How to start an email

Communication coach Vinh Giang says how you start an email depends on its purpose [1]: keep it conversational when you are writing to connect, and formal when you are sending something like a client proposal 1.

A few things help your opener land:

• Add warmth, not bluntness: Dr. Rangan Chatterjee notes that a cold, blunt start makes people disengage, so a small human touch, like asking how someone's day or family is, tends to earn better replies on important emails 2. For quick messages, even a brief phrase like "quick help" keeps it human.
• Find a real connection: Dr. Robert Cialdini suggests researching the person's background, interests, or career to find genuine common ground, like mutual friends, schools, or hobbies, and acknowledging their work in your opening line 3.
• Picture the in-person version: Think about what you would naturally say if you met them face to face, and let that shape your opening.