If you spend any time writing an email, whether it's a formal business email, a quick check-in to a customer, or outreach for job applications, your greeting and closing do more than "sound polite".
They:
In other words: your "Hi " and "Best," are doing more heavy lifting than you think.
Most people obsess over subject lines and ignore the first and last lines of the message. That's backwards. In both formal emails and informal emails, your opening and closing are what frame everything in between.
This guide walks through how to start and end emails that feel human, stay on-brand, and help your campaigns perform, whether you're emailing business contacts, nurturing subscribers, or following up after an interview.
When we talk about email greetings and closings, we're talking about four things:
How you open the email:
"Hi Taylor,"
"Dear Ms. Ramirez,"
"Hello VIP Member,"
The first sentence after the greeting that sets context:
"I'm reaching out with an early access offer for…"
"Quick update on your upcoming stay at…"
The sentence that clarifies what happens next:
"Reply with your preferred date by Thursday and we'll confirm your reservation."
"If you have any questions, just reply to this email — our team is reading."
How you end the message and identify yourself/your brand:
"Best regards," / "Thanks," / "Warmly,"
Name, title, contact info, legally required language, etc.
Together, they answer three questions in the reader's mind:
Who is this from?
Why are they in my inbox?
What do they expect me to do?
If those aren't clear, the rest of the beautifully-designed email doesn't matter.
Strong greetings and closings aren't just etiquette. They directly affect:
If you're sending high-volume programs for casinos, hotels, or franchises, the stakes are even higher:
Getting greetings and closings right is a small change that compounds across millions of messages.
Your greeting should reflect:
Good fits by context:
"Hi [First Name]," is the safest, modern default. It's professional, friendly, and works almost everywhere.
Your greeting and opening line are not the place for a long warm-up. People scan.
Compare:
Weak:
"I hope this email finds you well in these busy times. I'm reaching out today to share some information about our upcoming offers and events that we think you might be interested in."
Stronger:
"Hi Jamie,
Quick update on your loyalty account and two new offers you can use this month."
The second example:
For marketing emails, this clarity reduces confusion and makes it more likely they'll find the CTA that matches the promise in the opening.
Using a name is table stakes. Going one step further can make the email feel genuinely one-to-one:
Avoid jumping into creepy or overly specific territory. You want "they know me," not "they're watching me."
Greetings are small, but they carry cultural weight.
The right ESP and data model is what keeps those segments clean. Your copy shouldn't have to fight bad lists.
On a phone, you generally see:
Make that first body line:
This is also where a strong newsletter intro matters. If you're sending recurring content, your greeting + first sentence should immediately sell why this edition is worth their time. (If you're still defining what your newsletter is for, you'll want a clear strategy there first.)
If greetings open the door, closings decide whether the person actually walks through.
A good closing line often does three things at once:
Examples:
Avoid ending on vague phrases like "Let me know if you have any questions" without a clear primary CTA somewhere above.
Here's a quick cheat sheet:
Safe for almost all professional contexts:
Warm but still professional:
Use with care (only where culture & relationship support it):
Avoid in professional email marketing:
A good rule: if legal, compliance, or your CEO would wince reading the sign-off in a screenshot on social media… choose something else.
For 1:1 and B2B emails, consider including:
For high-volume marketing emails, keep the signature simple but on-brand:
Don't overload the footer with a dozen CTAs. If everything is important, nothing is.
Your closing line and sign-off should match the emotional weight of the email.
Promotional / upbeat:
Operational / regulatory:
Apology / sensitive:
The more serious the topic, the more straightforward and neutral your closing should be.
You test subject lines and CTAs. Closings deserve the same treatment.
Ideas to A/B test:
Look at downstream impact, not just click numbers:
Use these as building blocks you can adapt to your voice.
Best for: regulators, senior executives, legal updates, sensitive topics.
Example (regulatory update):
Dear Ms. Johnson,
We're writing to let you know about an important update to your loyalty account terms that will take effect on March 1.
Best for: newsletters, B2B outreach, general customer communication.
Example (newsletter):
Hi Sam,
In this month's roundup, you'll find three new product updates and a quick tip to improve your next campaign.
Best for: long-term customers, franchisees, partners, VIP guests.
Example (VIP casino guest):
Hi Alex,
Because you've been one of our most frequent weekend guests this year, we're opening up an early access event just for you.
Best for: internal groups, segments, communities.
Avoid generic, distant intros like "To whom it may concern" in marketing or customer-facing emails. They signal that you don't know (or care) who's on the other side.
Use when you want a click, reply, or decision:
Example (hotel upsell):
To add late checkout or spa access to your stay, choose your add-ons below and we'll update your reservation instantly.
Use when you're updating, reassuring, or clarifying:
Example (policy update):
If you'd like more detail on this change, you can review the full policy at the link below or contact our team directly with questions.
Safe defaults:
Warmer, still professional:
Casual / internal only:
Avoid in marketing:
Subject: Early access offer for your next weekend stay
Hi Jordan,
Because you've been one of our most frequent weekend guests this year, we're opening early access to a new offer before it goes public. You can choose one of two options for your next visit: bonus free play or a complimentary room upgrade.
Review your options below and choose your offer by Sunday to lock it in.
If you have any questions, just reply to this email — our team is here to help.
Best,
[Name]
[Title], [Property]
Subject: New feature: Send safer, smarter emails
Hi Taylor,
Quick product update: we've rolled out three new features to help your team stay compliant while improving performance — including approval workflows, better test sends, and guardrails for send frequency.
Scroll down for a 30-second overview and a short video showing how to enable them.
If you'd like a deeper walkthrough, click below to book a 15-minute demo with our team.
Best regards,
[Name]
[Title], [Brand]
Subject: Important update to your account terms
Dear Mr. Lopez,
We're updating our account terms to reflect recent regulatory guidance. These changes will take effect on March 15 and do not affect your current balance or available rewards.
You can review a summary of the changes below, or access the full policy on our website.
If you have any questions, please reply to this email or contact our support team at [phone/email].
Sincerely,
[Name]
[Title], [Brand]
If you want email greetings and closings to pull their weight consistently, treat them like any other strategic element:
Whether you're sending a one-off note or orchestrating a sophisticated lifecycle program, email greetings and closings do more than "fill space."
They:
If you remember nothing else:
Do that, and your emails will feel more personal, more professional, and far more effective—no extra design budget required.