Emails are part of our personal and professional life. We use them to stay in touch with family and friends, communicate with colleagues, start a dialog with potential business partners and investors, request time off, file a complaint, show appreciation, or request information. However, we still don’t seem to comprehend the importance of the opening line. It’s like the first sentence of a book: it makes or breaks whatever follows it. So here is everything you need to know to write a good email introductory sentence and increase your email’s chances of success.
The first step in writing a good email opening line is understanding why they are important. The first line of an email is the first thing the recipient reads, sometimes even before opening the email. You’re your chance to make an excellent first impression and lure the recipient to read the rest of the email. It’s also the phrase that sets the tone of the letter and conveys most of your feelings. Start the email angry, and the receiver will fill it without even reading the content. There’s no point in writing the politest and kindest email body after a bad opening line.
So, the opening line is essential for getting the reader in the right mood, engaging them to read the content of your email, and responding the way you expect them to respond. Get it wrong, and no colleague will offer to cover for you on a sick day, no investor will agree to review your business proposal, and no customer support operator will get back to you as soon as they would under different circumstances.
A good opening sentence establishes a connection with the reader and starts the dialog on good terms. The sentence outlines the relationship between you and the reader and sets the tone of the email (e.g., professional, polite, neutral, friendly, etc.). It also reveals your intention and makes the reader curious (or at least willing) to read the text.
A good opening line doesn’t annoy or bore the reader and makes your email stand out from the emails the reader receives daily. Thus, a good email starter is personalized based on the recipient’s expectations, your relationship with them, and the purpose of your writing.
Considering the importance and features of a good opening sentence, here are the steps of writing one with little time. Focusing on the first line of your emails will boost your communication skills and create better relationships with your interlocutors.
Consider the recipient’s status, expectations, and your relationship with them. There is a vast difference between writing to an old friend and an unknown potential business partner.
Considering your audience helps you make an informed decision regarding the email’s tone. As the opening line gives the tone, you should know whether a formal or informal tone is more appropriate. If you can’t decide, go formal.
If this is not the first email you send to the reader, look at previous emails and see what opening lines you have used. It’s a sign of respect to continue a conversation instead of repeating the same cliché opening line repeatedly. Customize your opening sentence as much as possible.
People will get offended or ignore your emails if you sound like a broken machine. Start your email with “Just checking/looping in,” and the receiver will read nothing more. Avoid sounding like a spam message or an unwanted commercial.
Since this will be the introductory sentence, an email opening line is no longer than one line or phrase. It doesn’t take more than one line (hence the name). So, be concise and on point.
Even when you are mad for some reason (e.g., your parcel didn’t arrive on time), there is no point in yelling in your emails. Be polite, correct, and open to dialog. Often, it’s not the fault of the person answering your email. Thus, if you want a fast and friendly response, try to open your email with politeness and friendliness.
Although we strongly advise you to customize email starters, some inspiration doesn’t hurt. So here are 100 email opening lines organized in categories and ready to be of help.
Formal emails convey respect and politeness. They are the go-to email stereotype for any written interaction that requires deference, such as writing to a person you’ve never met, writing to a potential business partner, or writing to an authority figure. If your email doesn’t fit in any other category, then write a formal email. In this case, the opening line should also convey respect and set the tone for the rest of the email. Be concise, on-point, and straightforward. And, of course, maintain the formal language throughout the email.
Tip: You might be interested in how to write a formal email. In our in-depth guide, we provide the 7 elements that ensure that you write the email professionally, without any hesitations. Tips and examples are included for reference.
Politeness is part of the formal language but can also be used in informal communications. For example, sending an email to request time off may not be a formal communication, but it should be polite nevertheless. A polite email underlines the respect you have for your reader. It may be based on age, professional achievements, mentorship, or any other type of relationship. A polite opening line opens the door to good communication with anyone. It doesn’t have to be stiff and cold. It just has to follow good manners.
Professional relationships vary from formal ones to polite informal ones. Thus, in this case, email opening sentences should reflect your relationship with the reader. If you have corresponded before or met in person, use that information to compose an adequate opening. If not, start with the formal approach and go from there. Professional emails include discussing with stakeholders, business partners, investors, managers, potential customers, etc.
The first impression in a business communication is essential. You need to follow business email etiquette and prove you are a reliable business partner in just one sentence. Check out the business etiquette in the countries and industries involved in communication and prepare to address multiple persons simultaneously. For example, you may email people about your latest project plan, report to your stakeholders, or invite people to a business conference. Be polite and formal, but customize the email for your audience (e.g., marketing people, creatives, CEOs, etc.)
Looking for more complex business email examples? We do offer 23 samples such as introduction, proposal, inquiry, response, request, feedback and more.
You can be friendly with someone you know or have a close relationship with, such as a colleague or friend. But you can also be nice and polite at the same time with someone you don’t know, such as a customer support operator. A friendly email may be formal or informal but has a more relaxed tone than official emails. Also, if this isn’t your first time writing to a person, customize the opening line based on previous interactions.
Informal emails use informal language and a friendly tone. However, they still convey a message and carry important information. You can send informal emails when you address friends and colleagues and speak to a young audience or a community. In this scenario, the opening sentence creates a bond and invites people to dialog and befriend.
Sales emails are mainly challenging because there are so many of them. People reject them without even reading them because they are invasive. So, how can you find an opening line that convinces people to keep reading? And how can you avoid using the same openings as many others before you? Honesty is the best quality of an excellent opening sentence in a sales email.
How do you get to someone who didn’t ask for or doesn’t wait for your email? Unsolicited emails are sometimes called cold emails. They need to capture the reader’s attention even if the reader has plenty to do and no time for extra mail. For this, the opening line is essential. When the reader doesn’t know who you are, chances are they don’t even open your email. It gets straight to the Trash. The opening sentence is the only line the reader sees without opening the email. So it’d better be a catchy one. Avoiding clichés and generic openings is key in this case.
Info: For additional polite and friendly reminder examples, follow our guide.
For a follow-up email, it’s crucial to remind the reader of your previous attempts to get in touch. Maybe they didn’t get your last email or didn’t have the chance to respond. The opening sentence should bring that information to their attention. Someone who realizes they overlooked a message is more prone to reading the follow-up email. For example, you may remind someone of your unanswered absence request. Although you are pressured by time, don’t be rude, rough, or bad-tempered. You have a better chance of getting a response if you ask politely.
Related guide: Discover the best ways to follow-up emails.
When you respond to an email, you need to consider the tone and language of the email you received. The opening line in a response email often answers the opening line in the initial email. That’s common sense and shows you’ve read the initial email carefully. You may also want to include a ‘thank you’ message. Response emails may be formal or informal, official or friendly, and long or short.
Expert tips: Learn how to reply to emails professionally.
What are some email openers to avoid?
Although avoiding clichés and creating unique opening lines is nice, clichés aren’t your worst enemy regarding email openers. For example, it’s much worse to misspell people’s names, forget to customize copy-paste sentences and use the wrong language. You may also be better without opening lines that immediately ask for a favor (“I want to ask you for a favor.”), make the reader feel uneducated (“You probably don’t know this…”), insist you have a panacea for their problems (“I have exactly what you need.”), mention Mondays or other stereotype (“Happy Monday!”), or make stupid jokes (“Had your coffee? You’d better drink it before reading this.”).
Automate your employee management and tracking with the easy to use cloud-based HR management software.
Easy set-up ● No contracts required ● No credit cards