find out the recipient’s name so you can address them in your email. if his investigation was unsuccessful, use a generic greeting such as “regards”.

If you need more help choosing the right greeting, check out the best email greetings and the ones to avoid.

3. email body

Now, it’s time to create the main part of your email. this is how it’s done:

• Always dedicate an email to one topic. For example, you may need your colleague to review your quarterly report and discuss the hiring strategy for your department. That’s too much information for one email! it’s best to send two separate messages on each topic, which makes it easier for one person to reply. that way, you’re more likely to get a quick response.
• explain what you’re writing about. if you’re emailing a stranger, briefly introduce yourself and then go straight to the grain. Clearly state the purpose of your email so a person can understand why you are emailing them and how they can help. for example:

I’d like to invite you to speak at our annual developer conference. I have a youtube blog about cats and we would love to feature your brand in our next video. I’ve been using your service for a while now and would like to report an issue I ran into recently.

• Value the reader’s time. Give the recipient any additional information they need to respond. At the same time, try to keep your email short and simple and don’t overload it with extra details. remember that email is not the best place for a lengthy discussion.
• make your email easy to read. break your message into paragraphs and take advantage of headings and lists. where appropriate, emphasize key information with bold or italics, but do not overdo it. your goal is to make your email as structured and easy to read as possible.

4. formal email closing

The formal closing of the email tells the 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 had earlier, end your email with a friendly note to show the reader that 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 would like to speak at the conference. it would be great to have a quick call tomorrow to talk about our collaboration. thanks for the help and comments. Let’s keep in touch!

5. signature

These are the courtesy phrases you can use to sign out of your email:

sincerely, best regards, sincerely, sincerely, best regards, thanks again,

then enter your name and contact details. If you are writing on behalf of a company or organization, include this information in your signature as well. Learn more about how to create a professional email signature.

your email checklist before sending

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

• Make sure your email address is appropriate. If you are writing from a personal email, your address should look like this: firstname.lastname@example.com. If you’re emailing on behalf of a business, use your corporate email. Your old email hotguy777@example.com is not appropriate for business correspondence, unless you run a sauna supply store. learn more about creating a professional email address.
• double check the recipient’s name and email. make sure you write to the correct person and spell their name correctly.
• Check grammar and spelling. Proofread your email carefully and avoid using emojis or informal abbreviations such as by the way or as soon as possible. best left for your messages to friends.
• stick to a professional font. although many email clients allow you to change the font of your emails, use something conservative like arial or sans serif avoid playing with different colors and using all caps.
• don’t forget to attach files. if you’re sending a document to someone, be sure to attach it. name your file correctly so a recipient can guess what’s inside (eg “marketing quote q4.”)

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 swatches are for reference only and we recommend that you adjust them to match the right tone and level of formality for a particular recipient and occasion.

email example 1: advertisement

subject: Meet your new Customer Service Representative Dear Team, I am pleased to introduce [name], who is starting today as a Customer Service Representative. she will provide technical support and assistance to our users, making sure they have the best experience with our products. Feel free to say hello to [name] in person and congratulate her on her new role! best regards, [your name]

email example 2: business follow-up email

subject: re: [subject line of your previous email] hello [name], following my previous email about collaborating with your website. I’m still interested in writing a guest post on ux best practices for dating apps. With 10 years of experience in the mobile industry, I have many ideas to share with your audience. please let me know if you are interested in collaboration! better, [your name]

email example 3: request

subject: vacation request for September 10-15, dear mr./mrs. [last name], I would like to apply for vacation from Monday, September 9 to Friday, September 13. I will make sure to complete all my current projects and to-dos in advance before the holidays. my colleagues [name] and [name] will cover my responsibilities during my absence. waiting for your approval. Sincerely, [your name]

email example 4: question

subject: do you have student discounts for the annual coding conference? Hello, I would like to ask if you offer student discounts on tickets to the annual coding conference. i am a full time student at the university of texas and am very excited about your event, but unfortunately the price of admission is too high for me. I would appreciate it if you could offer me an educational discount. looking forward to hearing from you! better, [your name]

email example 5: complaint

subject: complaint about the quality of the headphones hello, I bought the headphones at perfect music on Monday 11th August. later, I found out that the left earphone didn’t work. unfortunately the staff refused to replace the headphones or refund my money even though I provided the receipt. I am deeply disappointed with the quality of the product and the disrespectful treatment I received at your store. I hope to solve this problem and get my money back, otherwise I will have to take further action. better, [your name]

email example 6: response to a complaint

Dear [name], 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 will do everything we can to make sure this never happens again. I refunded your purchase, and your funds should be with you shortly. we also want to offer you a 10% discount for your next purchase in our store. use this promo code to get a discount: [link]. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience you experienced. Kind regards, [your name] [position] [contact information]

Let’s summarize the fundamental principles for writing a formal email. To make your message clear and effective, always keep in mind the context and your relationship to the 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 want to make sending emails more fun and enjoyable, try our spark email client. gives you email superpowers like snooze, follow-up reminders, and email scheduling so you can save time and focus on meaningful work.