How do you begin a professional email?

A professional email should begin with a polite greeting and a clear opening line. Common professional email greetings include “Hello (Name),” “Dear (Title + Last Name),” and “Good morning,”. After your greeting, you can add a friendly opener such as: “I hope this email finds you well.”

What is a professional salutation in an email?

A professional salutation is the greeting you place at the very beginning of your message. Popular email business salutations include “Dear Ms. Smith,” “Hello John,” and “Greetings,”. These are especially useful when writing to a company or contacting someone for the first time.

What is a neutral email greeting?

A neutral email greeting is polite and appropriate when you want to sound professional without being overly formal. Good neutral options include “Hello,” “Greetings,” and “Good morning,”. These greetings for emails work well in most situations.

How do I start an email greeting?

To start an email greeting, choose a salutation and include the recipient’s name when possible, for example: “Hi Sarah,” “Hello Mr. Patel,” or “Dear Hiring Manager,”. Using the right greeting helps set the tone for the rest of your message.

Should email salutations be capitalized?

Yes. Always capitalize the first word of your greeting, as well as names and titles (for example: “Dear John,” “Hello Ms. Garcia,” “Greetings,”). This keeps your email looking polished and professional.

What is a good opening for an email?

A good opening combines a greeting with a friendly first sentence. For example: “I hope you’re doing well.” “Thank you for reaching out.” or “I’m writing to follow up about…”. Strong openings make your message sound respectful and clear.

Can you skip a greeting in an email reply?

In most cases, you should still include a greeting. However, if you are replying multiple times in the same email thread on the same day, it’s acceptable to skip the salutation and continue the conversation naturally.

What is the best email greeting for a job application?

For job applications, it’s best to use a more formal email greeting, such as “Dear Hiring Manager,” or “Dear Ms. Johnson,”. These are some of the best email salutations for a strong professional first impression.

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Email greetings: Best ways to address an email formally and casually

As the old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And when it comes to writing an email, your email greeting can affect the way the recipient views you – and even whether they read your message. So, how do you address an email sender? Should you say hi in every email?

Join us for a deep dive into email greetings! In this guide, we’ll share the best greetings for emails, including professional email greetings, formal email greetings, and practical email greeting examples you can use in both business and personal messages.

by Alyssa Schmitt

Man with grey hair looks at laptop in home office with white furnishings — Looking for the perfect email opening? Try one of the starters below!

Today we share email openings that you can use in professional emails or informal messages.

Keep reading to learn:

Best email salutations
Do you always need an email salutation?
How to address an unknown recipient in an email
Mistakes to avoid in your salutation
Professional email starters
Ways to start an email reply
Frequently asked questions

Best email salutations

These salutations for emails help you start your message with the right tone, whether you’re writing a friend or sending a formal business email.

1. Hi (first name)

When it comes to an email greeting, it’s hard to beat “Hi (first name)”. It’s suitable for any situation where you know and use the recipient’s first name. If you’re addressing the recipient with Mr./Ms. + last name, however, choose one of the more formal options below instead. And please note that “Hi there!” is strictly for informal emails.

2. Hello (name)

Another universally acceptable salutation, “Hello (name)” is considered slightly more formal than “Hi” and can be used either with a first name or Mr./Ms. + last name.

3. Dear (name)

“Dear (name)” is appropriate for all formal emails, but has a slightly old-fashioned feel that makes it less suitable for informal messages.

4. Greetings

This is a common and polite salutation for an email sent to a group – or a single recipient when you are not sure how to spell their name.

5. Good morning / afternoon / evening

This is another polite way to open an email to a group of people, or it can be personalized by adding the name of an individual recipient. Good to know: Saying good evening in an email is especially appropriate when writing later in the day or when your recipient is in a different time zone.

Good to know: Should you say hi in every email?

Generally speaking, whenever you write an email it should include a greeting. Skipping the “Dear Ms. Smith,” or “Hi Sally” and jumping straight to your point might seem efficient to you, but there is a good chance your recipient will find it abrupt or even rude. It would be like walking up to someone in the office kitchen and demanding a project update without saying “Good morning” first. The exception to this rule is if you are emailing back and forth in the same chain on the same day – then you can feel free to skip the greeting.

How do you start an email to a stranger?

You may read this list of salutations and think “Ok, but how do I email a person whose name I don’t know?” In fact, many people wonder how to address someone in an email when they don’t know the recipient’s name, especially in professional situations. For example, you are applying for a job and don’t know the name of the HR manager. Or you are writing to a company to cancel a service. In the past, the recommended salutation for formal letters where you did not know the recipient’s name was “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam.” However, neither of these greetings have stood the test of time for use in emails.

After all, in the age of the internet, it is often possible to research the name of the person you want to write to at a company. So, if your email is important, e.g., you are sending a job application, put in the work to see if you can find the name of your contact person.

But what if your search for a name comes up blank, or the name is not really relevant for your purpose, e.g., emailing customer support? The modern, less formal solution to addressing an unknown recipient in an email is to use the name of their department or their job title in combination with one of the salutations listed above, for example:

Dear Hiring Manager,
Dear Human Resources Department,
Hello Customer Service Representative,
Good morning, Accounts Payable Team,

Another acceptable but less formal way to address an unknown person (or a group) is to offer a general warm salutation:

Good morning,
Greetings,

No matter which option you choose, if you get a reply signed with the name of an actual human being, be sure to use it in your greeting if you write back to them!

