How do you start an email to your boss, an important client, or your workplace BFF?
“Hey” is for horses—or is it?
I remember my first boss was dead-set against using “hey” as a greeting—in email correspondence and otherwise. She felt it was unprofessional and extremely off-putting as an email opener.
While not everyone feels exactly like that—”hey” greetings actually have the highest open rate— it’s always best to use a professional tone in important business-specific emails.
Table of Contents
- The 6 Best Ways to Start an Email
- How to Start Every Email Right
- How to Start Professional Emails
- How to Start a Casual Email
- How to Start a Personal Email: Silly Email Openings
- Email Openings to Avoid
Not every email is the same. Some emails are addressed to your friends, your mom, a giant bachelorette party, or your CEO. If you're looking to diversify your email greetings, you've come to the right place!
We thought it would be fun to put together a list of some greetings you can use in emails, some you shouldn't, and some you really shouldn't—no matter to whom they are being sent.
The 6 Best Ways to Start an Email
According to our friends at Grammarly, the most successful ways to start an email are the following email greetings:
- Dear [Name]
- Hi or Hello.
- Hi everyone, Hi team, or Hi [department name]
- I hope your week is going well
- I'm reaching out about . . .
- Thanks for . . .
These email greetings address all kinds of email situations—including emailing several people at once, emailing to send thanks, or simply keeping your correspondence friendly and professional. It's perfect email etiquette!
How to Start Every Email Right
With email, we have it pretty easy. We no longer have to format complicated letters with margins, addresses, return addresses, and formal titles. Often enough, all we have to do is attach a greeting to a name.
Pro Tip: Spell that name correctly. If the recipient has a complicated name, use your copy and paste (CTRL + C, CTRL + V). There is basically no excuse for misspelling a name via email—that’s downright lazy. You have the cheat sheet right there!
A misspelled name communicates that you don’t care enough to take a few seconds to ensure it's spelled correctly.
Ok, that was our rant. Let’s dive in!
How to Start Professional Emails
When you're emailing a new business colleague, a possible client, or anyone else in a professional capacity, keep it simple.
You will have plenty of opportunities to showcase your sparkling personality as your professional relationship grows. For now, keep everything SFW, using more standard greetings.
- Hello
- Hi
- Hi There
- Greetings
- Salutations
- Dear [correctly-spelled name]
- Good morning
- Good afternoon
- Good evening
How to Start a Casual Email
When you're emailing your work wife or a friend-adjacent co-worker, you may have a little more fun with your greeting. No, this is not the time to greet with the Budweiser "Wassup?" but it can be a good time to use an exclamation point—and maybe even an emoji?
- Hey
- Happy Monday
- Hi friend
- Hey [name]
- Hey There
- [Name]-
- Hiya
- Well hello
- Why, hello there!
- How to Start an Email to a Group of Professionals
When you're emailing a group on a thread, several salutation options exist. You may address each person by name—but if you find yourself on a thread with 12 other people, that might not be feasible. Use a friendly "Hello all" or "Hello folks!"
Veer away from using gendered language when addressing a group of professional associates. While the word "guys" or "dudes" may seem harmless, it can come across as unprofessional or downright offensive.
- Hello everyone
- Dear [name], [name], and [name]
- Hi everyone
- Hi all
- Hello folks!
- All
- Dear team
How to Start a Personal Email: Silly Email Openings
We have another disclaimer here. Use these email openings for your friends, family, or people you know well. These email greetings won't work for your boss, a new client, or in a cold email.
- Hey buddy
- Howdy
- Hey girl
- Hey dude
- Sup?
- Top of the mornin’ to ya!
- Yo!
- Yooooooooooo!
Email Openings to Avoid
To play it safe, don't use any of these at work. Most of them are unprofessional, annoying, or antiquated (see: To Whom It May Concern.) Nicknames are okay to use if you have a personal relationship with the person you are emailing—or if they use the nickname in their correspondence.
Any greeting wherein you are pressing one letter to show your excitement (see: Hiiiiiiiiii) is probably not for the workplace. Not to be rude, but it's so annoyingggggggggggggg when professionals do that.
- Hiiiiiiiiii
- Hi [nickname]
- Hey guys
- Sup dog?
- To Whom It May Concern
- Dear Sir or Madam
- Wasssupppp
- Aloha, Hola, Bonjour, etc
Now that you've got started, how are you going to end your email? If you like this article, you might also like these professional email hacks! Happy emailing!
