Having a nice way to begin your email and ensuring a good first impression is crucial to creating a good atmosphere for conversation.
Unfortunately, most people using email spend most of their time optimizing their email subject line but fail terribly when it comes to hooking their recipient with the first line.
If you're wondering how important the first email opening line is, think about all the times you received the infamous "Dear sir or madam" and how annoying it is.
In this article, I’ll share 180 email greetings and ways to start an email. I’ll be including unique opening lines for every situation you might need them for — and some email etiquette.
So, let’s set you up for a powerful email start.
How to start an email: 180 email greetings and opening line examples
Friendly ways to start an email: 8+ friendly opening lines and email greeting examples
Most of us use emails to seek friendly conversations with our prospects. Even when we seek to sell a product or service, our first goal is to establish a friendly relationship with our recipients.
Here are examples of friendly and informal greetings you can use for this.
Disclaimer: You can start formal emails by using any of these.
“Hello {{name}}”
“I'm hoping to get your advice on…”
“Hi/Hey {{name}}”
“It was great to meet/talk to you! “
“How are you?”
“It's great to hear from you!”
“How’s business?”
“Thanks for reaching out”
“I enjoyed your recent post about {{topic}}!”
“Thanks for the timely response”
“I hope your holiday/day off! was amazing”
“Thanks for your help with…”
“I trust you are well”
“This article/video made me think of you!”
Funny ways to start an email: 30+ funny email greeting examples
While using funny email opening lines may not be ideal for all instances, it can be the perfect email opening line for someone with whom you already have a close relationship with and can help you bond some more.
Think about that one coworker with whom you have a great relationship. Or consider that business partner with whom you’ve collaborated for so long that they now feel like a friend.
Using hilarious opening lines in your business communication can deepen your relationship further and keep you smiling.
Here are the best email opening lines you can use for this.
“[Any inside joke]”
“Hopefully, you’ve had your coffee this morning”
“Me again …”
“Are you surviving yet another workweek?”
“I hope the week was only mildly boring”
“It's X more days until Friday!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep this brief”
“I hope you're surviving another work week”
“Only x days til Friday”
“Had your coffee?”
“I hope you’re sitting down”
“Sorry for sabotaging your inbox zero, but…”
“Happy Fri-YAY!”
“I hope your morning coffee was as strong as mine”
“X days until Friday”
“Happy Hump Day”
“I promise that this is the last email you'll receive from me. This week”
“Yep – you guessed right. It's me again”
“Happy Not-Monday!”
“I promise this email isn't as long as the previous one”
“Yep, it’s me again”
“Hope you’re surviving”
“Just what you want: another email”
“Yet another message to bog down your inbox”
"That week-end had gone fast"
Thanks man, you're a rockstar.
Formal ways to start an email: 10+ Formal email opening lines
Emails you send to professors, government officials, and business partners are expected to have a formal start.
Truth be told, very few of us really do need to send emails to such people.
Keep in mind that you can address any type of person and ensure that you stay on the good side of things with a formal email opening line.
Here are some examples of formal email greetings to use in your formal emails.
“Allow me to introduce myself…”
“I hope you are having a wonderful day”
“Further to our earlier exchange…”
“I hope your day so far has been pleasant”
“Good morning/afternoon/evening”
“I hope your week is going smoothly”
"Greetings Dear {{name}}
“I’m emailing you to…”
“How are you?”
“I’m hoping to get your input on…”
“How was your vacation/weekend/etc.?”
“It is great to hear from you”
“I am extending a hand for partnership…”
“It’s my pleasure to inform you…”
“I am writing to you in relation to…”
“Thank you for contacting us at {{business name}}”
“I trust this email finds you well”
“Thank you for responding so promptly.”
“I hope this email finds you well”
Professional ways to start an email (8+ professional opening line examples)
Professional email opening lines are any beginning sentences you can use in your email to sound polite and friendly. Such email openings help navigate any kind of situation and impersonal relationships with ease.
Here are the best ways to start a formal email.
“{{name}}”
“I hope you are having a wonderful week/day”
“All/everyone” (this is great if you're reaching out to three or more recipients)
“I trust this email finds you well”
“Dear {{name}}”
“I'm contacting you about…”
“Greetings”
“I'm following up on my previous email…”
“Hello {{name}}”
“It's good to hear from you”
“Hi/Hey {{name}}”
“Thank you for reaching out to us”
“I could use your advice on…”
“Thank you for the prompt response”
5+ sales email opening lines
When it comes to sales email and cold emails, we don’t believe in short email greetings or easy opening lines. Instead, we like to conduct a proper research on the prospect to create what we call: icebreakers.
As the name implies, these are simple sentences that we integrate at the beginning of our sales emails to smoothen the conversation with our prospect and make them more receptive to what we have to offer.
It helps us personalize the first line and create custom, catchy email opening lines for each of our prospects to boost our credibility as email marketers. Here are a few examples of icebreakers we use as email opening line in our sales emails.
"I just came across your LinkedIn profile and I must say that the recommendation {{name}} left for you is amazing. You are the type of {{Role}} that every company dreams of. Keep up the good work."
