Opening with a relevant reason rather than fake familiarity

Open with a checked reason for writing to this account, then connect it to a question about the recipient’s work. Do not imply a personal relationship, shared conversation or known problem that does not exist.

Turn context into an opening

Use the observation at the level the source supports. If a company plans a new site, write about the plan rather than an operating site. If a recipient previously asked a question, reflect what they actually asked rather than adding urgency they did not express.

The opening also needs a reason the observation relates to your offer. “I saw your announcement” leaves that connection unstated. For a hypothetical supplier of stock-record software, a planned site could prompt a question about how records will be coordinated if it opens. It would be an unsupported leap to say the company is struggling with stock accuracy.

Test the premise by asking whether the recipient could answer “that is already handled” without first correcting a false claim. If they could not, make the inference a question or choose another opening.

Remove borrowed intimacy

Phrases such as “I’ve been following your journey”, “we both know” and “as you’ll remember” suggest familiarity. Use them only when they accurately describe a real relationship or exchange. A public announcement does not make the sender an insider. Do not invent a referral or imply that a colleague introduced you when no introduction occurred.

A name or job title is not a reason by itself. “As Head of Operations, you must be under pressure to…” guesses at the person’s experience. Refer instead to the work the role may cover and ask whether the topic sits with them. Make uncertainty about responsibility clear.

Compare two openings

Consider a hypothetical company that has announced a planned second warehouse:

Overstated: “With your new warehouse causing inventory headaches, I knew you’d want to see our platform.”

Defensible: “Your announcement about a planned second warehouse prompted a question: will the new site change how your team coordinates stock records?”

The second version preserves “planned”, puts the possible consequence in a question and lets the recipient say the process is already covered. The rest of the message still needs an accurate description of the offer and an appropriate next step.

Check the subject line too

A subject line should describe the topic without implying a meeting, referral or ongoing relationship that does not exist. Read it beside the first sentence. “Following up on our conversation” is misleading when no conversation happened, whatever the body says.

If there is no accurate, relevant reason to open with, leave the draft unsent.