When I e-mail friends, I don’t normally use a salutation. I just jump into what I’m saying.
For business, it depends on who I’m sending to. If it’s going to the company president, then I use “Dear Mr. Bigshot”. If it’s one of our people at a distribution center, then I normally use a variation of “Good morning, Bob”, or just the first name.
For a while, I bought into the idea that all email was by definition, more casual, and just jumped into all of messages, or, if there where multiple recipients, I would start things by saying
Judy,
Can you pull those mailing lists?
Bob,
Once we have them organized, we will contact you for your information.
However, I noticed that one of our Vice Presidents started every single email, whether it was to her boss or the lowest underling, with “Dear Person’s Name.” You might not think that would be so striking, but it really seemed to set a classy and respectful tone for the email right up front. In business, I say always err on the side of class and respect, so I adopted it.
We’re all on a friendly first name basis in my building. The CEO has his office in my building and is a regular sort of guy who likes being called “Dave”. None of this stuffy “Mr.” business here.
If I was addressing somebody in my business but didn’t work in my building, I’d reply with the manner he closed his email to me. If he signed his email “John D. Bossman”, I’d reply to “Mr. Bossman”. If he had closed his email simply with “John”, that’s how I’d address him in a reply.
If I was initiating contact (not replying), I’d start the body of the email with no address, other than “good morning” or some such generic greeting. His or her name is already in the To: field, so there is sufficient address.
That said, last job my boss’s name was Bob, but in emails I usually spelled it with two o’s.
I use "Bob - ", same as people use “Chrome Spot -” around here. Even for people I like and love. Why not? Does Mom need “Dearest Mom”? No, I address her in email the same as if she were in the room.
I rarely use any salutation. At least not one that addresses the person by name. I may say “Good Morning” or something like that, but I don’t include the recipient in the greeting. Maybe I’m just lazy, but including
Bob,
to the email just seems redundant. He already knows I’m addressing him. It’s in the TO field. Anyone else is CCed and I don’t address them at all.
Actually, I tend to word mine more or less formally depending on the content of the letter and whether I expect it to be passed on.
A quick “Car died, late to work, in at 5” note would warrant a “Jenn-” on it.
“Per our talk today, here is the information” gets “Hi Jennifer”.
“I am sorry to have to bring this to you, but I need to inform you that my co-worker John is making me very uncomfortable by continuing to ask me out” would warrant the full first and last name.
We’re an informal office, too; I can’t even remember the last time I called someone Mr. or Ms. except in jest.
When you have to tell twenty people that a meeting is scheduled it avoids
or the less elegant alternative
Mind you we have staff that send emails to everyone in the building (thirty people) saying “I can’t find my mug do you have it?” which I think is not real good workplace etiquette either.
I have seen the Miss Manners advice before, that email can and should be more casual, but it honestly makes me wonder how familiar Miss Manners is with email. The example quoted by Bill H. looks more like instructions for a telegram than an email.