"Congratulations on your new role as {{Role}} at the {{company}}. You're charting an impressive career path. Keep up the good work."
"I'm probably late to the party but congratulations on your new role as {{job position}} at {{company}}. By the way, you're charting an impressive career path. Keep up the good work."
"Your career path is so impressive. Someone with your experience with a single company is a hero in my book. As you have with {{company}}. Keep up the good work."
"I checked your LinkedIn profile and should say, your work experience is very inspiring. I look forward to congratulating you on your second anniversary as {{Role}} at {{company}}. Keep up the good work."
"Your work experience with {{company name}} is very inspiring. I look forward to congratulating you on your third anniversary as {{Role}} at the company. Keep up the good work."
"It's so great to see that you have accumulated all this experience over the years helping so many companies to grow. Your career path is so impressive. Someone with your experience is a hero in my book. Keep up the good work."
"I just read {{name}}'s recommendation on your LinkedIn profile and I must say good job. You are the type of {{job title}} that every company dreams of. Keep up the good work."
Ways to start a follow-up: 10+ follow-up email opening line examples
Here are a few first line sentences you can use in your follow-up emails. From building on a previous email to rekindling a silenced conversation, you’ll find any opening line you need for effective email follow-ups.
“Are you still interested?”
“As promised, here’s …”
“As we discussed in our last meeting”
“As we discussed on our phone call …”
“Can you please provide me an update on …”
“Could you provide me with an update?”
“Following up on our meeting …”
“Here’s more information on …”
“I know that you're probably very busy at the moment, but I thought you wouldn't like to miss out on {{purpose of the previous email}}”
“I saw that you read my previous email and wanted to touch base with you about it”
“I thought of sending a quick follow-up to my email in case it got buried in your inbox”
“I wanted to circle back around to {{topic of the previous email}}”
“I wanted to float this back to the top of your inbox”
“I wanted to follow up with you…”
“I wanted to get back to you about…”
“I'd like to add something to what we discussed earlier”
“I’m checking in on …”
“It was great to meet you at [event]”
“Just checking in…”
“Thank you for your time”
“Would you be so kind as to provide an update on {{topic of the
Informal ways to start an email: 13+ informal email opening line examples
This section involves email beginning sentences and proper salutation you can use to address your email message to your close ones and people you strictly have a personal connection with.
Know that these are not appropriate for the workspace and should be reserved for outside the office communications or free time emails between close colleagues.
Here are the best email opening lines for this.
“Alright”
“Could you help me with something?”
“Dear {{first name}}”
“Hello”
“Hey”
“Hi”
“Hope you good!”
“Hope you’re having a great week”
“How are you doing?”
“How's it going?”
“How’s it going?”
“Howdy”
“I hope this email finds you all well” (Ideal if you're reaching out to multiple recipients)
“I trust your weekend went great”
“I hope you’re doing well”
“I meant to contact you about”
“I’d love to get your advice on …”
“It’s been a while”
“Just checking in”
“Long time no see”
“Nice hearing from you!”
“Sup”
“Thanks for getting back”
“Thanks for the help!”
“Thanks for touching the base”
“Yo”
"Good evening"
"Good morning"
"Good afternoon"
Ways to start a business email: 15+ business email opening line examples
Business email starting sentences are expected to be polite and respectful. You need to consider the professional relationship between you and your recipients and keep your starting lines clean and appropriate.
Here are some good opening lines for you can use.
“Allow me to introduce {{anything but yourself}}”
“Hope you are having a great day”
“I am contacting you in regards”
“I am reaching out to”
“I hope this email finds you well”
“I hope this email finds you”
“I hope you are having a {{occasion}}”
“I hope you are having a great week”
“I hope you enjoyed your day off”
“I hope your day has been great”
“I would love to “
“I'm following up on my previous email on…”
“I'm glad to hear from you!”
“I'm hoping to get your advice on…”
“I'm writing to inquire about…”
“I’m writing to you about”
“It is good to have a conversation with”
“Thank you for getting in touch with…”
“Thank you for the quick response”
“This email is just to you know”
“This email is to share"
Best email opening sentences when you don't have a contact person
Here are a few email opening phrases you can use in your emails when you don’t have a contact person. These will ensure that your email begins with a polite phrase that is aligned with whoever reads your email.
"Dear {{job title}}"
"Dear {{department name}} head"
"Dear {{company name}}"
"Dear {{company name}} {{job title}}"
"Dear {{department name}} {{job title}}"
"Dear {{department name}} team"
"Greetings"
Personal email opening sentence examples: 10+ personal ways to start an email
Using personal email starting sentences allows you to add a personal touch to your emails. They allow you to escape the business and formal aspect of your relationship and reach out to your recipient on a personal level.
These are the perfect email openers for sending personal or celebratory emails to your coworkers or friends.
Here are the best email opening lines for this:
"{{Mutual contact}} recommended I get in touch with you"
"Congratulations on {{recent accomplishment}}"
"Happy birthday to you.."
"How did {{recent project}} turn out?"
