It can sometimes be difficult to know how to write a good email message. It’s a much more informal method of communicating than writing a letter, but the situation may still call for a more formal tone of voice. Where do you draw the line?

As a general rule, it tends to be acceptable to being an email with ‘hi’, or ‘hello’ for a slightly more formal situation. For example, if you’re writing to someone to enquire about a job or to discuss a business matter and you aren’t sure of their title, this makes for a much less clumsy beginning than the traditional ‘dear sir/ madam’. It can be a far better way to begin building a relationship with someone as it makes you seem approachable. However, you may feel more comfortable using a traditional form of address in some circumstances, such as addressing a legal matter. Keep your tone consistent throughout the email and you won’t go far wrong. It might slightly incongruous to the receiver if you begin an email with ‘dear sir’ but end it with ‘cheers’.

The language which you use will convey a certain message about you, so make sure you choose to write in a way which you feel reflects you and is suitable for the situation. Using common sense is the best way to work out how to construct your emails appropriately. If you’re really unsure, search the internet to see if there are any conventions which you should be following or double check with a colleague.