35+ ways to start an email (and a few ways not to)

35+ ways to start an email (and a few ways not to)35+ ways to start an email (and a few ways not to)Hey is for horses- or is it?I remember my first boss welchesdead-set against using hey as a greeting- in email correspondence and otherwise. She felt it was unprofessional and extremely off-putting. While not everyone feels exactly like that- hey greetings actuallyhave the highest open rate- its always best to use a professional tone in important business-specific emails.Not every email is the same. Some emails are addressed to your friends, your mom, a giant bachelorette party, or your CEO.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWe thought it would be fun to put together a list of some greetings you can use in emails, some you shouldnt, and some youreally shouldnt- no matter to whom they are being sent.Before we start (a disclaimer)With email, we have it pretty easy. We no longer have t o format complicated letters with margins, addresses, return addresses, and formal titles. Often enough, all we have to do is attach a greeting to a anthroponym.Heres my very obvious pro tip. Spell that name correctly. If the recipient has a complicated name, use your copy and paste (CTRL + C, CTRL + V) There is basically no excuse for misspelling a name via email- thats downright lazy. A misspelled name communicates that you dont care enough to take a few seconds.Ok, theres ourrant. Lets dive inWhen youre keeping it professionalWhen youre emailing a new business colleague, a possible client, or anyone else at a professional capacity, keep it simple and straightforward. You will have plenty of opportunities to showcase your sparkling partality as your professional relationship grows. For now, keep everything SFW, using more standard greetings.HelloHiHi ThereGreetingsSalutationsDear correctly-spelled nameGood morningGood afternoonGood eveningWhen its casual (but still professional)Wh en youre emailing your work wife or a friend-adjacent co-worker, you may have a little more fun with your greetings. No, this is not the time to greet with the Budweiser Wassup? but it is a good time to use an exclamation point- and maybe even an emoji?HeyHappy MondayHi friendHey nameHey ThereName-HiyaWell helloWhy,hello thereWhen youre addressing a professional groupWhen youre emailing a group on a thread, there are a few salutation options. You may address each person by name- but if you find yourself on a thread with 12 other people, that might not be feasible. For those situations, you a friendly Hello all or Hello folksVeer away from using gendered language when addressing a group of professional associates. While the word guys or dudes may seem harmless to you, it can come across as unprofessional or downright offensive.Hello everyoneDear name, name, and nameHi everyoneHi allHello folksAllDear teamWhen youre feeling sillyHey buddyHowdyHey girlHey dudeSup?Top of the mornin to y aYoHey, booWhat not to do (or think hard about before you do)To play it safe, dont use any of these at work. Most of them are unprofessional, annoying, or antiquated (see To Whom it May Concern.) Nicknames are okay to us if you have a personal relationship with the person you are emailing- or if they use the nickname on their correspondence.Any greeting wherein you are pressing one letter to show your excitement (seeHiiiiiiiiii) is- whats a nice word for juvenile?HiiiiiiiiiiHi nicknameHey guysSup dog?To Whom it May ConcernDear Sir or MadamWasssuppppAloha, Hola, Bonjour, etcThis article originally appeared on Career Contessa.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people