How do I write an email that gets a reply?

People skim email. If the ask is buried in the fourth paragraph after context and pleasantries, it gets deferred and then forgotten. Structure matters more than wording.

What you'll need

• A specific request (optional)

Step by step

1. Write a specific subject line.'Invoice query — order 4417' rather than 'Question'. It tells them what it is and makes it findable later.
2. Put the request in the first sentence.What you need and by when. Context can follow. This is the single biggest change to whether an email gets answered.
3. Keep it to five sentences or fewer where you can.Long emails get deferred. If it genuinely needs more, put the ask at the top and the detail below a line break.
4. Make the action unambiguous.'Could you confirm by Thursday whether the date works?' rather than 'Let me know your thoughts'. Vague requests produce vague responses or none.
5. Ask one thing per email where possible.Multiple questions in one message reliably get one answered and the rest ignored. Separate messages, or a numbered list.
6. Use formatting for anything with structure.Short paragraphs, bullet points, bold for a deadline. A wall of text is skipped rather than read.
7. Match the tone to the relationship.Direct is not rude. Brief professional messages are generally appreciated; excessive formality often reads as distance.
8. Reread it once before sending.Check the ask is clear, the deadline is stated, the attachment is attached, and the recipient is correct. Thirty seconds prevents most email embarrassment.

Tips

• If you need something by a date, say the date. 'As soon as possible' means different things to different people and produces no urgency.
• For anything sensitive or difficult, write it, then wait an hour before sending. It reliably improves the message.
• A short follow-up after a few days is normal and expected. Most unanswered emails are forgotten rather than refused.

Common mistakes

• Burying the request after paragraphs of context — People skim. If the ask is not visible in the first line or two, the email gets deferred and then forgotten.
• Asking several questions in one email — One gets answered and the rest are ignored. Separate emails or a clearly numbered list works far better.
• Writing 'let me know your thoughts' — It is not a specific request, so there is nothing concrete to respond to and it is easy to postpone indefinitely.

Questions people ask