UPFRONT/TECH
AN EMAIL FROM someone I didn’t know landed in my inbox. It started: “I hope this finds you well.” I considered responding: “Actually, I’m not well. Last week I had a medical procedure that went badly and I ended up in the hospital. Want to hear more?” I thought better of that response.
“These phrases have become the digital equivalent of a fake smile,” says Cheril Clarke, founder of Phenomenal Writing, a communications consulting firm. “Most messages aren’t written with the recipient in mind, and this phrase reminds us of that. Worse, if someone truly isn’t doing well, this email feels disconnected.”
So what should we write instead? “When crafting an email, every word counts,” says Bethany Skorik, an etiquette coach and founder of the Charming Diplomat. It’s best to go with an opening line that addresses the matter at hand. Some examples, from Skorik:
BEST OPENERS TO USE
Sets the tone for a business collaboration.
Puts your mutual contact’s name in the first sentence so the recipient won’t think the email is spam.
Might flatter the recipient and uses specifics.
Emphasizes a commonality.
COMMON OPENERS TO AVOID
Not funny and conveys a lack of professionalism.
Sounds overly passive and minimizes what follows in the email.
Reads like a copy-and-paste.
Has an underlying stalker tone. Can be improved by including the reason for reaching out. —Judy Mandell