The perfect way to start an email — and 29 greetings you should avoid

Not sure how to start an email? Here's what the experts say.mentatdgt/Shutterstock

• The perfect way to start an email, especially when you're writing to a stranger, is to keep it simple.
• Email greetings you should avoid are ones that could be construed as too casual, too formal, or even insulting.
• Here's how to start an email the right way.

Figuring out how to start an email or instant message — especially when you're writing to someone you don't know very well — can be a challenge.

Is "Hey" too casual? Is "Dear" overly formal? Is "Morning!" too cheery?

In a time when the novel coronavirus pandemic has many people working remotely, it's more important than ever to know how to send a solid email. And how you begin an email is important, it sets the tone and may shape the recipient's perception of you. It may also determine whether a person keeps reading.

"Many people have strong feelings about what you do to their names and how you address them," Barbara Pachter, a business-etiquette expert, told Business Insider. "If you offend someone in the salutation, that person may not read any further. It may also affect that person's opinion of you."

We had Pachter and Will Schwalbe, who co-authored "Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better" with David Shipley, weigh in on a handful of common email greetings.

Of course, the perfect way to start an email will depend on who you're writing to, but in general when you're writing a business email to someone you don't know well or at all, they said there's one safe choice — and a bunch you should usually avoid.