100 email opening line, phrase & sentence examples

There are times you find it difficult to start an email. You’d think it’s writer’s block, but no. You’re just struggling to find the right way to START THE EMAIL. 

The opening sentence is the first sentence of your email. It sets up the mood of the email, and its effectiveness is decisive as to whether the recipient reads or leaves the email.  

In this article, we have compiled a list of 100 email opening lines that fit different kinds of email – formal, informal, cold, sales, follow-up, networking, and customer service. Let’s dive in!

What is an email opening sentence?

An email opening sentence is the first line or sentence of an email, which typically serves to introduce the topic, purpose, or context of the message. It sets the tone for the rest of the message, and its goal is to capture the reader’s attention, convey politeness and professionalism, and encourage further reading.

It’s the second sentence your recipient typically reads after the subject line, and a good opening line gets them interested in what you have to say. It either makes them curious to know more or simply compells them to read the email.

Why do email opening sentences matter?

The email opening sentence gives the first impression of your email to your recipient. It introduces the main message and sets the tone of your email. 

Whether you’re emailing a client, colleague, or employee, the right email opening line can establish a positive impression and engage your reader to read through.  

On the other hand, a poorly-worded email opening sentence can turn off your reader. As long as you get your opening line right, the rest of your email will benefit from it. 

What makes an effective email opening sentence

Here are some key elements of an effective email opening sentence.

• It’s clear and concise

An effective email opening sentence is characterized by its brevity and clarity. It avoids unnecessary verbosity or complex jargon. It simply focuses on starting the email in a smooth, straightforward, and easily understandable manner.

• It’s personalized

​​Effective opening sentences are also personalized to their recipients. This can take the form of referring to a previous interaction, shared experience, common interest, or tracking their socials to collect data and weave unique personalization into the email. 

Personalizing your email opening sentences helps to establish a connection between sender and recipient. As a result, it gets them interested, and they want to know more about what you have to say or offer them. 

• It’s relevant and timely

The best email opening sentences communicate your message using a brief sentence that clearly states the purpose of the email. They are linked to the context of the email, making it necessary and timely.

• It has a respectful and professional tone.

In most cases, the tone of the email opening sentence determines the tone of the rest of the message. It also influences how your reader perceives the message. So, you have to maintain a respectful and professional tone. 

This is less about strict formality and more about demonstrating consideration and respect for the recipient. The tone sets the stage for the rest of the email, making the recipient feel valued and respected.

100+ email opening sentence examples

In this section, you will learn about different email opening sentences that not only attract your recipient but also apply to the right context. 

15 customer service email opening sentences.

The starting words of a customer service email opening sentence must give a good impression. Your approach must also follow the same rules and conventions as other professional emails. 

Here are some examples that can help you. 

• “Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your issue with…”
• “I appreciate your patience while we have been working on resolving your problem with…”
• “I understand that you’ve been experiencing some difficulties with our service/product…”
• “I’m writing to you in response to your recent inquiry about…”
• “We’ve received your request and I’m here to assist you with…”
• “I’m sorry to hear about the trouble you’re having with…”
• “Thank you for bringing the issue of… to our attention.”
• “I’m reaching out to provide an update on the situation regarding…”
• “In response to your recent issue, we have been actively looking into a resolution…”
• “Following your feedback, we’ve been making some improvements and I’d like to discuss…”
• “In light of your recent inquiry, we’ve made some changes that I think you’ll appreciate…”
• “It has come to our attention that you had a less-than-satisfactory experience with…”
• “I hope this message finds you well. I am writing in regards to the recent issue you reported…”
• “Firstly, let me apologize for the inconvenience you’ve faced. I want to assure you that we’re addressing your concern about…”
• “We value your feedback and are committed to providing you with the best service. In relation to your recent complaint…”

15 formal email opening lines and sentences.