Pro tip: Avoid these mistakes in your email salutation

Although it might seem like not a lot could go wrong in a short opener, here are some common mistakes to steer clear of in your email opening greetings:

If you are using a person’s name in your salutation, always make sure you have spelled it correctly!
If you are not sure of your recipient’s gender, avoid using the Mr. or Ms. honorific + last name. Use their full name instead. “Dear Sir or Madam” is also no longer considered a gender-inclusive option.
While technically correct, “To whom it may concern” is considered impersonal and overly formal by many people today. Rather than risk putting them off, play it safe by using one of the formal greetings listed above instead.
Email salutations should be punctuated with a comma, not an exclamation mark or period.

Professional email greetings and starters

Keep reading for some of the most common greetings used in business emails and professional communication.

What is the best greeting sentence to start an email?

Once you’ve chosen a salutation, it’s time to start your message. In a professional email, you may want to start with a polite statement of goodwill before jumping to the reason for your message. Here are some professional email starters you can use as an opening sentence:

I hope this email finds you well.
I hope you are doing well.
I hope your week is going smoothly.
I hope you had a nice weekend.

Note that all these started are phrased as well-wishes rather than questions – asking “How was your weekend?” can feel intrusive. But if you know the person and they told you they were going on vacation, for example, you could lead with “How was your vacation?” or a similar polite question.

Now move to the reason for your email. Be sure to keep things concise – this shows that your respect your recipient’s time. These phrases can help you introduce the core content of your message:

I’m reaching out to you because…
I’m emailing you to…
I’m hoping to get your input on…
I’m writing to inform you…

Informal email writing examples

If you are writing to a coworker you know well, it’s perfectly fine to start with a “Hi there” or “Hey, it’s me again!” It can be nice to give your email a personal touch – you can start by congratulating them on a recent accomplishment or ask about a project they’ve been working on. It’s also okay to inject a mild touch of humor in your email opener:

Hopefully you’ve had your coffee!
You may want to sit down before read this.
I’ll keep this short, I promise!
Hope you’re surviving the workweek.

Just keep in mind the golden rule of workplace emailing: You never know who an email could be forwarded to, so be sure keep any humor appropriate.

Greeting email sample

If you’re unsure how to start a professional email, here is a simple example you can use:

Hello Ms. Lopez,

I hope this email finds you well. I’m reaching out to you because I’d like to ask a quick question about your services.

How to start an email response

If you’ve received a reply to your email and need to send a response, take a look at how the person signed off on their message. For example, if you sent an email to “Dear Ms. Smith” but she signed her response as “Jackie”, follow her lead and start your response with “Hello Jackie”.

In a professional context, it’s also considered good form to begin a response with some appreciation:

Thanks for your help.
I appreciate the update.
Thank you for your quick response.
It’s great to hear from you.

Professional openings for follow-up emails

Sometimes you have to reach out to a person for a second time – if you have new information to provide, for example, or if you have not received a response. Here are some phrases to get you started:

I wanted to follow-up with you about …
As mentioned in my email / in our last meeting / in our phone call …
I’m checking in on...
Can you provide me with an update on…
As promised, I’m sending…

Email Greetings FAQ

How do you begin a professional email?
A professional email should begin with a polite greeting and a clear opening line. Common professional email greetings include “Hello (Name),” “Dear (Title + Last Name),” and “Good morning,”. After your greeting, you can add a friendly opener such as: “I hope this email finds you well.”
What is a professional salutation in an email?
A professional salutation is the greeting you place at the very beginning of your message. Popular email business salutations include “Dear Ms. Smith,” “Hello John,” and “Greetings,”. These are especially useful when writing to a company or contacting someone for the first time.
What is a neutral email greeting?
A neutral email greeting is polite and appropriate when you want to sound professional without being overly formal. Good neutral options include “Hello,” “Greetings,” and “Good morning,”. These greetings for emails work well in most situations.
How do I start an email greeting?
To start an email greeting, choose a salutation and include the recipient’s name when possible, for example: “Hi Sarah,” “Hello Mr. Patel,” or “Dear Hiring Manager,”. Using the right greeting helps set the tone for the rest of your message.
Should email salutations be capitalized?
Yes. Always capitalize the first word of your greeting, as well as names and titles (for example: “Dear John,” “Hello Ms. Garcia,” “Greetings,”). This keeps your email looking polished and professional.
What is a good opening for an email?
A good opening combines a greeting with a friendly first sentence. For example: “I hope you’re doing well.” “Thank you for reaching out.” or “I’m writing to follow up about…”. Strong openings make your message sound respectful and clear.
Can you skip a greeting in an email reply?
In most cases, you should still include a greeting. However, if you are replying multiple times in the same email thread on the same day, it’s acceptable to skip the salutation and continue the conversation naturally.
What is the best email greeting for a job application?
For job applications, it’s best to use a more formal email greeting, such as “Dear Hiring Manager,” or “Dear Ms. Johnson,”. These are some of the best email salutations for a strong professional first impression.

We hope our email greetings will help you next time you’re staring at a blank screen! We look forward to your feedback below.

This article first appeared on May 29, 2022, and was updated on February 9, 2026.

Images: 1&1/Shutterstock

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