Email examples: six messages small businesses send every week

Advice about business email is mostly abstract — be concise, be clear, have a call to action. Email examples are more useful, because the hard part is not knowing that a message should be short; it is knowing what to cut when everything feels necessary.

Six messages below, written out, each followed by what it is actually doing. Copy the structure, not the wording — the wording should sound like you.

1. Replying to an enquiry

Subject: Re: kitchen refit — availability in October. Body: Thanks for getting in touch. Yes, we have capacity in October for a refit of that size. To quote properly I need two things: the rough dimensions, and whether the appliances are being replaced. If it is easier, I can call tomorrow between 9 and 11 — does that work? — What it does: confirms feasibility in the first line, names exactly what is missing, and offers one specific next step instead of asking them to decide the next move.

2. Sending a quote

Subject: Quote 2041 — kitchen refit, 4,180 including VAT. Body: Attached is the quote for the refit as we discussed: cabinetry, worktop, and installation over five working days. It holds until 30 September. Not included: appliances and electrical work beyond the existing points. If it looks right, reply to this email and I will book the dates. — What it does: puts the number in the subject, states validity, lists exclusions before they become an argument, and defines acceptance.

3. Chasing an unpaid invoice

Subject: Invoice 2041 — due Friday. Body: A quick note that invoice 2041 (4,180) is due this Friday, 12 September. If it is already scheduled, please ignore this. If anything is missing at your end — a PO number or a different billing address — tell me and I will reissue today. — What it does: assumes good faith, gives the number and date, and offers the most likely fix rather than pressure.

The chase above works because it is sent before the due date, not after. Nearly every late payment is an invoice that was never entered into a system, and a friendly note two days early catches exactly that case while it is still nobody's fault.

4. Following up on silence

Subject: Re: quote 2041. Body: Following up on the quote I sent on 2 September. Are you still considering it, or has the project moved? Either answer is useful — if it is on hold I will stop chasing, and if there is something in the quote that does not work, I would rather know. — What it does: makes "no" easy, which is what gets a reply. Follow-ups that only allow "yes" get silence.

5. Apologising for a mistake

Subject: Delivery delay on your order 5512. Body: Your order will arrive on Thursday rather than Monday. The supplier shipped late and we did not catch it in time. I have credited the delivery charge and it will show on your account this week. Sorry — this one is on us. — What it does: leads with the new fact, states the cause without excuses, and includes the remedy in the same message so the customer does not have to ask.

6. Saying no

Subject: Re: February project. Body: Thank you for thinking of us. We do not have the capacity to take this on in February and I would rather say so now than hold the slot. If the timing moves to spring, I would be glad to look again — and if it helps, two people I would trust with this are below. — What it does: declines early and clearly, keeps the relationship open with a specific condition, and offers something useful rather than a soft maybe.

In Ettex Mail, the messages you send repeatedly can live as reusable replies next to the inbox, with sixteen transactional layouts for the automated ones. Per-address signatures keep branding consistent across domain mailboxes, scheduled send lets you write at midnight and deliver at nine, snooze and follow-ups stop a thread being forgotten, filters and rules route incoming mail before it reaches you, and instant search finds any message across accounts. Mail from hosted domains is signed with DKIM over real SMTP, which is what keeps a well-written message out of spam.

What the six have in common

• The point is in the first line — no throat-clearing.
• One ask per message, with a date attached where a date exists.
• Specific subject lines that say the thing rather than the category.
• Under 120 words. Every one of these could be twice as long and none would be better.
• A tone that sounds like a person rather than a department.

Good business email examples share a shape: the point first, one ask, a date, and a way for the other person to say no. Everything else is habit you can drop.