Thu. Oct 31st, 2024

Introduction

It’s possible that the person who receives your email will value the fact that you’re concerned about how they’re doing at work. Instead of beginning an email with the phrase “hope you are doing well,” you may begin it with one of the following questions:

How are things in your world?

Even though it is general, this question gives the individual who is going to receive your email the chance to talk about things that are important to them on a personal level. If you pay close attention to how they respond to this question the question itself, you can improve the quality of the professional interactions you have at work.

How is your family?

This inquiry demonstrates that you are concerned about the health and happiness of the people who are significant to the recipient of your message. When beginning with a question about the recipient’s family, it is important to take into consideration the individual context. When you are certain that the recipient can respond in a good way, this strategy will likely be the most effective.

How is [name of specific pet]?

A good number of people take great pleasure in discussing their animals. If you feel that asking about the recipient’s family members is too private for the context of the encounter at hand, you might want to suggest asking about the recipient’s pet instead. You can also demonstrate that you are interested in and attentive to other aspects of the person’s life, such as their personal life outside of work, by referring to their pet by name.

How about those [sports team]?

It’s a good way to indicate that you’ve been paying attention to the recipient’s interests and develop a connection with them, much like asking about the recipient’s family or the weather. Just like when asking about someone’s family, you should think about what you want to hear before you ask. If the recipient’s favourite team has been winning lately, the question is more likely to put them in a good mood.

How was the [industry conference or meeting]?

If you’d like to use a question as a greeting in an email but are uncomfortable asking about the recipient’s dogs, family, or sports team, you may still reap the benefits by switching the focus to a professional event. Asking a question like this can demonstrate that you are interested in your field outside of your current employer and that you have been paying attention to the recipient’s professional activities.

Can you feel the anticipation building for [future action]?

In the same way that asking about a prior occurrence might demonstrate your interest in the other person, asking about their current experiences can do the same. If you want to increase the likelihood that you and your business partner are looking forward to the same thing, keep the event or activity you bring up strictly professional.

Do you have any exciting plans for this weekend?

Your giftee might be anticipating engaging in a particular form of recreation. The reader may be put in a good mood since you brought up an enjoyable topic, and you may learn something new about them as a person by learning about their interests outside of work.

After [shared experience], how have you been doing?

If you and the recipient are not very close, mentioning the last time you met in person may assist them in recalling how you know one another. Asking a question like “Did you like the occasion?” can help your reader feel more optimistic about what you’ve written, especially if your experience at the event was positive.