The greeting you don’t have to choose

You don’t have to pick the right opening. Somebody already picked one for you.

Their email is sitting open on your screen. Whatever they wrote at the top tells you where they’re comfortable. „Hi Christine“ means Hi works. „Dear Ms Weber“ means stay formal for a while longer.

Matching it takes no thought, and most people do it without noticing.

It also means a change carries weight. If someone has written „Hi“ for a month and then opens with „Dear„, something has shifted. Usually not your grammar.

So the decision you were bracing for was made before you sat down. It’s there at the top of their message, waiting to be copied.

Quick win: When you reply, use the opening they used. When you write first, Hello and their first name.