How do I start an email to someone I don't know?

[ToooOldForThis]

I have been given an email contact of someone I don't know to get information about a project. Would always have gone with "Dear Ms X" but now I wonder is Ms unacceptable?

I just go with good morning/good afternoon and don’t put a name. Then depending on how they sign off their reply I use that in future emails

Depends on the context

'To whom it may concern'
'Hello'
might work ?

I also do good morning / afternoon

Do you know their name? Is it a formal setting/request? Unless it was formal, and I didnt know their name, I'd say 'Hi, I got your email from X and appologies, but I didn't know your name. I'm ....'

I can see their name in the address and it's a name I'd take to be female so eg Sally Smith @ whatever.com
I'd normally start Dear Ms Smith
Thank you re the Good morning etc suggestions, going with that I think,!

Yes, just "Good morning" here too

I would go for Dear Ms Smith.

Then make it quite clear they don't know who you are in case you're coming across as too familiar so something along the lines of:

I am contacting you in response to...., or I cam across xxx article and would like to enquire about etc.

If I'd put my name in my email address, I'd expect people to use my name.

Ms is appropriate when you don't know their marital status or preferred title.

If unsure about level of formality appropriate, opt for Dear...

I would generally go with your proposed start for someone I've never been introduced to or communicated with.

I don't think you need to Dear Sir in an email, they're far less formal.

I was more concerned about Ms in terms gender...is that an issue?

Oh sorry. No, I think Ms is just fine.

If I know their name I write "Dear Firstname Surname". If I don't I write "Good morning/afternoon". But I only use their name if I've been given their name. Not if I'm taking it from an email because sometimes emails don't match names.

@ToooOldForThis

I was more concerned about Ms in terms gender...is that an issue?

@ToooOldForThis I understand your concerns. Especially now when people get annoyed if using the wrong gender term etc. It's all becoming complicated!!! I would stick to good morning/ afternoon. Play it safe

I'm another one who goes with good morning/afternoon, if not sure of the name or someone new to me. Polite and uncontroversial.

Thank you all! Good evening it was!

Oh. I'm never sure about good evening for business emails. I might be writing in the evening, but I have no expectation that they'll look at it until morning. I usually save it and send it in the morning, to avoid it

Another one here using Good morning/Good afternoon and no name unless I have corresponded previously.

I’ve worked my working life at quite large, corporate and sometimes stuffy, law firms.

I’ve always been told that it’s “Dear First Name” for individuals/named contacts (signing off your own name” and “Dear Sirs” in more formal settings, or when the email is directed to a company, where you have a contact name but you aren’t sure if they’re the correct person (signing off as “yours faithfully, Company Name”

I must admit I’d find it odd and overly formal to get an email to “Ms XXX” or “Ms First Name Surname”!

I'd just go with Dear Alex or Hello Alex and then you can't get it wrong, even with names where you don't know the sex or you are addressing someone who doesn't believe in biology.

Obviously there will be people who object to being addressed by their actual name but I think these days they are less in number than people who get uppity about the wrong title.

I send a lot of emails out to people I don't know, for work, and always start with Good Morning/Afternoon. I respond with their name when they reply. I look at how they sign off their email, as Robert might be Rob or Andrew mught be Andy, so I then can address them by what they prefer to be called.

Being more formal to start with is unlikely to offend anyone. I am fine with Dear Mother, Hello Mother, etc. but dislike someone I don't know shortening my actual first name. That's presumptuous and over-familiar.

Hello/Good morning/Good afternoon,

I really don’t like ‘Dear Clarissa Clutterbuck’ - it was always considered wrong in my long-ago youth and still grates.
Should IMO be Dear Clarissa, OR Dear Ms Clutterbuck, not both names.

It's Quaker.

Not using titles I mean. Quite a long tradition but I accept some people may disagree.

I’ve always been told that it’s “Dear First Name” for individuals/named contacts (signing off your own name” and “Dear Sirs” in more formal settings, or when the email is directed to a company, where you have a contact name but you aren’t sure if they’re the correct person (signing off as “yours faithfully, Company Name”

Trouble is with this ^ is it in inherently sexist, and assumes the people at the company are men.

@BackforGood

I’ve always been told that it’s “Dear First Name” for individuals/named contacts (signing off your own name” and “Dear Sirs” in more formal settings, or when the email is directed to a company, where you have a contact name but you aren’t sure if they’re the correct person (signing off as “yours faithfully, Company Name”

Trouble is with this ^ is it in inherently sexist, and assumes the people at the company are men.

Dear Sir or Madam... 🤷🏻‍♀️