6 Ways to Start an Email, and 6 to Avoid - Grammarly

Instead, use “Dear Sam” or “Dear Sam Barney.” 2 Hi or Hello. As far as email greetings go, an informal “Hi” followed by a ... Grammarlystandswithourfriends,colleagues,andfamilyinUkraine,andwithallpeopleofUkraine.JoinusWritesmarterwithournewfeaturesforprofessionals.GetGrammarlyWritesmarterwithournewfeaturesforprofessionals.GetGrammarly6WaystoStartanEmail,and6toAvoidJenniferCaloniaUpdatedonJune2,2022ProductProfessionalsInboxesareswampedwithincomingandoutgoingemailsthroughouttheday.AccordingtoCampaignMonitor,anemailmarketingplatform,theaveragepersonsendsandreceives121businessandconsumeremailsperday.However,notallofthosemessagesareread,orarereadfrombeginningtoend. Tocaptureyourrecipient’sattention,you’llneedtocraftapurposefulsalutationandopeningsentence.Here’smoreonhowtostartanemailprofessionallyandeffectively. Giveyouremailsextrapolish Grammarlyhelpsyoucommunicateconfidently WritewithGrammarly Whyengagingemailintroductionsareimportant Astrongemailintroductionencouragesyourreadertocontinuescanningthebodyofyourmessage.Thebestemailshaveanengaginggreetingandopeningsentencethatsecurestherecipient’sinterestandbuy-in.Ideally,acaptivatingintroductionultimatelyleadsreaderstotakeaction.  Athoughtfulemailopeningsentenceisusefulwhenaskingrecipientsto:   Clickonalink Respondtoaquestion Participateinasurvey Provideadditionalclarity Reviewadocumentorotherinformation Providebusiness-relatedsupport RSVP Acompellingopenersetsthetoneforthemessage.Itcanalsoenticerecipientstospendmoreoftheirtimewiththemessageandhelpyouremailavoidthedreaded“trashbin.” 6strongwaystostartanemail Belowisalistofemailgreetingsandopeningsentencesthatkeeprecipients,andtheirtime,topofmind. Appropriatesalutations 1 Dear[Name] Thisemailgreetingisanappropriatesalutationforformalemailcorrespondence.It’stypicallyusedincoverletters,officialbusinessletters,andothercommunicationwhenyouwanttoconveyrespectfortherecipient. Althoughhonorificslike“Mr.”and“Mrs.”wereonceaccepted,theyriskmisgenderingorerroneouslyassumingthereader’smaritalstatus.Instead,use“DearSam”or“DearSamBarney.” 2 HiorHello Asfarasemailgreetingsgo,aninformal“Hi”followedbyacommaisperfectlyacceptableinmostwork-relatedmessages.Ifaslightlymoreformaltoneispreferred,considerthesalutation“Hello.”  Althoughthisisconsideredaninformalgreeting,italsoconveysastraightforwardandfriendlytone. 3 Hieveryone,Hiteam,orHi[departmentname]team Whenwritinganemailmessagetotwoormorepeople,youhaveafewoptions.“Hieveryone,”“Hiteam,”or“Hi[departmentname]team”areinformalyetprofessionalwaystogreetagroupofpeople. Theyalsoavoidgender-specificaddressestoagroup,like“Higuys,”“Hiladies,”or“Gentlemen,”whichmightnotaccuratelydescribetherecipients. Engagingemailopeningsentences 4 IhopeyourweekisgoingwellorIhopeyouhadaniceweekend Theseareeffectiveemailopeningsentencesbecausetheyacknowledgeyourreaderfirstandhelpbuildrapportwithacolleagueyoualreadyknoworwithwhomyouwanttodevelopafriendlyworkingrelationship.  5 I’mreachingoutabout . . .  Beginninganemailwith“I’mreachingoutabout . . . ”ispoliteanddirectandclarifiesthepurposeoftheemail.Withhundredsofemailcorrespondencestransmittedinasinglebusinessday,thisapproachshowsyou’rebeingconscientiousabouttherecipient’stimebygettingstraighttothepoint. Statingyourintentalsoavoidsmiscommunicationorconfusionaboutwhatyouneedfromthereader.  6 Thanksfor...  