Better Alternatives to “I Hope This Email Finds You Well”

Alternatives to “I Hope This Email Finds You Well”

 Nothing at all

The email app Boomerang conducted a data study and found that emails between seventy-five and one hundred words in length had the best response rates. Although the response rate diminished slowly after that, talk to any busy person and they’ll tell you they prefer emails that are brief and get straight to the point.

Cluttering up an email with small talk that the recipient isn’t likely to acknowledge, or will acknowledge only with a curt “I’m fine,” isn’t magically making your email more friendly and civilized. Show that you value the recipient’s time by getting down to business right from the start.

Something personal

In my work as an editor, I’ve had people follow me on Twitter or Facebook, commenting on and sharing every article I publish. And, just when I think I’ve somehow earned a fan, I’ll get a letter from them asking me to accept a guest blog post or do some sort of cross-promotional content swap. I have to admit, I admire their dedication to getting to know me, even if it comes with an ulterior motive. And if they pitch something that reflects the knowledge they’ve gained about my style and the topics I care about, it’s more likely to be something I can use.

There may be a hook there.) And also, don’t make your message too personal. Saying you read an article is one thing, but mentioning the beach vacation photos you saw on Instagram will come off as creepy.

 “I know you’re swamped, so I’ll be brief.”

I love this opener. It and the number of paragraphs in the email I see before me, tells me that the sender values my time and made an effort to keep things short and sweet.

 “We met at”

Once again, this approach works best if your previous meeting is relevant to the topic at hand. If you met at a conference and exchanged words about marketing strategies, and you’re emailing now to ask the recipient to review your new app for marketers, you’re connecting the right dots.

A bit of small talk

If you really think a small talk opener fits your audience best, give it a whirl. Just don’t make it as empty and meaningless as “I hope all is well,” or “I hope you’re doing well.” Try something a little more personal:

How are things in New York? I hope you’re keeping cool during the heat wave.

Hope your summer’s off to a great start. Is it vacation time yet?

Hey, it’s Friday! I hope you have some cool plans for the weekend.

The more familiar you are with the recipient, even if you know each other only through email exchanges, the better this works.

In my opinion, the most important rule of email communication is this: don’t force it. If you’re trying too hard to be personable or clever, your recipient will almost always see through your attempts. When I write an email, even if it’s for a mass emailing campaign, I’m always thinking of my intended recipient and their persona. I smile as I write (seriously, it’s a little creepy) and write as though I’m having a face-to-face conversation with them. Just minus the time-wasting small talk.