The Only Guide to Email Salutations You'll Ever See

Why Email Salutations Matter

Let’s get one thing straight: your email salutation is the digital handshake. It’s the first flicker of personality your prospect sees, and in a world where decision-makers delete emails in under three seconds, that first impression is everything. You could have the most compelling, data-backed value proposition in the world, but if you start with “Dear Sir or Madam,” you’re already in the trash folder.

Even as AI agents get smarter at drafting outreach, they often lean on sterile, robotic phrases. The strategic choice of a greeting is your first, and best, chance to signal that a real human is on the other side of the screen. It sets the tone, establishes respect, and determines whether your prospect reads the next sentence. In sales, that’s not a small detail—it’s the whole game.

Formal Email Salutation Examples (And When to Use Them)

Going formal isn't always old-fashioned; sometimes, it's just smart. It shows you've done your homework and respect the recipient's position or industry norms. But use it in the wrong context, and you’ll sound like you just stepped out of a time machine.

When to Go Formal vs Friendly

Deciding between formal and friendly isn't a coin toss. It’s a strategic choice based on a few key factors:

• Industry: Are you emailing a partner at a law firm or a founder at a SaaS startup? Finance, law, and government typically lean formal. Tech, marketing, and creative fields are more casual.

• Seniority & Age: A C-level executive at a Fortune 500 company who's been in the game for 30 years warrants more formality than a 28-year-old marketing manager.

• Prior Contact: Is this a stone-cold email, or have you exchanged pleasantries on LinkedIn? The warmer the lead, the more casual you can be.

When in doubt, err on the side of being slightly more formal. You can always dial it down later, but you can't undo a cringey first impression.

Classic Formal Openers (with Examples)

Here are the go-to formal salutations and the right time to deploy them.

1. The Salutation: “Dear Mr./Ms. {{last_name}},”

• When to Use It: Cold outreach to senior leaders in traditional industries like finance, law, or government. Also appropriate for academic or formal correspondence.

• Why It Works: It’s the gold standard of professional respect. It’s unambiguous, safe, and shows you're taking the interaction seriously.

• Pro-Tip: Using “Ms.” is generally safer than “Mrs.” or “Miss.” And for the love of all that is holy, double-check the spelling of their name. Nothing says “I don’t care” like misspelling the one piece of information they know is correct.

2. The Salutation: “Dear {{first_name}} {{last_name}},”

• When to Use It: A slightly less stiff alternative when you want to be formal without using a title. Good for initial contact with directors or VPs.

• Why It Works: It’s respectful and professional but feels a touch more modern than using a title. It acknowledges their full name and identity.

• Pro-Tip: This is a safe bet when you're not sure about their gender or preferred title. It’s hard to get this one wrong, making it a solid choice for your opening salvo in a formal outreach campaign.

Professional & Business Salutations

This is where most B2B communication lives. You need to be professional, but you also need to sound like a human being who isn’t dictating a letter for the Pony Express. These salutations are the workhorses of modern sales emails.

Best for Sales Outreach

For 90% of your sales emails, this is your sweet spot. The goal is to be friendly yet direct.

1. The Salutation: “Hi {{first_name}},”

• When to Use It: Almost always. It's the standard for modern business communication, from cold outreach to follow-ups. It works for managers, directors, and even most C-level execs in non-stuffy industries.

• Why It Works: It strikes the perfect balance between professional and approachable. It's friendly without being overly familiar, and it gets straight to the point.

• Pro-Tip: Don't overthink it. This is your default setting. While generative AI might suggest a flowery opening, a simple “Hi” followed by their name is often the most effective way to start a conversation.

2. The Salutation: “Hello {{first_name}},”

• When to Use It: When “Hi” feels just a tad too informal, but “Dear” feels too stuffy. It’s a great middle-ground for initial outreach when you want a slightly more buttoned-up tone.

• Why It Works: It’s universally professional and safe. It carries a little more weight than “Hi” without feeling dated.

• Pro-Tip: A good option if you're reaching out to someone in a slightly more traditional sector but don't want to go full-on formal. Think of it as “Hi” wearing a blazer.

Friendly, Casual, and Creative Salutations

Tread carefully here. A casual salutation can build instant rapport or get your email instantly deleted. Context is king, queen, and the entire royal court.

1. The Salutation: “Hey {{first_name}},”

• When to Use It: In tech, marketing, and creative industries. Also great for follow-up emails after you've already established a connection. If they use it in their reply to you, that’s your green light.