Formal emails are the official correspondence you send to someone that occupies an official position (e.g. government officials) or someone with whom you have to maintain a formal relationship like professors, business partners, and more). 

They are characterized by accurate grammar, spelling, punctuation, and technical vocabulary. Formal emails are useful in situations such as when you are applying for a job, making a complaint, when you are establishing a connection with a business, and more. 

When you find yourself in these situations, you must use the appropriate tone that will engage your recipients. Below are some examples of a formal email opening sentence you can use.

• “As we discussed at last week’s job fair, I am reaching out to express my interest in the open position of [job title] at [company name] that we discussed.”
• “It was a pleasure speaking with you at the recent conference. I wanted to follow up on…”
• “I’ve been monitoring our joint project over the past weeks and I thought it necessary to touch base with you and discuss the current progress and any challenges we might be facing.”
• “We have been making significant progress on the [project name], so I thought it would be an opportune time to provide you with an update and discuss the next steps.”
• “In response to your recent request, I would like to inform you…”
• “In anticipation of our appointment scheduled for [date and time], I thought we could outline some key points for discussion.”
• “After careful consideration, I have some thoughts on the project…”
• “Following our previous conversation, it seemed fitting to provide more detailed information regarding our project timeline and the milestones we aim to achieve.”
• “In light of our previous conversation, I would like to share…”
• “In response to your recent inquiry, I am putting together more comprehensive information to address your questions and hope this will help clarify any ambiguities.”
• “With the recent changes in our company policies, I felt it necessary to explain the reasons behind these changes and how they might impact our working relationship.”
• “I am writing to discuss the new proposal outlined in our recent meeting.”
• “As discussed in our conversation yesterday, I would like to…”
• “I am writing to follow up on our earlier discussion about…”
• “After reviewing your request, I would like to propose…”

These opening lines also fit perfectly for business email opening lines.

15 informal email opening sentences.

Informal emails allow you to express yourself more freely than any other type. This implies that your opening sentence here can be more casual and friendly. You don’t have to overthink what you should say to your friends or family. 

You can begin with a warm welcome, a joke, or mention a  common interest. Even though the tone is casual, you should still be courteous and avoid slang. Here are some examples of friendly email opening lines that can serve as inspiration for you. 

• “Just thought I’d drop you a line to see how things are going.”
• “It’s been a while since we last caught up, hasn’t it?”
• “I was just thinking about our conversation the other day and…”
• “I just stumbled upon something funny and it reminded me of you.”
• “Remember when we were talking about…? I found some more information on it.”
• “I hope this message finds you in good spirits. I just wanted to share…”
• “I couldn’t help but think of you when I saw this news item…”
• “So, I just came across something that I think you might find interesting…”
• “Did you hear about the latest…? I thought you might find it intriguing.”
• “Guess what? I just found out about something you might be interested in.”
• “You won’t believe what I just read/heard/saw…”
• “Just ran into a bit of news that might excite you…”
• “I was just reminiscing about the time we spent at…”
• “So, I have some exciting news to share…”
• “I came across this great idea and thought I should share it with you.”

15 follow-up email opening sentences

A good follow-up email opening sentence should remind the recipient about the content of the previous conversation. It focuses on giving the person a friendly reminder in a warm tone. Here are some of the best opening lines you can use in different situations:

• “I wanted to follow up on our conversation from last week regarding…”
• “Just circling back on the proposal I sent you, I’d love to hear your thoughts…”
• “I hope you had a chance to review the materials I sent over…”
• “Just checking in to see if you’ve had an opportunity to consider the options we discussed…”
• “I wanted to touch base regarding the meeting we had last week…”
• “I’m following up on our previous discussion about…”
• “Just reaching out to see if there’s anything else you need from me regarding…”
• “I wanted to follow up on the email I sent last week to see if you had any further questions…”
• “I thought I’d circle back on the points we discussed in our last meeting and see if you’ve given any further thought to…”
• “I wanted to make sure you received my last email regarding…”
• “Following our previous conversation, I’m eager to hear any updates you might have…”
• “I hope this message finds you well. I’m writing to follow up on our discussion about…”
• “Just a quick follow-up to see if you’ve had a chance to review the information I sent on…”
• “It’s been a while since our last conversation and I wanted to revisit our discussion about…”
• “Just checking in to see if there were any updates on our last discussion regarding…”

15 networking email opening sentences

A networking email helps to create a new connection or maintain an old one. Just like a formal email, you need to stay professional and keep it respectful. Here are some examples that you can use. 

