How do you start an email if you don’t know who will read it?

[PrinceArchie]

“To whom it may concern” seems a bit stuffy

Just launching into the body of the email seems rude

Dear Sir/Madam?! Seems a bit

For attention of: Headteacher, Mr. Tits, Secretary of the pencil cupboard etc

Fuck that made me laugh. My geranium 😂

Don't do what slimgem suggests; that is far too much preamble for even an informal email.

Mother fuckers,

I agree with PP,

In the subject line I would put your DCs name.
1st line FAO Mr/Mrs teacher

Then , good morning/ afternoon teacher
Regarding xyz
Please can you confirm abc

Regards
PrinceArchie
Email address
Phone number.

For the love of sanity if they reply to your email reply directly to them / secretary and keep the thread going.

I have to deal with a company ( contractors) every single time I email them they they start a new thread often CCing people in that I do not know and no explanation as to who they are. Then the Cc'd person will email me a difference answer / perspective .
their email signature rarely includes their position in the business so for all I know I could be talking to great aunt Maud
It makes keeping track of the conversation and what they want from was damn near impossible

If you're looking for a new way to sign off your emails

A hahahhaha LOL stay fresh cheese bags

I start with "Dear Sirs" if I am emailing a business.

This then annoys the woman who picks up the email and means they are less likely to go out of their way to help you, preferring to do the bare minimum they need to in order to keep things professional.

The last time I got an email from someone who started "Dear Sir" it cost him our business. I was looking for quotes for a service and had used an intermediary website that sent my details on to several different vendors, so it wasn't an email out of the blue but we didn't have an existing relationship. I emailed him back saying that it was no longer 1950 and women were common in the work place and that I would prefer to work with someone who realised this.

I really dislike ‘I hope this finds you well’. It comes across to me as really fake and impersonal. It doesn’t add anything at all.

My life has been difficult for the last few years. Anyone that knows the situation would ask me a more personal question, not put it at the start, and leave it open for an answer. And for people that don’t know the situation, it’s just totally meaningless.

Just cut it out and write the email.

When I write to the school I always put DD's name, form and the name of the person I want the email to be forwarded to in the heading.

I think normally do a simple "Hello" and ask them to forward the mail to Ms/Mr teacher name.

If I email a business it depends on the style. Lots are ok with Hello as well, especially if it is not a formal one like a solicitor, bank etc. In these cases I say "Dear Sir/Madam" and explain who I am and what it is about.