For decades, email has remained a cornerstone of formal business communication, offering a swift and convenient way for recipients to respond. Its concise nature allows you to convey complex information in a few, well-chosen words.
However, crafting a professional email is a nuanced art that requires attention to detail and adherence to established guidelines. A poorly written email can be detrimental, leading recipients to dismiss or flag it as spam.
The ultimate goal of any email is to elicit a positive response, whether it’s to secure a deal, drive sales, or foster a lasting business relationship. It all begins with the email itself.
In this post, we’ll delve into 15 bad email examples that are commonly made, and provide actionable tips on how to rectify these mistakes.
By learning from these examples, you’ll be equipped to write compelling emails that resonate with your audience, drive meaningful engagement, and ultimately yield the desired outcomes.
15 Bad Email Examples That Will Make You Look Unprofessional (And How to Improve Them)
1. No Recipient Name
You won’t obtain a response if you send out cold emails to the wrong recipients. Sending each email with a generic greeting will cause it to be marked as spam and blocked, which is the exact opposite of what you want to happen.
Bad Example:
Hello!
Did you see our email?
You can make the first connection and maintain their interest by using their name when you address them.
Good Example:
Hello James,
Did you see our email?
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2. Concentrating on Features instead of Benefits
When sending cold emails, it is easy to spend too much time discussing the features of your product with your client, which is a bad approach.
Bad Example:
Hey Tom,
I’m John fromTechspan. We’ve designed accounting software that is robust in accounting and taxation. I believe your company may find it useful.
A better strategy to maintain your prospects’ attention is as follows: Your product or service should be used to highlight a specific issue they are experiencing and explain how it can resolve it. They are more interested in what your product can accomplish than how good it is.
Good Example:
Hey Tom,
I’m John fromTechspan. We’ve built an accounting software called Micronumberst that’ll save the time you use on taxation and automate most accounting tasks, freeing your time. Let me know what you think. Thanks!
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3. Overly Friendly
Asking for personal information, praising recipients for unimportant things, and repeatedly mentioning their names in emails are all bad email examples. All these things could give you the impression of being overly nice, making your prospect uneasy or apprehensive.
Bad Example:
Dear Nick,
I hope you’re fine! I haven’t seen you for weeks. How are the holidays? I saw you released a new accounting software. Kudos! By the way, Nick, are you the guy responsible for selling and buying software at your company?
My gut tells me you could help. Perhaps I will be waiting for your call towards the end of this week?
You should speak formally. You don’t need to behave as if your prospect is your best friend. In certain cases, flattery can be effective, but only when used tastefully.
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Good Example:
Dear Nick,
Are you responsible for making software purchases at your company?
I look forward to your response. Thanks!
4. Grammar and Spelling Mistakes
An email with errors, misspellings, or poor language is a bad way to get in touch with a potential client. It demonstrates your lack of commitment to your email.
The initial impression you want to leave is not that. Simple mistakes reveal the sender’s lack of attention to detail.
Bad Example:
Hey james,
i just wanted to reach out too you, and pitch this new software that I thought might interest you.
Before sending your email, proofread it; it can make a difference in whether you hear back.
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Good Example:
Hey James,
I wanted to reach out to you and pitch this new software that I thought might interest you.
5. Using Excessive Punctuation
You might use a lot of punctuation, such as exclamation marks, full stops, and question marks, thinking it will help the reader see the emphasis of your point. But that makes the email looks bad and unprofessional.
Bad Example:
Hello James,
How are you doing??????? I saw your software, and it is super outstanding!!!!!!!!
You should use proper punctuation and don’t overdo it.
Good Example:
Hello James,
How are you doing? I saw your software, and it is super outstanding.
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6. Being Too Brief (Not Descriptive Enough)
Have you ever received a cold email seeking a backlink or other type of collaboration, yet all you get is one sentence probably mentioning the sender’s name and what they want?
I know we are all busy and don’t expect lengthy emails (see #10 on this list). But when reaching out for a backlink, at least introduce yourself, appreciate the recipient’s work, and let them know how linking to your post would benefit the recipient’s audience
Bad Example:
Hey Mary,
My name is Tom, and I’m the outreach manager at XYZ. Recently, we published a good post, and I was wondering whether you want to link to it. Let me know if you are interested.
