Most emails are bad. They're too long, unclear about what they need, or they bury the ask in the third paragraph. The person on the other end has to read the whole thing twice to figure out what you actually want.
Clear emails get read, understood, and acted on. Unclear emails get skimmed, misunderstood, or ignored. It's that simple.
Why this is worth obsessing over
Email is still the primary medium for most client communication. Every unclear email creates a delay. Every buried request creates a follow-up. Every vague deadline creates confusion. Over the course of a project, bad emails cost hours of wasted time on both sides.
On the flip side, when you're consistently clear and easy to respond to, clients love working with you. You become the person whose emails don't require effort.
The principles
Subject line tells the story. "Need logo file by Thursday 10am for launch" beats "Quick question" every time. A good subject line lets them prioritize without even opening the email.
Lead with the ask. What do you need? Say it first. Context can come second. Busy people scan from the top.
Be scannable. Bullets, short paragraphs, white space. If it looks like a wall of text, it won't get read.
Be specific. Dates and times, not "soon." File formats, not "whatever works." Clear next steps, not "let me know."
One email, one topic. Generally. Mixing three different requests in one email guarantees at least one gets missed.
What good looks like
Subject: "Need logo file by Thursday 10am for launch"
"Hi Sarah,
What I need: your company logo in SVG format
Why: finalizing the website header design
Deadline: Thursday, Oct 10 at 10am
How to send: reply with file attached, or upload to the shared drive [link]
Thanks! Let me know if any issues getting this by Thursday."
Why It Works
Clear subject. Immediate ask. Specific format and deadline. Easy action path.
What bad looks like
Subject: "Quick question"
Body: three paragraphs of context, then a buried request, then a vague deadline of "whenever you can."
Why It's Bad
Uninformative subject. Requires reading everything to find the ask. "Whenever you can" means never.
Tips
- Put the action needed in the subject line when possible
- Use bold or a "TLDR" for the key ask if context is necessary
- Number multiple requests so they can be addressed individually
- Specific deadlines: dates and times, never "ASAP" or "soon"
- Make it easy to say yes: include links, templates, clear options
- End with a clear next step
- Before sending, ask yourself: "Is it obvious what I need and when?"
How this connects
Clear email writing is applied proactive communication, expectation setting, and respect for other people's time. It's also a form of follow-through: if you need something to do your job, getting the request right the first time is part of doing your job well.
Things to try
- Review your last five sent emails. Are the asks clear and specific?
- Template your common email types: status updates, requests, decision needed
- Practice leading with the ask, context second
- Before every email, ask: "Could someone act on this in 30 seconds?"