You must have read enough emails and sales journals in which abbreviations are commonly used in sentences.

The business language is full of acronyms and abbreviations that are often confusing and sometimes irritating to the reader, especially when you don't know how to use them.

"I.e." and "E.g." are two Latin abbreviations often mixed up in business communication.

Let's decode the abbreviations, "i.e." and "e.g.,"  with a few examples of how each abbreviation is used in sales emails.  

What is "I.e."?

"i.e." is an abbreviation for the Latin term "id est" which also can be used for "in other words" or "that is." interchangeably.

It means that you give a clarifying example of what was just stated in the previous sentence or phrase.

"i.e." is used to provide more detailed information about something. You could also say "for instance" to provide the same clarification as "i.e.," but we find that "i.e." is more common in sales communication.

Also Read: 7 Different Ways to Say "Thank You for Your Consideration" in an Email

What is "E.g."?

"E.g." is an abbreviation for Latin words "exempli gratia," which translates into English as "For example."

Using the abbreviation "e.g." involves giving a single sentence as an overview before going into details on that same topic.

"E.g." can be used in sales communication when you're providing an example of what your sales copy discusses.

Use, E.g., in sales emails when you want to provide more detail about your company or product because it will not sound as if you are speaking for others or someone else, which is what, i.e., is used for.

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How to Correctly Use “i.e.” & “e.g.”?

There are a few grammar rules when using abbreviations.

  • When using "i.e." or "e.g." at the beginning of a sentence, they have to be capitalized ( I.e., &, E.g.)
  • The letters should be followed by a period ( i.e.)
  • When used in the middle of the sentence or parentheses, it is followed by a comma ( i.e.,)
  • They don't need to be italicized

Here Are Some Examples:

  1. "Hi, I want to share an email with you which includes buyer's behavior tips for successful conversions, i.e., we find that buyers show more interest in items on offer than on full price."

2.  "Hi, I want to share a sales letter with you that I like to use in my business. For example/e.g. the sales copy discusses how your customers can be more successful."

Note: You should always check a company's style guide before using any of these terms if you're unsure about the correct usage.

To summarize, "i.e." means that you are clarifying or giving an example of what was just stated in the previous sentence, while "e.g." provides more detail about your sales copy before going into specifics.

Don't forget to use abbreviations like these; it will make your sales communication clearer and easier to read for the people on the other end!

How to use "I.e." in Sales Email?

Hi John,

I am pleased to share a personalized sales proposal that I tailored specifically for your business needs.

Let me know if we can discuss it soon, i.e., in the next couple of business days.

Sincerely,
Mark

How to Use "E.g." in Sales Email?

Hi John,

I'm writing to see if you would be interested in a new product that we have just launched. This product offers great promise.

E.g., It includes the latest technology for managing and monitoring sales leads and provides advanced sales analytics.

I am confident that this product will help you close more deals because it gives you the ability to measure & manage leads in real-time and provide sales managers with a 360-degree view of their team's performance.

I look forward to hearing from you and hope this sales email is a good start in answering your questions about our new product.

Sincerely,
Mark
Sales Manager at [Company Name]

If you are not comfortable using the abbreviations in your sales emails, you can simply substitute them for their English phrases.

Also Read: COB vs EOD? Differences & When to Use Them

For example, Use "that is" in place of "i.e." or "for instance" or "for example" in place of "e.g."

But don't you think abbreviations are meant to save time and especially save you the character count on social media platforms like Twitter? Little things matter when there is limited space to write!

So, use your cognizance and choose your words (letters in this case) wisely!

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