By its nature, the e-mail is not as formal as a letter. However, there are occasions when you need to be more formal in your emails. To choose the most appropriate greeting for the situation, think about who the recipient is; once located, you can format the greeting and start writing the opening sentences.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Evaluate the Recipient
Step 1. Determine how formal you need to be
Even if you are writing a "formal" email, its formality depends on who the recipient is. For example, you wouldn't use the same level of formality when writing to a professor as when applying for a job.
When contacting someone for the first time, it's always best to be more formal than you should, just to be on the safe side
Step 2. Find the person's name
Do some research to find his name if you don't already know. Knowing the person's name will ensure that the greeting is personalized, even if you are using a formal style in your email.
Step 3. Follow the sender's style
If this person has already written to you, you can copy their greeting style. For example, if they wrote "Hello" and your name it is acceptable for you to reply with "Hello" and the name of the person who wrote you.
Part 2 of 3: Choose the Greeting
Step 1. Fall back to "Dear"
"Dear" (followed by the person's name) is an old and safe method. It's formal without being stuffy, and because it's used often it becomes an "invisible" greeting, which is good: your greeting doesn't have to be inappropriate.
Step 2. Try "Good morning" if you don't know the person's name
“Good morning” is a relatively formal greeting you can use in business emails, especially if you don't know the recipient's name. However, it is always best to find out the person's name if possible.
You can also use "To whom of competence", in case the e-mail has to be particularly formal and you can't find the person's name. However, this greeting may be unpleasant for some people
Step 3. Consider using “Hi” or “Hello” in non-formal emails
Emails are generally less formal than letters, so you can always use something like "Hello" in a semi-formal email. For example, if you are writing to a professor you are familiar with, you can use "Hello".
Step 4. Avoid "Hey"
While "Hello" can be accepted in a semi-formal email, "Hey" is not. It's an informal greeting even in the spoken language, so you should avoid writing it in formal emails. Even if you know your boss well, you should avoid writing "Hey" when you email him.
Step 5. Use a title next to the name when necessary
Sometimes, when you write to someone, you only know their title or role in the company. In that case you can write his role in place of his name, such as "Dear Human Resources Manager", "Dear Board of Directors" or "Dear Professor".
Step 6. Add the honorary title to make the email more formal
If possible, add "Mr.", "Mrs.", "Dr." o "Prof." before the person's name to make it more formal. Also, write the person's surname before their first name, or their full name.
Part 3 of 3: Format and Start the Email
Step 1. Write the greeting in the first line
The first line should contain your chosen greeting form followed by the recipient's name. Use the title, if possible, such as "Mr.", "Mrs." or "Dr." followed by name and surname.
Step 2. Use the comma
A comma is generally used after the greeting. You can use semicolons in formal letters, but it is often too formal in emails - even in more formal ones. A comma is sufficient in most cases, but you can use a semicolon if you are writing a motivation letter for your email.
Step 3. Go to the next line
The greeting must be written at the beginning, so once you have written it, press the Enter key to go to the next line. If you are using the line break instead of the indent to write paragraphs, you will need to leave a blank line between the greeting and the first paragraph.
Step 4. Introduce yourself in the first sentence if necessary
If you're writing to someone for the first time, you need to write your own presentation, even if you know the recipient in person. Giving an idea of who you are will induce the recipient to continue reading.
- For example, you could write: "My name is Carla Rossi and I am the marketing director of XYZ company". You can also describe how you know the recipient: "My name is Fabio Bianchi and I am in the same marketing class as him (Marketing 101 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at noon)".
- If you already know the person and have already written to each other, you can use the first sentence as a greeting. For example, you might say, "Thank you for answering me so quickly" or "I hope she's okay."
Step 5. Get to the point
Formal emails generally get to the point quickly. This means that in the first or second sentence you must already introduce the reason why you are writing to the recipient. Remember to be as concise as possible when describing your purpose.
