Business emails perform best at 50-125 words for highest response rates. A Boomerang study analyzing 40 million emails found that emails between 75-100 words achieve a 51% response rate (the optimal range), while 50-word emails get 50%, 200-word emails drop to 48%, 500-word emails fall to 44%, and emails over 2,000 words see response rates below 35%. Additionally, writing at a 3rd grade reading level produces a 36% lift in responses over college-level writing.

This guide covers optimal business email length for every situation.

Business Email Length Guidelines

Why Shorter Emails Win

Response Rate Data (Boomerang Study - 40 Million Emails)

Key insight: Writing at a 3rd grade reading level produces a 36% lift in response rates compared to college-level writing.

Reader Behavior

How professionals read email:

• Average time per email: 11 seconds
• Most scan, don’t read word-for-word
• First 50 words determine engagement
• Mobile users skim even faster

Mobile Considerations

Mobile email statistics:

• 60%+ of emails opened on mobile
• Small screens discourage scrolling
• Shorter emails read completely
• Longer emails often deferred (then forgotten)

Email Structure by Length

50-Word Email (Quick Request)

Structure:

Greeting (5 words)
Context (15 words)
Request (20 words)
Close (10 words)

Example: “Hi Sarah,

Following up on our conversation yesterday. Could you send me the Q3 budget figures when you have a chance? I need them for Friday’s presentation.

Thanks, John”

100-Word Email (Standard Business)

Structure:

Greeting (5 words)
Context/reason for email (25 words)
Main content (50 words)
Next steps/request (15 words)
Close (5 words)

Example: “Hi Team,

Quick update on the product launch timeline. We’ve completed the beta testing phase with positive results—92% of users reported the new features improved their workflow.

Based on this feedback, we’re moving the launch date up to March 15. Marketing will send updated materials next week. Please review and flag any concerns by Wednesday.

Thanks, Maria”

150-Word Email (Detailed Update)

Structure:

Greeting (5 words)
Context (20 words)
Main update (75 words)
Supporting details (30 words)
Action items (15 words)
Close (5 words)

200-Word Email (Complex Topic)

When appropriate:

• Multiple stakeholders need context
• Decision explanation required
• Sensitive topics requiring care
• Formal business proposals

Structure:

Greeting (5 words)
Context/background (35 words)
Main content (100 words)
Implications/next steps (40 words)
Request/call to action (15 words)
Close (5 words)

Email Length by Type

Internal Emails

Quick questions (30-50 words): Simple yes/no or information requests

Updates (75-125 words): Project status, meeting outcomes, FYIs

Announcements (100-175 words): Policy changes, team news, organizational updates

External Emails

Initial outreach (75-125 words): First contact, introduction, inquiry

Follow-up (50-75 words): Checking in, confirming, reminding

Proposals (150-200 words): Pitching, recommending, requesting

Cold Emails

Optimal length: 50-100 words

Why shorter works better:

• No established relationship
• Reader owes you nothing
• Every word must earn attention
• One clear ask only

Cold email structure:

Hook (15 words)
Relevance (25 words)
Value proposition (25 words)
Single ask (15 words)
Sign-off (5 words)

Subject Line Length

Optimal Subject Line Length

Characters: 30-50 characters (6-10 words)

Why this range:

• Fully visible on most devices
• Mobile cutoff: ~30-40 characters
• Desktop preview: ~60 characters
• Gmail shows: ~70 characters

Subject Line Best Practices

Effective subjects:

• “Q3 Budget - Need Input by Friday” (32 chars)
• “Meeting Request: Product Launch Review” (40 chars)
• “Quick Question About Johnson Account” (37 chars)

Avoid:

• Single-word subjects (“Hi”, “Question”)
• All caps (“URGENT REQUEST”)
• Vague subjects (“Follow-up”, “Checking in”)

The Five-Sentence Email

The 5-Sentence Framework

Philosophy: If it takes more than five sentences, it should be a phone call or meeting.

Structure:

1. Sentence 1: Why you’re writing
2. Sentence 2-3: Context and details
3. Sentence 4: Your request or action item
4. Sentence 5: Next step or close

Example: “Hi Mike, I’m reaching out about the vendor contract renewal. After reviewing their proposal, I think we should negotiate the pricing tier—we’re using 40% more than last year. Could you review the attached comparison and share your thoughts? I’d like to respond to them by Thursday. Let me know if you need any additional context.”

