现代职场上，邮件已经成为重要的沟通形式。然而，如何把邮件写出花儿，让同事、老板、客户看得赏心悦目却是一个大学问。
 
商务写作指南中，句型固然重要。然而，在这份商务写作指南中，我们试图探讨一些句型之外的写作技巧、一些小心思和思路。掌握了这些，你的邮件也能让人看得赏心悦目，凸显你的高情商。
 
一般来说，邮件开头比较重要。春风化雨的开头能够快速拉近彼此的距离，承前启后，扫清沟通障碍。
 
下面给大家介绍一些既简单又经典的开头句式。
1.  I hope you are doing well.
希望你一切安好。

2.  I hope this finds you well.
希望你一切都好。

3.  Just checking in.
这是美国人常用的句型，就跟咱们的“没事，打个电话随便问问，只是联系看看你过得好不好”差不多一个意思，让对方放松心情。

4.  Just wanted to send you a quick note to…
只是给你发个信来……

5.  How is everything?
一切还好吗？

6.  Just checking in to make sure that…
只是过来确认下……

7.  I wanted to reach out to you because…
我只是联系你来……
 
上面只是开胃小菜，下面小编将介绍一些小技巧，教大家在一些棘手情况下，如何回复邮件，让你邮件看起来diplomatic and polite.

1显示客气的大杀器：情态动词和修饰词
 
比如，有时候要给老板汇报一个不太好的消息，如果你邮件写成下面这样，可能老板看了心情会立刻down掉。
 
There will be a delay in the completion of the project.
 
那么，怎样能够缓和语气，让老板消化坏消息做好心理建设呢？下面这个句子可以给你点参考：
 
There might be a slight delay in the completion of the project.
 
这里就是用了一些小技巧，比如情态动词might be，修饰词slight让整个句子变得柔和起来，负面感情低了很多。
 
曾经就有老外说过，在写商务邮件时，用好修饰词是多么关键：
If we use qualifiers to decrease the quality of a word, they make great ‘softeners’. Words used to soften the tone of our content or convey politeness when we speak.
 
再比如其他一些让邮件变得有礼貌的修饰词：a little, a bit, a little bit, slight, slightly, small, one or two.
 
下次，如果要向老板汇报不好的消息，可以用这些词试试看哦，比如：
We are having problems with the new product.
We are having one or two problems with the new product.
这个新产品有点小问题。
 
We will run over budget.
We might run slightly over budget.
我们稍微有点超预算了。
 
The marketing campaign is behind schedule.
The marketing campaign is a little bit behind schedule.
市场活动有点落后于计划了。
 
2 化用问句，语气polite指数爆表
另一种让邮件看起来很有礼貌，诚意十足的办法就是运用问句，特别是当你想要提出某个意见的时候。
 
比如，你希望别人重新设计下公司logo，如果你像下面这样平铺直叙地讲，多半别人会觉得你有点霸道，也许心里面还有OS：凭什么你说要重新设计就设计，比如这样：We should redesign the company logo!
 
如果给上司邮件中用上面这个句子，简直就是作死的节奏。所以，聪明人该怎么说呢？
 
办法就是用问句，以非直接的方式提出你的建议，比如：
Shouldn’t we redesign the company logo?
 
一般来说，还可以用couldn't, wouldn't引导的句子表达个人意见，比如：
 
普通表达：
We must hire a new advertising agency.
 
高级表达：
Couldn’t we hire a new advertising agency?
Wouldn’t it be better to hire a new advertising agency?

3 活用过去进行时，你的邮件气质up, up
过去进行时也是写邮件时候的大利器，用的好，可以让邮件上一个档次，比如：
 
I hope we can sign the contract today.
I was hoping that we could sign the contract today.
我希望今天咱们能把合约签了。
 
I think we need to hire more employees.
I was thinking we need to hire more employees.
我在想我们需要多招一些员工。
 
I aim to finish this project by the end of the month.
I was aiming to finish this project by the end of the month.
我打算再本月底完成这个项目。
 
过去进行时到底有啥厉害之处，国外专家这么说：
Using the past continuous makes the sentence sound more hypothetical and tentative, and therefore less direct and is a great technique for injecting diplomacy and politeness into your English.
 
4 善用被动态，避免说别人坏话
被动句式也是转换生硬语气的很好的办法，比如，如果邮件里出现下面这样的句子，收件人估计不会很高兴吧！
 
You have broken my computer!
你弄坏了我的电脑。
 
This active voice sentence is brutally direct and if your aim is to avoid confrontation then you might consider using the passive voice to lessen the emotional impact of the sentence:
 
My computer has been broken!
我的电脑坏了。
 
再比如下面这两个句式，去除主语之后能够避免谈论到底谁要为行为负责，让句式非常商务范。
 
You said you were going to sign the deal today.
It was understood that you were going to sign the deal today.
据说，你今天要去签合约。
 
You agreed to lower your fees.
It was agreed that you were going to lower your fees.
之前咱们谈妥，贵方说会降低费用。

5 学会用“软化词”，做心理建设
在商务写作中，如果能用一些“软化词”（softener），用这样一种语言工具可以让整体内容语调变得更得柔和。
 
一般来说，传达不好的消息的时候，可以用这类词，给收件人做心理建设。
这类词有： I’m afraid, so sorry, to be honest, unfortunately, with all respect
 
