Why you should write like a normal person
Don't be stiff, be you!
TLDR - Don’t be like this.
The further away I am from undergrad the more I realize that everything you learn about writing emails is wrong. At least in most contexts.
There’s this idea that in “business” your email has to be “professional” - however the end result is usually something that is bland and lifeless. Writing should have energy!
Take a look at a few examples of emails from job applicants sent to the CEO of Vimcal...
Aside from the tone (stiff and formal vs. lively), the email from the Director completely buries the lead. The High Schooler email has a quick and punchy hook that draws you in whereas the Director email is a wall of text that you need to invest time in digesting. Realistically, most emails that look like the Director email, at least in a sales or recruiting context, are going to go in the trash bin.
Similarly, let’s take another common email context I find myself in - reaching out to a new person to meet. Often, you’ll get a lengthy email with a whole spiel about a firm and what they think of your firm and the deals they want to talk about an so on. These long emails scream “transactional.” If you write to someone in a business professional tone, they will immediately process your email as a business transaction.
Now let’s look at a different email I recently received from a GP at a firm I highly respect. Subject line “Hey”
It’s simple, it’s friendly, and it’s to the point.
Now, simple doesn’t mean that it’s missing information. This email hits the “ask” in the first sentence. Context in the third sentence. And the “about” in the fourth sentence. That’s all the ingredients just without unneccesary fluff.
Emails, text, and speech should all feel like a normal, human interaction. Dressing up a message is just more likely to bury the point or turn off your recipient.
If you want some fun examples of “casual” emails that DO miss the mark, check out these Gen Z out of office messages...
So, please, if you want to get coffee just ask nicely like a normal human being.