How to Start an Email Professionally

Professional Email Greetings Ranked

From our complete email openings guide, here are the best professional greetings ranked by formality:

Formal (Clients, Executives, First Contact)

• Dear [Name] — Classic and appropriate for formal business correspondence.
• Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name] — When extra formality is needed.
• Good morning/afternoon [Name] — Warm yet professional.

Standard (Colleagues, Business Partners)

• Hi [Name] — The most widely used professional greeting in 2026. Friendly yet appropriate.
• Hello [Name] — Slightly more formal than "Hi." Works in all professional contexts.

Casual Professional (Team Members, Close Colleagues)

• Hey [Name] — Acceptable only with people you know well in casual company cultures.
• Hi there — Friendly. Works for brief, informal messages.

Professional Opening Lines

After your greeting, the opening line establishes purpose. Here are the best professional openers by situation:

Starting a New Conversation

• "I am reaching out regarding [topic/project]."
• "I wanted to connect with you about [topic]."
• "[Mutual connection] suggested I get in touch about [topic]."

Following Up

• "Following up on our conversation from [date/meeting]."
• "I wanted to circle back on [topic from last email]."
• "As discussed in our meeting, here is [deliverable/information]."

Making a Request

• "I would appreciate your input on [topic]."
• "Could I get your feedback on [document/plan]?"
• "I am writing to request [specific item/action]."

Opening Lines to Avoid in Professional Email

• "I hope this email finds you well" — Overused to the point of meaninglessness. Replace with something specific.
• "Sorry to bother you" — Undermines your credibility. Your message matters.
• "This is [Your Name]" — They can see your name in the sender field. State your purpose instead.
• "I know you're busy, but..." — Implies your email is not worth their time.
• "Just a quick email..." — "Just" diminishes importance. Be direct.

Complete Professional Opening Examples

New Client Introduction

Dear Ms. Johnson, Thank you for your interest in our services. I am writing to discuss how we can support your team's goals for Q2.

Project Update to Manager

Hi David, I wanted to provide a quick update on the Henderson project. We hit the milestone ahead of schedule.

Cold Business Outreach

Hello Sarah, I noticed your recent article on supply chain optimization and thought you might be interested in a tool that addresses the exact challenge you described.

For ending your emails, see how to end an email professionally. Also explore starting emails to professors, to companies, and to multiple people.

Use AI email tools like Monssot to write professional emails faster. Also explore writing emails faster and follow-up emails.

Explore all guides in this series: how to start an email, start to a professor, start to a teacher, start to a company, start to multiple people.