• Why It Works: It’s relaxed, confident, and conversational. It signals that you see them as a peer and want to have a real conversation, not a formal exchange.

• Pro-Tip: If you’re cold-emailing a 60-year-old CFO of a bank, maybe skip this one. But for a 30-something Head of Growth at a startup? It’s often the perfect opener.

2. The Creative Opener (Use With Extreme Caution)

• Examples: “{{first_name}}, saw your post on…” or a simple “{{first_name}},”

• When to Use It: Only when you have a highly personalized and relevant opening line that follows immediately. This works best when you have a strong, specific reason for reaching out that you can state in the first five words.

• Why It Works (or Fails): It can cut through the noise by being different. But if your follow-up sentence isn't compelling, it just looks lazy or arrogant. It's a high-risk, high-reward play.

• Pro-Tip: Don't try to be creative just for the sake of it. If your opener isn't genuinely insightful, stick with “Hi {{first_name}},”. A bad creative attempt is worse than a good boring one.

Industry & Cross-Cultural Salutation Examples

Sending emails to different industries and countries isn't one-size-fits-all. What works in Silicon Valley might fall flat in Frankfurt. Here’s a quick guide to not making an international incident in someone’s inbox.

Salutations for Tech, Finance, and More

Your salutation should reflect the culture of the industry you're targeting.

[Pretend there's a beautifully designed table here]

Tech/SaaS:

• Safe Bet: “Hi {{first_name}},” or “Hey {{first_name}},”

• What to Avoid: “Dear Mr./Ms. {{last_name}},” (You'll sound like you're from a different planet).

Finance/Banking:

• Safe Bet: “Dear Mr./Ms. {{last_name}},” or “Hello {{first_name}},”

• What to Avoid: “Hey,” (Too casual and can be seen as unprofessional).

Healthcare/Academia:

• Safe Bet: “Dear Dr. {{last_name}},” (If they have a doctorate, use it!). Otherwise, “Dear Mr./Ms. {{last_name}},”

• What to Avoid: Getting their title wrong. It’s a sign of sloppy research.

International Etiquette: Avoiding Awkwardness

When emailing internationally, a little research goes a long way. Formality rules change drastically across borders.

Germany: Formality is key. Start with “Sehr geehrte/r Herr/Frau {{last_name}},” or the English equivalent, “Dear Mr./Ms. {{last_name}},”. Avoid first names until a relationship is established.

United Kingdom: A bit of a mix. “Hi {{first_name}},” is increasingly common, but “Dear {{first_name}},” is a safer bet for a first contact. Avoid “Hey”.

Japan: Hierarchy and formality are paramount. Use their last name followed by “-san” (e.g., “{{last_name}}-san,”). Always err on the side of extreme politeness.

France: Stick to formal titles. “Bonjour Monsieur/Madame {{last_name}},” is standard. Using just a first name can be seen as rude in a first interaction.

Common Salutation Mistakes (And How to Dodge Them)

We’ve all seen them. The email greetings that make you physically cringe. Here are the worst offenders and how to make sure you’re never one of them.

Cringe-Worthy Greetings to Avoid

• “To Whom It May Concern,”: The ultimate white flag of lazy outreach. It screams, “I couldn’t be bothered to spend 30 seconds finding your name.” Anyone who recommends this is probably still using a fax machine.

• “Dear Sir or Madam,”: See above. Are you writing a formal complaint in the 19th century? Instant delete.

• “Hi [First Name],” or a misspelled name: This is the cardinal sin. It shows a complete lack of attention to detail. If you can’t get their name right, why should they trust you with their business?

• No salutation at all: Just launching into your pitch is jarring and rude. It’s like walking up to someone at a conference and just starting a monologue. Don't be that person.

Conclusion: The Human Touch in an AI World

So, what’s the best email salutation? It’s the one that’s right for the person you’re emailing. It’s not about a magic word, but about showing you’ve put in a moment of thought. While AI is revolutionizing sales by automating the most time-consuming parts of outreach—like identifying intent signals, enriching lead data, and even managing follow-ups—it can’t replace human intuition. The salutation is your handshake, your smile, your first nod of respect. It’s the human touch that opens the door for automation to do its work. By mastering this small but crucial detail, you’re not just being polite; you’re being a smarter, more effective salesperson in an AI-driven world.