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:
- They signal tone and intent in the first second.
- They influence whether someone hits reply, clicks, or unsubscribes.
- Influence whether you make a positive impression in any professional context
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.
What Are Email Greetings and Closings?
When we talk about email greetings and closings, we're talking about four things:
Greeting / salutation
How you open the email:
"Hi Taylor,"
"Dear Ms. Ramirez,"
"Hello VIP Member,"
Opening line
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…"
Closing line
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."
Sign-off & signature
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.
Why Greetings and Closings Matter More Than "Politeness"
Strong greetings and closings aren't just etiquette. They directly affect:
- Response and reply rates – Clear, respectful framing makes it easier to say "yes."
- Click behavior – A good closing line often is your final call-to-action.
- Spam complaints & unsubscribes – Cold, generic, or misleading language erodes trust.
- Brand perception – Over hundreds of sends, your tone becomes part of how people feel about you.
If you're sending high-volume programs for casinos, hotels, or franchises, the stakes are even higher:
- You're emailing high-value customers and regulated audiences.
- You need to balance offers with responsible, reputation-safe communication.
- You're often sending from a brand that the guest already has strong feelings about.
Getting greetings and closings right is a small change that compounds across millions of messages.
5 Principles for Effective Email Greetings
1. Match the Relationship and Context
Your greeting should reflect:
- Who you are (brand, department, individual)
- Who they are (VIP player, loyalty member, franchise lead, newsletter subscriber)
- Why you're emailing (transactional update, promo, sensitive notice, casual check-in)
Good fits by context:
- Formal / high-stakes / first touch
- "Dear Ms. Patel,"
- "Dear Mr. Nguyen,"
- "Dear [First Name]," (simple, respectful, not stiff)
- Standard business / most newsletters
- "Hi [First Name],"
- "Hello [First Name],"
- Warm / ongoing relationship
- "Hi [First Name] — quick update on your [stay / tier / account]"
- "Hey [First Name]," (only if your brand voice truly supports it)
- Group or segment
- "Hello Platinum Members,"
- "Hi [Hotel Name] Guests,"
- "Hello [Brand] Franchise Owners,"
"Hi [First Name]," is the safest, modern default. It's professional, friendly, and works almost everywhere.
2. Get to the Point in the First Two Lines
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:
- Respects their time
- Clarifies the purpose immediately
- Sets expectation for what's below
For marketing emails, this clarity reduces confusion and makes it more likely they'll find the CTA that matches the promise in the opening.
3. Personalize Where It Actually Helps
Using a name is table stakes. Going one step further can make the email feel genuinely one-to-one:
- Reference segment:
- "As one of our most frequent weekend guests…"
- "Because you visited us last month…"
- Reference context:
- "Since you registered for our upcoming event…"
- "After your recent stay at our property…"
Avoid jumping into creepy or overly specific territory. You want "they know me," not "they're watching me."
4. Respect Culture, Accessibility, and Compliance
Greetings are small, but they carry cultural weight.
- Avoid gendered titles unless required ("Dear Sir/Madam," "Ladies and Gentlemen").
- Be inclusive with group greetings ("Hi everyone," instead of "Hey guys").
- In regulated industries (like gaming), make sure your greeting aligns with age and jurisdiction rules, you shouldn't be addressing self-excluded or underage contacts in a promotional tone at all.
The right ESP and data model is what keeps those segments clean. Your copy shouldn't have to fight bad lists.
5. Keep It Mobile-Friendly
On a phone, you generally see:
- Sender name
- Subject line / preheader
- First line of body text (which often includes your greeting)
Make that first body line:
- Short (ideally under ~70 characters)
- Meaningful ("Early access offer inside" beats "Hope you're doing well")
- Directly related to the value of opening
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.)
5 Principles for Effective Email Closings
If greetings open the door, closings decide whether the person actually walks through.
1. Make the Next Step Obvious
A good closing line often does three things at once:
- Recaps the main value
- Clarifies what you want them to do
- Reduces friction
Examples:
- "To lock this in, click the button below and choose your date by Thursday."
- "If you'd like to learn more, reply with 'YES' and a host will follow up within one business day."
- "Have questions? Just reply to this email — our team reads every response."
Avoid ending on vague phrases like "Let me know if you have any questions" without a clear primary CTA somewhere above.
2. Choose a Sign-Off That Fits the Tone
Here's a quick cheat sheet:
Safe for almost all professional contexts:
- Best,
- Best regards,
- Kind regards,
- Thank you, / Thanks,
Warm but still professional:
- Warm regards,
- All the best,
- Many thanks,
Use with care (only where culture & relationship support it):
- Cheers,
- Talk soon,
- Take care,
Avoid in professional email marketing:
- Love,
- XO,
- Peace, ✌️, or emoji-only sign-offs
- Anything that conflicts with your industry's seriousness (e.g., jokey sign-offs in compliance-heavy notices)
A good rule: if legal, compliance, or your CEO would wince reading the sign-off in a screenshot on social media… choose something else.