To be honest, I think we need to rethink our marketing strategy.
老实说，我觉得我们应该重新思考下市场策略。
 
With all respect, I don’t agree with what you just said.
恕我直言，我不同意你说的话。
 
6 活用情态动词，凸显情商
Modal verbs such as would, could, may or might are great for softening a request or giving a command:
 
I want more time to finish this presentation.
I could use more time to finish this presentation.
It would be nice to have more time to finish this presentation.
如果能多一些时间做这个报告就好了。
 
Hand me the telephone, please.
Would you hand me the telephone, please?
Could you hand me the telephone, please?
能把电话递给我吗？

7 否定句也要变着花儿说
不明白这是什么意思？请看下面的例子。
 
I’m afraid I haven’t finished the report.
I’m afraid I haven’t been able to finish the report yet.
我恐怕是没法完成这份报告了。
 
第一个句子是不是很生硬呢？
第二个句子中加上be able to，可是一个妥妥的心机表达，用来暗示“你还在认真做这个任务，但可能一些不可控力让你没法做好，比如很大的工作量啦等等”。
而“yet”呢？则是用来强调你还在认真做，快要完成了，让收件人觉得你一直在努力，消除负面感。
 
还要一个方式，就是改变论述方式，用多元句型表达，让否定内容变得不那么消极。
 
I can’t give you a better deal than that.
I am not able to give you a better deal than that.
I am unable to give you a better deal than that.
I am not in a position to give you a better deal than that.
 
8 恰当使用副词，提升你的人缘
商务邮件中，用一些副词“entirely, totally or completely”可以削减或强化语气程度，比如：
 
I am unhappy with this agreement.
I am not entirely happy with this agreement.
I am not totally happy with this agreement.
 
外国专家就曾经说过这样一句话，表达商务写作中语法，句型结构的重要性，小编觉得，这段话值得大家看看，在下一次提笔写邮件时，可以用来提醒自己，一封有范儿的邮件到底该如何写：
 
Choosing the right words and the right grammar can go a long way to removing some of the unpleasantness of the message we have to deliver.
It can also help us to maintain a level of deference that we wish to show to superiors or clients in the normal course of business.
 
说了这么多商务邮件写作小技巧，下面来看看一些具体场景下，邮件如何能写出花儿！

别人总习惯在事情最后关头请你帮助，你不想帮忙，怎么委拒？
 
I would love to help you out, but I already made commitments to other (coworkers, clients, etc.) to complete their projects today.
It wouldn’t be fair to them to not follow through on what I said I would do.
I will be sure to fit this in as soon as possible. Thanks for your understanding.

别人总是不直接找相关联系人，而是找你做中间人，如何回答？
 
That’s not my area of expertise. I would be happy to connect you with someone who could best help you solve this problem.

如果别人总是让你在短期内赶任务，怎么回答？
 
I know this project is a high priority for you, and if it’s absolutely necessary for me to turn something in by that date, I can make it happen.
But if I could have a few more (days, weeks, etc.), I could really deliver something of higher quality.
Would it be possible for me to have a bit more time?
 
别人让你做一些你目前没时间、没精力做的事情，怎么回答？
 
I appreciate you thinking of me, and I’m honored by the request.
But unfortunately, I don’t have the time to give this my best right now.
I think you would benefit from finding someone who can devote more time and energy to this project.
 
6个小办法，如何设定界限，在邮件中给人做心理建设？
 
The Deferral: “I’m swamped right now, but feel free to follow up.”
当你很忙的时候，可以回答：我现在忙不过来，但之后会跟进的。
 
The Referral: “I’m not qualified to do what you’re asking, but here’s something else.”
你推荐他人做事情：你要求的事情我现在没有权利办到，但我可以给你推荐个人。
 
The Introduction: “This isn’t in my wheelhouse, but I know someone who might be helpful.”
介绍别人时：这事不是我掌管，我知道XXX可以帮到你。
 
The Bridge: “You two are working toward common goals.”
做中介的时候：你们两个目标倒挺一致的。（言下之意：你两可以合作，别找我了。）
 
The Batch: “Others have posed the same question, so let’s chat together.”
面对一群人，如何回答：别人也提了这个问题，我们大家一起来商讨看看吧。
 
The Relational Account: “If I helped you, I’d be letting others down.”
面对关系户，怎么婉拒：如果我帮了你的话，肯定要让别人失望了。

此外，商务英语中，哪些词能用，哪些词不能用？
 
最后，咱们来谈谈邮件结尾怎么收场。
 
平常我们写邮件，结尾的时候，是不是都是千篇一律，从下面三个句子中选用一个呢？
 
“Please let me know if you have any questions.”
“If you have any other problems, just let me know.”
“If there is anything else you need, please let me know.”
 
但其实这些说法都很生硬，我们跟朋友，客户，老板写邮件，一定要这么硬邦邦吗？下次你可以试试下面这些说法哦
 
“Does this help you?”
“Did that answer your question? And does it make sense?”
“Anything else that I can help with today?”

（本文首发于沪江商务英语公众号，扫码关注，即可获取更多商务英语资讯。转载请“沪江商务英语”后台联系！）