How to Professionally Address Multiple People in an Email

It only takes one awkward greeting to make a group email feel off. Maybe you’ve started with “Hi” and hesitated over who to include or left someone out entirely. When you're writing to more than one person, how you open your message affects how it's read, how seriously it's taken, and how it lands.

The problem is that most professionals don’t understand how to address an email to more than one person. Should you list names or use a group title? Is “Hi all” too casual? What if the recipients have different roles or levels of seniority?

This guide breaks it down. You'll learn how to address more than one person in an email, with examples, etiquette tips, formatting rules, and clear phrases you can use in any situation.

When You Should Email Multiple People Together

There are many day-to-day scenarios where emailing more than one person makes sense, and in some cases, it’s essential for clarity and accountability. 

Here are the most common use cases where a multi-recipient message is the right approach:

1.  Team Updates: When you’re sharing updates about project progress, deadlines, policy changes, or company news, addressing the full team ensures everyone receives the same information at the same time. This avoids confusion and keeps expectations aligned.

   
   

2. Group Projects: If you’re collaborating on a shared task or deliverable, a group email helps all contributors stay informed and accountable. It also makes it easier to track conversations and decisions over time.

   
   

3. Cross-Departmental Coordination: When teams from different departments work together, such as marketing and product or operations and finance, a well-addressed email makes it easier to coordinate timelines, responsibilities, and dependencies.

   
   

4. Vendor Management: If you’re working with more than one point of contact at a vendor company or managing different vendors on the same project, a single email thread allows everyone to stay aligned on timelines, deliverables, and issues.

   
   

5. Delegating Tasks: When assigning responsibilities to multiple people at once, addressing them in a single email prevents gaps in communication and makes workload distribution clear from the start.

   
   

6. Urgent Situations: In time-sensitive cases like system outages, missed deadlines, or critical project issues, emailing all relevant parties at once saves time and reduces back-and-forth. Everyone gets the same instructions and can respond accordingly.

General Rules for Addressing Multiple Recipients

Before choosing your greeting, apply a few ground rules to ensure appropriate tone and structure.

• Match the formality to the context. Go formal for a client or manager. For peers, a simple “Hi all” might suffice.

• Think about name order. When addressing individuals, sort by seniority or alphabetically to avoid favoritism.

• Acknowledge everyone. Skipping names can appear dismissive or careless.

• Be consistent. Use the same format throughout if the email continues with names or references.

These guidelines help create a message that respects all recipients and avoids tone mismatches.

Email Etiquette to Follow While Addressing Multiple People

When emailing more than one person, your greeting should be clear, respectful, and consistent with the context. Whether you’re naming individuals or referring to a group, how you open the email sets the tone for the entire message. 

These etiquette points show how to professionally address an email to more than one person and avoid common missteps.

For Small Teams (2–3 People)

When communicating with several people through a single email, using individual names in the salutation can feel more personal and engaging. It shows attention to detail and avoids the vagueness of group labels.

For example, instead of saying “Hi team,” opt for “Hi Sarah, Mike, and Josh”—so everybody gets direct acknowledgment.

Examples:

1. Hi Emily and Jacob,

2. Dear Mr. Thompson and Ms. Reed,

3. Hello Brian, Megan, and Scott,

4. Hi Dr. Harris and Prof. Daniels,

5. Dear Lauren, Adam, and Kate,

For Larger Teams (4+ People)

When your message is going out to a bigger group, especially when the content applies to everyone collectively, it’s acceptable to use a shared title or group name. This keeps the greeting clean and still respectful.

This approach proves you’ve taken the time to recognize the group and frame the message appropriately, without crowding the salutation with too many names.

Examples:

1. Dear Finance Team,

2. Hello Marketing Department,

3. Hi Support Staff,

4. Dear All,

5. Hello Everyone,
   
   

This structure keeps the tone professional while making sure no one is left out.

Use Gender-Neutral Language in the Body

When writing to or about multiple people, avoid guessing or assuming anyone’s gender. Using gender-neutral language in the email body helps keep communication inclusive, respectful, and accurate, especially if you haven’t met someone in person or don’t know their pronouns.

Instead of saying “He will handle the contract” or “She will send the draft,” use names, roles, or plural references. This ensures everyone feels addressed correctly and avoids awkward corrections later.

Examples:

• Alex will lead the presentation at Thursday’s client call.

• Please check with the account manager before finalizing the numbers.

• Jordan and Taylor submitted their edits this morning.

• Each reviewer should leave comments in the shared document.

• Morgan confirmed that the shipment was delivered yesterday.

Use Titles and Honorifics Where Needed

When addressing someone formally, especially in external or client-facing emails, it’s best to use appropriate titles until told otherwise. If recipients vary in seniority, it’s courteous to use titles for all to maintain balance.

Examples:

1. Dear Dr. Amin and Prof. Lee,

2. Ms. Rivas will be your main point of contact going forward.

3. Please include Mr. Chowdhury in the final review round.

4. Dr. Alston has approved the revised timeline.

5. Good morning, Ms. Jackson and Mr. Monroe. Thank you for your input.

When in doubt, check prior emails or signatures to confirm preferred titles. Avoid mixing titles: don't say, “Hi, Dr. Mehta and Raj.”

If you're unsure how to phrase formal openings, Gmail's smart features can help structure your drafts. Learn how to activate Google's Help Me Write.