• “I recently came across your profile, and I’m impressed by your work in…”
• “We met at [event/place], and I was really intrigued by our conversation about…”
• “I am writing to you in connection with your recent work in [field/industry]. It’s truly inspiring and…”
• “I am writing to express my admiration for your work on [project/research/article]. I am working in a similar area and…”
• “Your recent contribution to [topic/field] caught my attention, and I would love to hear more about your perspective on…”
• “I am reaching out because I have been following your work in [field/industry] and believe we share similar interests in…”
• “I saw your recent post on [platform] about [topic], I felt compelled to reach out…”
• “I read your recent [book/article/blog post] on [topic] with great interest and wanted to discuss some of its points…”
• “I am contacting you as I have recently embarked on a project similar to your work in [field/industry] and would appreciate your insights on…”
• “I recently came across your profile on [platform], and your expertise in [field/industry] stood out to me because…”
• “I have been following your work in [field/industry], and it seems we share similar interests…”
• “Our mutual acquaintance, [person’s name], recommended that I reach out to you for your insight on…”
• “As a fellow professional in [field], I’ve found your recent work on [topic] to be very inspiring and would appreciate your thoughts on…”
• “Your recent article on [topic] offered a unique perspective that I found inspiring and would love to discuss further.”
• “After seeing your interview on [platform/media], I am eager to discuss your comments on…”

15 sales email opening sentences.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to sales email opening sentences. Each prospect requires a unique approach when interacting with them. The best email opening lines for sales offer value and piques interest to create a good impression. 

Since most professionals in the decision-making process receive tons of sales emails daily, you should craft a compelling email opening sentence that will prompt them to read what you have for them — and that’s on top of writing an excellent subject line.

If you are looking for inspiration, here are some sales opening sentences you can use for your email marketing campaign:

• “I noticed that your company has recently [recent company news]. Our product can help enhance that by…”
• “Given your role in [industry], I thought you might be interested in hearing about a solution that has helped companies like yours to…”
• “After seeing the incredible work you’ve done at [company], I believe our [product/service] could add significant value…”
• “I recently came across your profile and saw that we share a common interest in [shared interest]. This made me think you might be interested in…”
• “I am reaching out because our [product/service] has shown substantial results in [specific area] for businesses in your industry…”
• “Having followed [company’s] growth, I am reaching out to share how we have helped similar organizations to scale even further…”
• “In the rapidly changing [industry], our solution has helped several businesses like yours to stay ahead of the curve…”
• “We specialize in [product/service] and have been successful in assisting businesses in [recipient’s industry] overcome challenges related to…”
• “I’ve noticed that [recipient’s company] has been making impressive strides in [area]. Our team at [sender’s company] has a proven track record of enhancing that progress through…”
• “Your recent initiative on [topic/initiative] caught my attention, and I believe our [product/service] could help accelerate your efforts in this area…”
• “Seeing [company’s] work in [area], I thought it would be valuable to share how we’ve been able to support similar projects using our…”
• “Having worked extensively with organizations in your field, I have noticed a common issue that our [product/service] could address for you…”
• “I thought you might be interested in a case study of how we helped a company in your industry achieve…”
• “Your recent post on [platform] about [topic] resonated with our team’s mission. Our [product/service] is designed to solve this exact problem by…”
• “I am reaching out to share how we have enabled businesses like [recipient’s company] to drive growth in [specific areas] through our unique…”

15 cold email opening sentences.