Sincerely
Tom
As you can see from the example above, the sender doesn’t mention why their post is worth linking to. They also don’t appreciate anything about the recipient.
Remember, people receive tons of similar emails from others seeking link-building opportunities. Thus, make yours unique so it doesn’t end up in the trash or spam folder.
Here’s an email that’s likely to receive a reply.
Good Example:
Hello Mary,
My name is Tom, and I’m the outreach manager at XYZ. I have been an avid reader of your blog for years, and I like your straightforward and insightful approach when sharing content.
I especially found your post on (share the topic) inspiring. We have a comprehensive post on our site on a similar topic, but with more examples and actionable advice that I’m sure your readers will love. Here’s the link to our post (paste the post link).
I’d be glad if you linked to our post. And if there’s anything else I can do for you, please let me know 🙂
Thank You.
Tom
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7. Unnecessary CTAs (Calls-to-Action)
Using too many CTAs is only considerably worse than not providing any at all. It could be tempting to sprinkle your email with many CTAs in the hopes that an individual will click on one of them.
Doing so will likely just confuse or irritate your prospect. Why? First, it may distract the recipient from the main message you’re trying to convey. Second, too many links can overwhelm people, not knowing which one to click.
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Bad Example:
Hey John,
Get a 14-day free trial.
Subscribe here.
Check our latest blog post.
Our Black Friday offer ends in 6 hours. Click here to get 30% off on all our products.
Use only one link in the email body and another, more general, in your signature to avoid overwhelming your recipients.
Good Example:
Hey John,
Thanks for registering. Click here to start your free 14-day trial.
Best,
Danny
Head of Marketing at xyz.com
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8. No Clear CTA
The effectiveness of your CTA when a prospect opens your email directly impacts your response rates. It will be your final impression of them. How will your prospect react if you don’t provide a clear, precise call to action?
Bad Example:
Contact us.
Your CTA should give them a compelling incentive to click through and view your landing page. Be specific and direct.
Good Example:
Are you interested in putting your company’s finances in order? Get your 14-day free subscription to our accounting software.
9. Long Subject Lines
Your email is less likely to be opened if the subject line has too many characters because most people view emails on mobile phones that display anywhere between 30 and 40 characters in portrait view.
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Bad Example:
Do you have accounting software? MIcronumbers software is your solution (14-day free trial inside).
Keep the subject lines precise. According to a study by Marketo, an email subject line’s ideal length should be seven words or 41 characters. On the other hand, Mailchimp recommends not exceeding 60 characters and nine words.
Good Example:
Free trial on Micronumbers, accounting software.
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10. Too Many Announcements in One Email
Email is designed to be rapidly read. Therefore, avoid sending an email with a week’s worth of assignments or discussions.
The receiver will just have to keep returning to this one message as a result of this. They will need to have more tabs open than required and waste too much time switching between their current task and their email.
Bad Example:
Keep a mobile-friendly email concise. As the cell phone screen is small, engage the readers as effectively as possible. How do you achieve this? By creating precise, consumable, and scannable content using bulleted lists, headers, short paragraphs, highlights, and more.
Make it easy for the receiver to respond and move on quickly. Ensure each communication can be read and answered in a matter of minutes and that you only discuss one topic or project at a time.
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Good Example:
Hi Tracy,
Just wanted to let you know we have now added over 100 templates to our CRM tool, making it easier for you to generate reports in minutes. Try it today, and let us know if you have any questions.
Thanks!
Jon
11. Not Explaining Attachments
When you use the term “attach,” your email tool will not only prompt you to upload attachments in case you forget, but it will also inform the reader of what they’re going to access.
The receiver should be able to use the search tool to locate this email in the future if they need to. Use significant keywords and provide detailed explanations for any attachments.
It will be more difficult to search if you haven’t provided any other information beyond “here is the file I promised I would deliver.”
Bad Example:
“Check the attachment.”
Good Example:
Please, find the PDF attachment that details the survey on child abuse.
12. Writing in All Caps
Don’t use CAPS LOCK unless you want to give your email recipient a heart attack. Using CAPS may look like you are shouting at your recipient.
