# Salutations in business e-mail **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 15, 2001, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802 "2001-09-15T12:15:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/1 "2001-09-15T12:15:29Z")
E-mail at work seems to take up half the day. We e-mail bosses co-workers vendors editorial offices and authors Until recently, I had been beginning my e-mails thusly “Bob:” Upon seeing something in GQ, and noticing the examples of some of my colleagues, I have started using “Hi Bob” or “Hello Bob” There are still a few folks that warrant the “Bob:” treatment, but this is only because I don’t feel comfortable being informal with them. How does the average Doper start an e-mail, and are business e-mails that different from personal e-mails? ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/2 "2001-09-15T12:40:57Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/3 "2001-09-15T15:19:56Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Shaky\_Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shaky\_Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaky_Jake)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/4 "2001-09-15T15:25:59Z")
I’m too lazy to dig up a cite, but I recall Miss Manners advising that no distinction should be made between e-mail and snail mail, salutation-wise. I start all my emails with “Dear…” (unless it’s a note to my wife; then I use an adorable pet name) ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/5 "2001-09-15T15:26:19Z")
When in doubt, always go for the more formal opening. Dear (fill in the name) ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2001, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/6 "2001-09-15T15:50:03Z")
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. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AM\_PM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@AM\_PM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AM_PM)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2001, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/7 "2001-09-16T13:44:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/8 "2001-09-17T03:25:01Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/9 "2001-09-17T06:57:55Z")
Dear Fellow Dopers, I tend to follow the snail mail example. Regards, TheLoadedDog ---
**Author:** ![Corrvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bbce88/32.png) [@Corrvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corrvin)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/10 "2001-09-17T07:32:36Z")
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. Corr ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/11 "2001-09-17T07:44:04Z")
**Shaky Jake** wrote > [@](#): > > I’m too lazy to dig up a cite, but I recall Miss Manners advising that no distinction should be made between e-mail and snail mail, salutation-wise. Actually, quite the opposite. **Miss Manners** says > [@](#): > > Although the sender and recipient are, of course, fully identified, salutations and signatures require no more than a name or an initial and a dash. Pronouns are often omitted (as in “Having wonderful time” or “Arriving Wednesday stop”) and abbreviations or initials – provided one is sure the reader will be able to interpret them – help protect the privacy of the persons or issues mentioned. This from [http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=digest&contentId=A50945-2001Jan12](http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=digest&contentId=A50945-2001Jan12) ---
**Author:** ![Redboss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@Redboss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redboss)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/12 "2001-09-17T08:08:04Z")
Our work rule is no salutation. When you have to tell twenty people that a meeting is scheduled it avoids > [@](#): > > Dear Abe, Breen, Cassie, Delroy, Ewen, Felicity… etc or the less elegant alternative > [@](#): > > Hi Folks! 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. Redboss ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/13 "2001-09-17T08:29:43Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2001, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salutations-in-business-e-mail/81802/14 "2001-09-17T13:12:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chrome Spot \* > **…“Hi Bob”…** So does everyone in the office take a drink when “Bob” gets an e-mail like this?