Mention Individuals Using the @ Symbol for Clarity

When addressing a group, you may need to assign specific actions or highlight responsibilities for certain individuals. 

Using the @ symbol followed by a person’s name helps make those directions stand out, especially when multiple people are involved in the same email.

This is useful in collaborative settings where everyone receives the same message, but only a few are expected to act. It avoids confusion and ensures accountability without needing to send separate messages.

Examples:

@Rachel, please revise the timeline in the shared roadmap based on last week’s meeting.
@Tyler, once Rachel updates the file, prepare it for client review by Thursday.
@Jenna, coordinate with Tyler on the review checklist and confirm delivery with the client.
@Chris, make sure the final version is archived in the documentation folder.
@Morgan, let the sales team know once the new version is approved.

This format keeps the thread organized and reduces the risk of missed tasks, especially in cross-functional teams.

Best Practices When Addressing Multiple People

Getting the salutation right means more than picking a greeting. These practices help you stay professional, avoid confusion, and tailor your message to the recipients.

1. Know Your Audience

The tone of your email depends on who you're writing to. Use formal salutations for clients, executives, or unfamiliar contacts. If you’ve emailed before or it’s an internal thread with peers, a more relaxed tone is acceptable, as long as it's still respectful.

2. Avoid Using BCC for Group Messages

BCC may seem tidy, but it creates problems in group communication. People can’t tell who else received the message, and responses can get tangled. If everyone should be aware of each other's involvement, use CC or direct addressing instead.

3. Use Group Names for Larger Audiences

When writing to four or more recipients, it’s often best to use a collective title. Examples include “Dear Marketing Team,” “Hello All,” or “Good morning, Project Committee.” This keeps your greeting clear without listing every name.

4. List Individual Names for Small Groups

If you're addressing just two or three people, name them individually. It shows attention to detail and makes the email feel more personal. 

For example, write “Hi Daniel and Monica” instead of “Hi both” or “Hi team.”

5. Follow Their Lead on Tone

If someone has previously emailed you using first names or casual phrasing, it’s okay to mirror that tone, so long as the situation allows it. 

Aligning with their style helps the message feel natural while still maintaining professionalism.

6. Use a Combination When It Fits

In some cases, combining group and individual references is useful. You might write: “Dear Product Team—Rachel, James, and Leo.” This works well when addressing a known group, but still wanting to acknowledge each person by name.

When you streamline your workflow, many of these practices become second nature. Setting up mail automation can help you save hours on repetitive email tasks, including multi-recipient messages.

Let NewMail Handle the Details for You. Formatting names, applying the right tone, and organizing multi-recipient threads can be tedious. 

Your AI Inbox Assistant handles these automatically, suggesting greetings, correcting punctuation, and helping you sound professional every time. Try NewMail and skip the second-guessing.

What to Avoid in Multi-Recipient Greetings

Some greetings may seem harmless, but they can send the wrong signal or create confusion. Here's what to skip:

• Casual or exclusionary openers like “Hey guys” or “Gentlemen”

• Mixing formal and informal names (e.g., “Hi Dr. Mehta and Chris”)

• Nicknames, unless used consistently in past communication

• Overloaded greetings – Avoid listing more than 3–4 names in a row

Instead, simplify the structure and keep the tone aligned across all parts of the email.

Examples of Addressing Multiple People in an Email

Now that you're familiar with the etiquette and structure of writing to multiple recipients, here are some ready-to-use phrases you can start with in your group emails

Examples:

1. Hello everyone

2. Dear team

3. Hi colleagues

4. Good morning, all

5. Dear attendees

6. Greetings to the group

7. Hi all

8. Hello friends and colleagues

9. To everyone in this thread

10. Dear all

11. Hello to each of you

12. Warm greetings to everyone

13. Hi everyone

14. A warm hello to all

15. Good day, everyone

16. Greetings, friends

17. Hello folks

18. To each and every one of you

19. To all recipients

Warm regards to the group

Once you’ve found a greeting style that fits, make sure the rest of your email is easy to manage and follow. These Gmail inbox hacks can help keep your group threads organized and clutter-free.

Turn These Examples into Ready-to-Send Emails. With NewMail, you don’t need to copy and paste. The tool suggests greetings based on who you're writing to and drafts messages that reflect your tone and context so that you can send professional group emails faster.

Final Touches That Improve Clarity

Once you’ve chosen how to address your recipients, small formatting details help your message look polished and professional.

• Use a comma after each name in your salutation.
  Example: Hi Jason, Melissa, and Claire,

• Add a period after the greeting line if it forms a complete sentence.
  Example: Good morning, everyone.

• Use Title Case for group terms like Team, Colleagues, or Participants when they replace names.

• Be consistent with first or last names.
  Pair them with last names if you’re using titles like Mr., Ms., or Dr.. For internal messages or peers, first names are usually fine. Don’t mix formats (e.g., Hi Dr. Chen and Lisa).

Small formatting adjustments like punctuation and name order help make group emails easier to read. To improve clarity across your entire inbox, check out our tips on email prioritization and management.

Write Smarter Group Emails with NewMail AI

Managing group emails shouldn’t be a chore. With NewMail AI, you get an AI Inbox Assistant that can make suggestions for greetings, instant formatting fixes, and personalized message structuring based on who you're writing to.

Whether you're emailing two colleagues or twenty attendees, NewMail helps you keep every message clear, respectful, and professional, without rewriting the same lines every day.

Try NewMail today