Bad Example:
I AM WRITING TO ASK IF YOU SAW THE EMAIL I SENT YOU EARLY LAST WEEK.
Try to write your subject line and email body in lowercase. It makes it look conversational and friendly.
Good Example:
I am writing to ask if you saw my email early last week.
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13. Failure to Use a Signature
Ending an email without a signature makes your email look bad. Sign off using your name and essential contact information in your email signature. When someone sends you an email, it may take days to hear back, and they might need to discuss something with you urgently.
Bad Example:
Hi Julian,
We invite you to participate in our company survey to be conducted via Zoom next Monday at 9 am.
Regards,
James
Be sure to include an email signature showing an alternative method of contact.
Good Example:
Hi Julian,
We invite you to participate in our company survey to be conducted via Zoom next Monday at 9 AM.
Regards,
James Andrian
Website: (www.xtz.com)
Phone number: (19634xyz)
Social handle – XYZ
14. Using a Bad Email Format
I know formatting your email’s body requires additional work, but trust me, it is worth it.
Bad Example:
First, try to make the email content shorter. If that isn’t possible, be a courteous writer and take the additional time to structure it so that it’s simple to read for the people on the receiving end.
- If there is a list of tasks to do, format it as a list.
- No lengthy paragraphs
- An appropriate font style and color
- For important points, use bold text.
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Good Example:
15. Using a Rude Tone
People can’t read your body language in emails the way they do in face-to-face conversations, so the tone of your email counts.
Regardless of how agitated you may feel, you should avoid sending disrespectful emails like the one below:
Bad Example:
Hey Peter,
Please, write the department report ASAP; that should have been done by last week!
As has been the norm, I don’t expect further delays on this matter.
Thanks in advance!
Jon
Therefore, it’s imperative to refrain from using humor or sarcasm since readers can easily misunderstand the message, especially if there are linguistic or cultural differences between you and your recipient.
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Good Example:
Hey Peter,
Please, write the department report and try to send it soon if possible.
Thank you!
Jon
Bad Email Examples: 10 FAQs You Need to Know to Avoid Disaster
Why do emails go to spam?
Your emails are categorized as spam because receivers put them there first. Even if your content is excellent and the recipient explicitly permits you to contact them, they can choose to classify your email as spam to clear out their inbox.
If the recipient has a spam detector, an email can go into spam folders if it receives enough hits or has those restricted keywords.
Another reason is that an incorrect “From” address is a crucial reason why your emails could end up in the spam folder.
What is a warm email?
A warm email is sent to a customer who has already interacted with your business. This tactic hopes to increase the customer’s receptivity. A warm email alerts customers to a good or service they are already familiar with.
Is it rude to use the response “fine” in an email?
The word ‘fine’ is frequently used in speech as a sign of compliance. Although it can be complimentary or negative in tone, it is typically viewed as unpleasant and dismissive.
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What is good email etiquette?
Source: Pixabay
Email communication should be treated the same as other forms of communication. You need to communicate with the appropriate persons briefly and concisely. Also, express courtesy in your email messages.
What is the golden rule of email etiquette?
Don’t ever send an email you are not entirely comfortable with since you never know how it will appear or be received.
Why are people so bad at writing emails?
Most people treat their colleagues, customers, and other email recipients as friends and write casual emails to them. This assumption can hinder you from understanding your target audience so you can shape the email’s tone, length, and language to that person.
What is considered a rude email?
Some examples of rude emails are those with the word ‘urgent’ in the subject line and those with words like kind of, actually, obviously, etc.
However, it also depends on the overall tone of the email.
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What are unprofessional emails?
Although the tone of your text should represent your relationship with the receiver, seeming too casual or informal will make you appear unprofessional. That said, you should be judicious when using fancy fonts, emoticons, exclamation marks, colored text, and SMS shorthand.
What’s the most professional email address?
Using your first and last name with no additional digits is the most professional method to set up an email account.
What is a good email?
Like formal business letters, emails must be concise and easy to understand. Be sure to use brief, to-the-point phrases. The email’s content should be concise and informative and include all necessary details.
Final Words
If you were wondering why your emails might have been rejected, you might have been writing bad emails.
From the examples above, you can identify and correct what you have been doing wrong. Hope this helps!
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