What’s the best way to start a business email?

A well-written business letter can potentially make or break a business deal, so you’ll want to create a good first impression with the salutation or start of the letter.

One of the best ways to engage your reader is by thanking them right from the start. It sets the right tone and makes the reader feel appreciated, which is particularly vital if you require future help from them. This is easier and more natural if you responding to an email. You can thank them simply for being aware of your product or service, for showing concern about something or constructive criticism; you can even thank them responding quickly to an earlier email that you had sent.
          “Thank you for showing an interest in our service/product.”

          “Thank you for your feedback.”
          “Thank you for swift response.”

If the email is formal, then ‘Dear + Mr/Mrs/Dr/etc. + Name’ is the safest way to begin. It is very neutral and will not ruffle any feathers. The worst case scenario is that the reader will think you are polite and formal. ‘Dear All’ or ‘Dear colleagues’ are good ways to start an email addressed to a group of people you work with.

Casual greetings such as ‘Hi + Name’ are more acceptable through email than in era when most business correspondence was done by letter. They are also a good ice breaker and can set the mood well for friendly, open and honest interaction. However, some people find these types of greetings to be a bit too casual. This is rather risky if you do not know the recipient and the letter is of a formal nature for example a job application or cover letter.

‘Good Morning/Good Afternoon/Good Evening’ are common and acceptable ways to begin an email with someone you already know and have some interaction with. In my personal opinion, they are a bit bland and there is no guarantee that the person will read your email at the time of day specified, simply because that is when you wrote it. That said, a bland or neutral opening will not overshadow the content of the letter, and there is a good chance that the reader will have some sort of immediate notification through their smartphone when the email arrives, thus reading it at the time of day it was sent.

The next important step is to make sure that you clearly state the purpose of your email in the first paragraph:

          “I would like to bring your attention to…”
          “I must apologize for…”

You can also use adverbs or adverb phrases as precursors to set the tone for the rest of the message:

          “Unfortunately, we will not be able deliver order on time…”
          “Regarding the information you requested…”

At Speakeasy, our teachers have real world experience of working in the business world, from the financial sector to NGOs. As long as you have a Skype account and internet access, you can attend classes and study in an environment most convenient for you.

Visit our website for more information on our one-to-one courses. Visit our video tutorial course on Udemy to learn more about the most commonly used idioms in English-speaking countries, as well as tips for business English.