Email

Decades ago, you would have had to deliver a message to someone by physically going to where the other person was or sending a physical letter in the mail. Communication was slow, making the spread of information slow as well. With increasing advancements in communication technology, it is more and more common for communication to take place online, which allows messages and information to be shared much faster.

One common method for sharing messages is email. It is one of the fastest ways to share information, and this is especially true for businesses and professional communication. Email is one of the top used communication methods in businesses, so it's important to understand how email works, why email is important, and the types of emails that you can encounter.

Online communication is growing every day, Pixabay.

Email: Definition

Email is an information and communication technology in which digital messages are sent from one person to another person or multiple people. This communication takes place completely online. In order for emails to be sent, you need to be connected to the internet and set up with an email server.

To send an email, you need to be logged in. However, you don't have to be logged in to receive those emails; you just need to have the email account set up.

Email "mailboxes" operate similarly to regular mailboxes in that they accept, deliver, and store messages. The first email was invented in 1965 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).¹ This was the beginning of using email as a tool for exchanging messages and files in academia.

It wasn't until the early 1990s that email became more mainstream with platforms like AOL and Hotmail. Originally, emails were only sent back and forth between desktop computers. Now, as technology has advanced, we have personal computers on our phones and tablets. This makes communication far more efficient than it's ever been before.

Emails have their own structure similar to written letters, Pixabay

Email: Structure

The structure of an email will vary quite a bit depending on if it's used for personal or business reasons. For a business email, the message might stick to a more traditional structure, as shown below. A personal email can be structured this way too, of course, but there are no set rules for formatting, introducing, or closing a personal email. However, most emails will be structured to include an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction

This is a short and pleasant greeting that introduces the purpose of your email.

Body

This is where the actual message is. The length can vary, but business emails usually stay shorter – around three paragraphs or less. There is usually a line space between each body paragraph in order to make the email more readable.

Closing

Choose a closing greeting appropriate for the recipient. This will be based on whether the email is formal or informal.

Attachments

Pictures or documents can be included as an attachment.

Most emails will be structured to include an introduction, body, and conclusion, StudySmarter Originals

Email: Important Terms

Important terms you will encounter when writing emails include to, from, CC, BCC, and subject.

To:

This refers to the address of the recipient. An email address includes the recipient's "name" and the platform they use for email, i.e., emailuser@emailservice.com.

From

The recipient will see this in the email header. This refers to the address of the sender, i.e., yourboss@emailservice.com.

CC

This stands for Carbon Copy. This is a list of people who are also receiving a copy of the email message. Anyone who receives the email will also be able to see who is on the CC list. This could be used to include a group of co-workers or any relevant people in the email in order to keep them in the loop about business updates. This feature is more common in formal emails (discussed below).

BCC

This stands for Blind Carbon Copy. This is also a list of people who receive the email message, but this list will be hidden from all the email recipients.

Subject

This is a word or short phrase that gives the recipient the topic of the email.

Examples of Email Platforms

There are many platforms that people can use to communicate with each other online. There are several popular ones to choose from, each with different benefits. Some things to look at when choosing a platform include storage capacity, attachment size capacity, and email security.

Most email platforms today are free with options for business upgrades.

Here are some of the most common email platforms and their benefits.

Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and Outlook

While there are many different platforms that can be used for email, some are more common than others.

Gmail

• This email service is provided through the Google search engine. This makes it an extremely popular platform because of how much easier it is to share information across other Google platforms, i.e., Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Photos.

• Easily accessible on desktops, phones, and tablets.

• Powerful search options.

• Secure.

Outlook

• Upgrades allow for the use of Microsoft Office tools – This is appealing in academic and business settings.

• Message recovery.

• Ease of use on desktops, phones, and tablets.

Yahoo! Mail:

• Provided through Yahoo's search engine.

• Includes Yahoo News.

• Large storage.

• Secure.

Types of Email

Speaking strictly of business emails, they can be either formal or informal. In order to understand the difference between the two, you'll need to look at the overall tone of the email. Email tone has evolved over the last several years, but you will still encounter reasons to use only formal emails. Some key things to look for if you're unsure whether an email is formal or informal are introductions, endings, and word choice.

Formal Email

In formal emails, standard English is used to communicate.

Looking over this example, it's apparent that the tone of this email is formal. There isn't any slang, and each section of the email is in a proper format.

Notice the introductory and closing phrases. "Dear" and "regards" are used, which are common in more formal emails. Using the phrase "thank you" versus "thanks" is also another indicator that this is a formal email.

When to Use Formal Email

You may want to use formal email if:

• You are mailing someone from a more formal culture. This might require some research, especially if they are from a different country. This could involve a formal work culture.

• You are contacting somebody new or for the first time, i.e., when reaching out to a potential new business partner.

• You want to show respect to someone, i.e., a client or somebody in upper management.

Usually, it's best to begin your communication with a more formal tone. Based on the environment or situation, a more casual email tone can be adopted if and when appropriate.

Informal Email

This type of email is more casual. You can usually address the recipient by their first name and use more conversational words. These types of emails often reflect the way people actually speak. Therefore, in the right circumstances, they may make more sense to use.

Notice the difference between this email and the formal email. "Hey" is used instead of "dear." "Thanks" is used instead of "thank you." What other differences can you see?

When to Use an Informal Email

You may want to use a more informal email if:

• You have already built up a working relationship with a co-worker, and it's understood that you can drop the formalities.

• You speak with your recipient daily, whether online or in person.

• The company culture prefers a more casual tone.

An important thing to remember when deciding whether an informal or formal email is more appropriate is to gauge how your recipient has been addressing you. If you've been addressed in a more casual tone or format, you probably wouldn't need to suddenly switch to more formal emails. As always, use your best judgment.

Importance of Email

The emergence of email has shaped how we communicate in the modern world. Email is much faster than sending postal mail, and it's also less expensive. You don't have to worry about buying paper, envelopes, or stamps – something that some people may consider to be the more environmentally friendly option.

Email is good for record-keeping because it keeps a written record of things that you wouldn't get over the phone. It also eliminates a lot of paperwork in an office setting because communication and transactions can be tracked via email.

One of the biggest reasons that email is important is because of how quickly it allows us to share data. Businesses have the capacity to grow and share information at record speeds, so finding the right platform for you is always going to be in your best interest.