How Can You Tell if Email Has Been Read

• "I hope this email finds you lot well"
  • A more personal approach
  • Skip the opening sentence!
  • Small talk
  • 8 culling opening phrases.

Updated: 13 October 2021

Readers have asked me to advise opening sentences for emails that go to people around the world. The goal of these openers is to avoid coming across as blunt and impolite, especially in messages to people from cultures in which English is not the first linguistic communication.

It is wise for people in the English-speaking business earth to include a sentence of greeting rather than getting immediately into their concern purpose when they write to people who expect and value such email courtesies.

Below are a few opening sentences for international email. Each 1 would come later a greeting such as "Beloved Dr. Rivas" or "Hi, Osouf." You lot tin can apply "I" or "We" depending on whether yous are writing as an individual or every bit a representative of your group.

1. I hope you are enjoying the season.
2. I hope all is well.
3. How are yous? I hope you are healthy and happy.
4. I promise you are doing well.
5. I hope you lot are fine.
6. I promise you and your coworkers are fine.
7. I trust you lot are doing splendidly and enjoying the season.
8. We transport you lot our all-time wishes.
9. I send you and your esteemed colleagues my warm wishes.
10. Greetings from all of united states at _________ [fill in organization proper noun].
11. Greetings from _____ [fill in a person'south name] and me.
12. Greetings to you and your coworkers.
13. All-time wishes to y'all and your family.
14. It is a pleasure to be in affect with you again.
15. Information technology was a please to see you in ____.
16. I hope yous enjoyed your trip to ____.
17. Welcome back to work! I hope you had a wonderful vacation.

If you correspond with business readers effectually the world, you lot can pay attention to the opening sentences they apply, and respond similarly.

Related: Read our article on how to write an opening sentence.

"I promise this e-mail finds yous well"

One popular opening sentence is "I hope this email finds you well." Although it is common at the get-go of business email, I recommend using a sentence that sounds more natural. To me, "I promise this email finds you" is awkward phrasing.

Information technology is a practiced idea to vary your beginning judgement if you write to someone ofttimes. A repeated opening sentence could come across as a habit rather than a sincere sentiment.

Here are a few alternatives to the one-time "I hope this electronic mail finds you well" you can consider:

1. A more personal approach

If you lot are drafting a loftier-stakes email that needs to get results, it'due south worth your time to do a bit of research nearly the person or the company yous are addressing.  Opening your email with a sentence that pertains straight to the sender shows that this isn't a generic, boilerplate message.  It volition warrant more attention and constitute a bit of a personal connexion.   Consider, perhaps, a contempo professional evolution to show you are familiar with the recipient'southward piece of work, or perhaps a asset of personal data you tin apply to prove you are invested in this relationship.  Here are some examples:

Professional person:

I learned this morn that CTX Solutions received the light-green light for the merger. You must exist energized by what'southward ahead!

            I really enjoyed your presentation last week in San Diego on Nonlinear Marketing trends.  You really painted a perfect picture when y'all said…

Hats off to yous and your team for the recent success of the Black Mason campaign! It'due south the talk of the town downwards here!

Personal:

            Rumor at the office has it y'all have completed a triathlon over weekend. I don't know how you manage to find the time for training – it is both impressive and inspiring!

Congrats on final week's big win!  Your team is the stuff of bowling fable!

2. Skip the opening judgement!

A recent data written report from the electronic mail app Boomerang showed that the optimal length of an email, when it comes to receiving a response, is 75-150 words.

This is understandable, as people are busy and time is valuable.  With this in listen, y'all may consider skipping the opening sentence, and getting straight to the point.  Equally long equally the overall tone of the e-mail is warm, this approach shouldn't come up off as cold.

3. Small talk

You should really know your audience when crafting your email.  Therefore, if y'all feel that the recipient is someone who would enjoy a little chit-chat, mayhap a bit of modest talk is the way to go. Once again, it's best to skip the generic "I hope this e-mail finds you well" and opt for a more than personalized opener. Here are some examples:

I promise yous're staying warm, information technology seems New York didn't get that memo that its jump!

Are y'all getting ready to take the gunkhole out for the weekend? Should be great weather!

The most important thing to recollect when crafting an electronic mail is to stay as genuine as possible. Forced chat is not pleasant in person, nor is it in written form.  Endeavor to imagine running into your recipient in the hallway, and write as if you are having a face up-to-face conversation.

4. Eight alternative opening phrases.

If y'all want to add a few openers to your phrase bank as to avoid the awkward "I hope this email finds y'all well," here are a few more phrases yous can use as an alternative (the 17 examples listed at the tiptop of the article would work as well):

1. I know you're decorated, so I'll exist brief (just make sure to actually exist brief!)
2. I hope you lot're having a productive week
3. I hope you are having a great week
4. I hope you are doing well
5. I hope y'all've had a restful vacation
6. Nosotros've met at [identify, event]
7. I am delighted to connect with you once more
8. Happy Mon! [or any day of the week]

I would savour your additions to the listing above, along with your thoughts nigh polite opening sentences. Please share!

Related: Here is a helpful article about crafting the perfect follow-up electronic mail.

Lynn
Syntax Training

bennettsakis1970.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2012/07/opening-sentences-for-global-email.html

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