The opening sentence for a cold email has one goal — make the email feel less cold so that recipients quickly engage with it. This means you want your email opening sentence to appeal to your recipient. There are many ways you can do this. 

That includes finding the commonality between you and the recipient, offering value for their pain points, leading with a compliment, or referring to a recent event you attended with the recipient. Here are some examples of cold email opening lines that can help you out:

• “I noticed your recent article on [topic] and I really appreciated your insights on…”
• “As someone who shares a passion for [common interest], I thought it would be appropriate to reach out and introduce…”
• “Our mutual connection, [name], suggested that you might be interested in hearing about…”
• “I was incredibly inspired by your recent talk at [event] and wanted to touch base on…”
• “Having followed your work in [industry], I’m reaching out to discuss a potential opportunity for…”
• “Your recent post about [topic] on [platform] resonated with me, prompting me to share an idea that could complement your thoughts on…”
• “In light of [company’s recent news/accomplishment], I thought it might be the perfect time to introduce a potential solution that could enhance…”
• “Seeing your company’s impressive growth in [area], I felt compelled to reach out and discuss how we could potentially contribute to this trajectory by…”
• “As a long-time follower of your work, I’ve noticed a potential area where our services could provide significant value…”
• “Your innovative approach to [topic] caught my attention, and I believe there’s an opportunity for us to collaborate on…”
• “As a fellow enthusiast of [topic/industry], I wanted to share an idea that could bring a fresh perspective to…”
• “Your recent contribution to [topic/field] sparked my interest, and I believe we have a common goal in…”
• “Having admired your company’s work in [industry], I wanted to reach out with a unique proposition that could further strengthen your position in…”
• “I recently came across your profile on [platform], and your expertise in [field/industry] stood out to me because…”
• “With your recent expansion into [new market/industry], I thought our [product/service] could be a valuable asset in…”

Common mistakes to avoid

Now that we’ve covered the tips to write an effective email opening sentence, what about what to write? Here are some common mistakes you should avoid. 

• Being too vague

If your opening sentence isn’t relevant or uses vague jargon, you could make your recipient uninterested in your message. Nobody wants to read a statement that’s difficult to interpret. So, be sure to make the email, especially the opening sentence, clear, concise, and readable to the recipient. 

• Starting with an apology.

Some of us feel obliged to apologize for everything, even in official correspondence. But when you begin your email opening sentence with some apology, it can backfire and undermine your credibility. 

Making your recipient scroll through apologies, and some over-explained context can bring the idea that you’ve done something wrong when you haven’t. So, avoid starting the opening sentence with an apology.

• Being overly formal or informal.

Sounding too formal in your email can make you come across as unfriendly. Instead, try to find the right tone and style when writing your email. 

On the other hand, becoming too informal can make your recipient uncomfortable, especially when you haven’t established a relationship with them.

• Overusing certain phrases.

Overusing certain phrases can make your email seem impersonal. In addition, it could bore your readers and discourage them from reading your message. According to PartnerStack, some common phrases you should avoid overusing include:

• Hope this email finds you well
• Just checking in
• I need a quick request
• Per my last message
• Thanks in advance
• Please advise
• As a quick response
• and more. 

Key takeaways

• Catchy email opening lines are important because they help you hook your recipient from the beginning of the email and reel them in so that they read your email through.
• The email opening line is different from the email greeting in that greeting is simply a salutary note, while the opening line is the first sentence of the start to discuss the content of the email.
• You should avoid funny email opening lines in professional emails. Good opening lines are short and relevant and compel your reader to read through.
• You must personalize your email opening sentence to establish a connection with your recipient. It’s the quickest way to get a response.
• Need help with email marketing and lead generation? Nerdy Joe can help you get highly-stellar results from email marketing. Give us a response today.