Expressinggratitudeisanotherwaytoputthereaderfirst.Iftheemailyou’rewritingisinresponsetoanemailoractionbytherecipient,acknowledgingthatatthestartbuildsonworkplacecamaraderie. 6waysnottobeginanemail Thesalutationsandopeningsentencesbelowcarryastifftoneand,insomecases,suggestacarelessapproach.Ifyourgoalistocomeacrossasgenuineandthoughtful,thenit’sbesttoavoidthesephrases.  Salutationstoavoid 1 Towhomitmayconcern Although“Towhomitmayconcern”seemslikeaprofessionalsalutation,it’simpersonalandoverused.Itsuggeststhatyoudidn’tcaretoconfirmwhoyourrecipientisorwhetheryourmessagepertainstothem. Thisalsoappliestotheemailgreeting,“DearSirorMadam.”Inthiscase,thegender-binarygreetingisdatedandcouldbeconsiderednoninclusive. 2 Hi[MisspelledName] Whenusingtherecipient’snameinanemailsalutation,confirmthatyou’veusedthecorrectspelling.Typoshappen,butmisspellingaperson’snamesendsaredflagthatyoudidn’twriteyourmessagewithcareorattentiontodetail.  3 Dear[ENTERNAMEHERE] Misspellingarecipient’snameinanemailgreetingshouldbeavoided,asshouldanothersalutationfauxpas:entirelyforgettingtoentertheirnameintoaprewrittentemplate. Usinganemailtemplatewithoutanypersonalizationinthehopeofcaptivatingyourreaderwilllikelybeineffective.Ifyoumustuseatemplatedmessageforefficiency,alwaysdouble-checkthatyou’vechangedanyplaceholdersinthesalutationwiththerecipient’scorrectlyspelledname.  Openingsentencestoavoid 4 Canyoudomeafavor? Whenyoudon’tknowtherecipientandareemailingthemforthefirsttime,anopeningsentencelike“Canyoudomeafavor?”canfeelabruptandhasaself-servingtone.  Instead,consideranemailopeningsentencethatconciselyexplainstheproblemyou’rehopingtosolvewiththeirassistance,like“I’mreachingoutabout . . . ” 5 Iknowyou’rebusy,but...  Thisemailintroduction,atbest,assumesthereader’stimeisprecious.Atworst,itsuggeststhatyou’reawareofthatfact,butyoudeservetheirattentionnonetheless.  Regardlessofyourrelationshipwiththereader,avoidthisintroductorysentenceandinsteadbrieflyexplainwhyyou’remessagingthem. 6 Letmeintroducemyself Thisemailopeneristypicallyusedwhenemailingarecipientforthefirsttime.Beginninganemailwith“Letmeintroducemyself”islikenarratingyourownintroduction.Wouldyousaythisoutloudtosomeone?Itsoundsdeclarative,butitultimatelywastestime.Instead,cuttothechase.  Additionaltipsforanengagingemailintroduction Knowyouraudience.Theemailsalutationandopeningsentenceforyourmessageshouldreflecttherelationshipyouhavewiththeaudience.Considerwhetheryou’rewritingforaclient,C-suiteleadership,aprofessionalacquaintance,oraclosecolleague.  Makeyourpurposeclear.Whenthepurposeofyouremailisunclear,itcanleavethereaderconfusedorfrustrated.Toavoidmissingthiscriticalfactor,tryincorporatingthepurposeofyouremailintotheopeningsentence. Useanonlinetool.Hittingtherighttoneforyouraudienceandtheactionyouultimatelywantthemtodocanbechallenging.Grammarly’stonedetectorcanhelpyouspotareasthataren’taccomplishingyourintendedtone. Yourwriting,atitsbest.GetGrammarlyforfreeWorksonallyourfavoritewebsitesRelatedArticlesProduct4WaysGrammarlyHelpsFreelancersEditandPolishTheirWorkProduct7WaysGrammarlyHelpsImproveYourTextsProduct5WaysGrammarlySavesYouTimeProductWriteConfidentlyAcrossAllYouriPhoneAppswithGrammarly|GrammarlySpotlightProductIntroducingGrammarlyforWindowsandMacProductFocusYourReader'sAttentiononYourEmail’sMainPoints|GrammarlySpotlightWriting,grammar,andcommunicationtipsforyourinbox.subscribeYouhavebeensuccessfullysubscribedtotheGrammarlyblog.