When to Break the Rule

Longer emails acceptable for:

• Complex technical explanations
• Formal proposals
• Legal or compliance matters
• Documenting decisions
• Cross-cultural communication (some cultures expect more formality)

Email Length by Recipient

C-Suite and Executives

Preferred length: 50-75 words

Why:

• Extremely time-pressed
• Make decisions quickly
• Need bottom line first
• Assistants may screen

Executive email structure:

[One-line context]
[Request/recommendation]
[One line of key data if needed]

Peers and Colleagues

Preferred length: 75-150 words

Flexibility: Can be more conversational, include context

Direct Reports

Preferred length: 100-200 words

May need: More context, explanation, guidance

External Contacts

Preferred length: 75-125 words

Considerations:

• Professional tone
• Full context (can’t assume shared knowledge)
• Clear value proposition

Reducing Email Length

Cutting Techniques

Remove:

• Throat-clearing (“I hope this email finds you well”)
• Hedging language (“I was wondering if perhaps…”)
• Unnecessary context (they know what project this is)
• Apologies for length (just make it shorter)

Replace:

• “I wanted to reach out to you to” → [delete]
• “I’m writing to ask” → “Can you…”
• “Please don’t hesitate to” → [delete or use “Let me know”]
• “At your earliest convenience” → “By [date]”

Before and After Example

Before (156 words): “Hi Jennifer,

I hope this email finds you well! I wanted to reach out to you regarding the upcoming quarterly review meeting. As you may know, we’ve been working hard on the analytics project, and I was wondering if perhaps we could schedule some time to discuss the results before the meeting.

I think it would be really beneficial for us to align on the key findings and make sure we’re presenting a unified front to leadership. Please let me know if you would have some time available next week to chat. I’m flexible and can work around your schedule.

Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. Looking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Best regards, Mark”

After (52 words): “Hi Jennifer,

Can we meet before the quarterly review to align on the analytics findings? I want to make sure we’re presenting a unified message to leadership.

I’m free Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon. Let me know what works for you.

Thanks, Mark”

Mobile Email Optimization

Character Limits on Mobile

Visible without scrolling:

• Subject: ~30-40 characters
• Preview/body: ~100 characters
• First screen: ~200 words max

Mobile-First Writing

Strategies:

• One idea per paragraph
• Short sentences (15-20 words)
• Front-load key information
• Use line breaks liberally
• Bullet points when listing

Testing Mobile Display

Before sending important emails:

• Send to yourself
• Check on mobile device
• Verify nothing critical is cut off
• Ensure formatting displays correctly

Email Signatures

Signature Length

Recommended: 4-6 lines

Include:

• Name
• Title
• Company
• Phone (optional)
• Website/LinkedIn (optional)

Avoid:

• Lengthy disclaimers
• Multiple social links
• Quotes or images
• Legal text (unless required)

Signature word count: 20-40 words

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ideal business email length?

50-200 words, with 75-100 words being optimal for most business communications. This length provides enough information while respecting reader time.

How many sentences should a business email be?

Aim for 3-5 sentences for most emails. If your email requires more, consider whether a phone call or meeting would be more effective.

Do shorter emails really get more responses?

Yes. Studies consistently show emails between 50-125 words have the highest response rates. Emails over 200 words see significant drops in engagement.

How long should a cold email be?

50-100 words maximum. Cold emails should have one clear ask and provide immediate value. Every word must earn its place since the reader has no relationship with you.

Should I apologize for sending a long email?

No. If you need to apologize for length, edit the email to make it shorter. “Sorry for the long email” suggests you know it’s too long but sent it anyway.

Is it unprofessional to send very short emails?

No. Brief, clear emails are professional. A 50-word email that communicates effectively is better than a 200-word email that buries the point.

Key Takeaways

• Optimal business email length: 50-125 words for highest response rates
• 75-100 words achieves 51% response rate (Boomerang study, 40M emails)
• 3rd grade reading level produces 36% lift over college-level writing
• Subject lines: 30-50 characters
• Lead with your main point or ask
• One topic per email
• Cut hedging language and throat-clearing
• Mobile users skim—keep paragraphs short

Conclusion

Business email length directly impacts whether your message gets read, understood, and acted upon. The Boomerang study of 40 million emails found that 75-100 words achieves the highest response rate at 51%, with rates dropping significantly for longer emails. Writing at a 3rd grade reading level produces a 36% lift over college-level writing. Respect your reader’s time by cutting unnecessary words, leading with your point, and including a clear call to action. Try our free letter counter → to verify your business emails stay within the optimal 50-125 word range.