"I hope you enjoyed your {{event}}"
"I loved your recent {{photo/article/social media post}}"
"I was just laughing the other day about {{inside joke}}"
"I was just thinking about you and {{shared memory}}"
"I’m glad you told me about…"
"I’m happy you were able to…"
"It was great to see you at {{event}}"
"Our last virtual meeting was freaking awesome"
"This {{article/video/GIF}} made me think of you"
"What do you think about…"
Email beginning sentences for responses to triggers
There are endless triggers you can respond to by way of email. The right way to do it is to specify as an answer to the trigger from the beginning of your email to indicate your email.
Here are a few email opening sentences you can use for this.
“It’s nice to hear from you”
“{{Shared connection}} recommended I get in touch with you”
“{{Mutual friend/contact}} reminded me to get in touch with you”
“Congratulations on …”
“Great to hear from you”
“I appreciate the update.”
“I hope you enjoyed your {{vacation/event}}”
“I was just thinking about you”
“Thank you for the quick response”
“Thanks for getting back to me”
“Thanks for getting in touch”
“Thanks for the quick response”
“Thanks for the update”
“Thanks for your email”
“This reminded me of you”
How to start an email: 14 poor examples of email openers you need to avoid
Keep in mind that what makes an email opening line great or poor will always depend on the type of relationship between you, the sender, and the person on the receiving end of the email.
In other words, while an email opening sentence or salutation might be poor for some contexts, they might be the perfect beginning sentence for another email marketing campaign.
So, always ensure you know your prospect really well and that your email greeting isn't going to piss them off.
That cleared; here are the top poor email opening lines you need to avoid like the plague.
(This is based on general perception and from our experience.)
1 - “Hi [misspelled name]”
Misspelling a recipient’s name can mean that you don’t write your email with care, and it can cost you the conversation. So, always ensure and double check the name you have inside your emails before hitting the send button.
2 - “Dear [enter name here]” or Dear hiring manager
This mostly happens when you copy and paste email templates and click “send”. This opening line is even worse than misspelling your person’s name and is a direct red flag that you aren’t putting any seriousness into what you’re doing. People will simply delete your emails and forget about you.
3 - “Can you do me a favor?”
Using such an opening line can spook your prospect away because it sounds abrupt (being in the beginning) and self-serving on your part. Whatever action you want them to take, be sure to give your readers a good enough reason to take it by providing value first. And if you are writing a cold email opening line, you should avoid this formula at all costs.
4 - “I know you’re busy, but…”
This beginning sentence makes you sound passive and not confident in whatever you have to say or offer your prospects. You will be better off if you, instead, explain why you’re coming to them.
5 - “Let me introduce myself”
No one will ever open your email because they’re interested in introducing yourself. Who you are doesn’t matter, what you’re bringing to the recipient’s table is, so focus on that instead.
6 - “To whom it may concern” (e.g: Dear sir/Madam)
For most professionals, an informal greeting is the first sign that you didn’t do your homework before sending them your email. Especially if you're writing an email of a marketing capacity, people will be quick to disengage with you.
7 - “My name is…”
Saying your name to begin your email may sound polite and formal. But on the sales ground, it plays against you as your recipients will immediately know that they have not past rapport with you — which may cost them to be less receptive of whatever you have to say.
8 - “I work for…”
It’s okay to tell your prospects what organization you work for. What’s not okay is to lead with it. It rapidly alerts them that they don’t know you and that you are in their inbox only to sell to them. They may disengage before the conversation even starts.
9 - “I’m sorry/I apologize”
This type of opening line will only make sense if it is the purpose with which you're writing the entire email. Otherwise, don’t begin your emails by saying you’re sorry. Whatever you’re trying to express, find a positive way to say it.
10 - “Did you know…?”
This is not an essay. No sales prospect will jump on your offer after an email that begins with such a cliché opening line.
11 - “Happy Monday!”
In general, people don’t enjoy their Mondays. So, it makes little sense to wish them a happy Monday. What might be better is to wish them a happy start to the week.
12 - "Formal greeting"
Most people think it's necessary to keep email conversations formal. And so they proceed to use expressions like "Formal greeting" as a way to start a formal email. That's a big mistake to avoid.
13 - "Here's my cover letter"
When reaching out to a hiring manager, it's important to make a great first impression. The last thing you want to do is to start a formal email with "Here's my cover letter." At least do your homework and research the person's social media platforms and personalize the first line.
14 - "Dear sir or madam"
You probably know this one. It's very popular in the industry. It shows your email recipient that you didn't do your research.
Key takeaways
Use these email openings as opener formulas to inspire your own. Also, know when to use humorous opening lines. Because if you don’t send them to the right person, it might hurt your credibility plus people will delete your messages.
As a rule of thumb, always use a formal opening line when reaching out to someone with whom you don’t have a close relationship or don’t personally in the real world. This will keep you on the good side of things and avoid you situations.
Also, always ensure your email, especially the solution phrase and the opening are well-written and mistake-free. These are at the top of your email, if the reader disengages from there, then your email content doesn’t matter, it all goes downhill.
