"I hope this email finds you well ... I hope you are doing fine ... I hope you are having a good day ... I hope you had a good weekend ..."
Ugh! Who are we kidding? We all know how disingenuous those openers come across. Besides, they have nothing to do with the message that follows. I recently received this email starter from a client:
I hope this email finds you well. We are cancelling your class next Thursday due to insufficient space.
Really? She just ruined my day!
I admit that I have felt compelled to use that sentence myself when I am working for one of several corporations or government agencies whose leaders have made clear to me their expectation for staff to open written messages that way. But who says a CEO is infallible? Most of us correctly read that sentence as timewasting, thoughtless, insincere, and useless, even incongruous or ridiculous. I usually don't open that way and prefer not to.
I am a big proponent of using courteous language. A tone-sensitive opening of "Good day" or a specific comment connecting you to your reader, such as "Thank you for attending the meeting this morning," would work better. I really do hope my message finds you well, but there are better ways to express that sentiment.