3. Let Your Signature Do Real Work
For 1:1 and B2B emails, consider including:
- Name and role
- Brand name and website
- One primary contact method (reply to email is often enough)
- Optional: a single, focused CTA (e.g., "Book a demo")
For high-volume marketing emails, keep the signature simple but on-brand:
- Clear brand name
- Physical address (for compliance)
- Obvious unsubscribe / preference center link
- Required legal copy
Don't overload the footer with a dozen CTAs. If everything is important, nothing is.
4. Align Closing Tone with the Message
Your closing line and sign-off should match the emotional weight of the email.
Promotional / upbeat:
- Closing line: "We'd love to host you — book your next stay in just a few clicks."
- Sign-off: "Best," / "Warm regards,"
Operational / regulatory:
- Closing line: "If you have questions about this update, reply to this email or contact [Channel]."
- Sign-off: "Sincerely," / "Regards,"
Apology / sensitive:
- Closing line: "We appreciate your understanding and remain committed to earning your trust."
- Sign-off: "Sincerely," / "Respectfully,"
The more serious the topic, the more straightforward and neutral your closing should be.
5. Test and Iterate Like Any Other Email Component
You test subject lines and CTAs. Closings deserve the same treatment.
Ideas to A/B test:
- Closing line framing
- "Reply with your preferred time" vs. "Click to schedule a time that works for you."
- Sign-off variants
- "Best," vs. "Thank you," in sales or customer success sequences.
- Footer friction
- Cluttered multi-CTA footer vs. a single clear primary action.
Look at downstream impact, not just click numbers:
- Are reply rates higher?
- Do spam complaints change?
- Does your Click-to-Open Rate (CTOR) improve when the closing line supports the main CTA instead of adding noise?
High-Performing Email Greetings (With Examples)
Use these as building blocks you can adapt to your voice.
Formal / High-Stakes
Best for: regulators, senior executives, legal updates, sensitive topics.
- "Dear [First Name],"
- "Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name],"
- "Good morning, [First Name]," (for carefully timed account-level communications)
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.
Standard Professional / Everyday Business
Best for: newsletters, B2B outreach, general customer communication.
- "Hi [First Name],"
- "Hello [First Name],"
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.
Warm / Relationship-Driven
Best for: long-term customers, franchisees, partners, VIP guests.
- "Hi [First Name] — quick update on your [account / stay / tier]"
- "Hi [First Name], hope your week is going well." (use sparingly, not in every email)
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.
Group Greetings
Best for: internal groups, segments, communities.
- "Hello Platinum Members,"
- "Hi [Brand] Franchise Owners,"
- "Hello [Property Name] Team,"
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.
High-Performing Email Closings and Sign-Offs (With Examples)
Closing Lines for Action-Oriented Emails
Use when you want a click, reply, or decision:
- "Click below to reserve your spot — it takes less than 60 seconds."
- "Reply to this email with your preferred date and our team will confirm."
- "Choose your offer by Sunday to lock in this rate."
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.
Closing Lines for Informational / PR Emails
Use when you're updating, reassuring, or clarifying:
- "If you have any questions about these changes, simply reply to this email."
- "Thank you for being part of our community — we're committed to keeping you informed."
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.
Sign-Offs by Situation
Safe defaults:
- Best,
- Best regards,
- Kind regards,
- Thank you,
Warmer, still professional:
- Warm regards,
- All the best,
Casual / internal only:
- Thanks!
- Talk soon,
Avoid in marketing:
- Love,
- Hugs,
- Emojis as the only sign-off
Putting It All Together: 3 Short Examples
1. Casino Loyalty Offer
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]
2. B2B Product Update Newsletter
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]
3. Operational / Regulatory Notice
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]
How to Operationalize This in Your Email Program
If you want email greetings and closings to pull their weight consistently, treat them like any other strategic element:
Create tone guidelines
- Define greetings and sign-offs for different email types (promotional, operational, PR, internal).
- Document what's "always in bounds" and what's off-brand.
Standardize templates
- Build reusable blocks in your ESP for greetings, closings, and signatures so your team isn't reinventing them on every send.
Test on real segments
- Use A/B tests to see how different opening and closing styles affect replies, clicks, and complaints — especially in high-value segments like VIPs or franchise leads.
Review across channels
- Make sure your email voice matches what people see on your website, in your newsletters, and in your social posts. Consistency builds familiarity; familiarity builds trust.
The Bottom Line
Whether you're sending a one-off note or orchestrating a sophisticated lifecycle program, email greetings and closings do more than "fill space."
They:
- Signal how professional (or sloppy) you are
- Shape how your brand feels in every professional context
- Change the likelihood that people read, click, reply, and trust you
If you remember nothing else:
- Match the tone to the situation (formal emails for high-stakes and strangers, informal emails for warm relationships).
- Make the opening line and closing line work hard—respect the reader, be clear, and always include a logical call to action.
- Use a consistent set of greetings, sign-offs, and email signature styles so every message feels like it came from the same brand—even when a different person signed it.
Do that, and your emails will feel more personal, more professional, and far more effective—no extra design budget required.
