Email Salutations

[zebra363]

I have a pet peeve about this, but am pretty sure I'm in a tiny minority and thought I'd check other people's opinions.  Pretend you're emailing three people called Jane.

Poll Email Salutations

Comments

[black_samvara]

I tend to say "Hi Zebra" to people like you, "Greetings and Salutations" to groups, "Dear X" or "Hello X" if I'm emailing a helpdesk or introducing myself for the first time and I drop the salutation if the other person has and I know them well.

[zebra363]

I use "All," for groups at work, but "Greetings and Salutations" would make me smile!

[mr_booboo]

I'm a big "Hi X" to everyone except for friends. I'll use other greetings like "hey you" or "hey stranger" or sometimes no greeting at all.

I prefer to use "hi" in my emails so that it sounds like I'm approachable. If I'm sending them bad news, I'll use "Dear" but that's pretty rare. I've used "hi" on my DG (using his given name) before and it's never been a problem. If I email a judge or magistrate, I use "Dear Title Surname" because they tend to be pretty tetchy about that kind of thing. To be honest, work wise, if someone emails me with a hi, I respond with a hi. If they are more formal, I respond in kind. But then, I'm in HR. I'm sure it's different depending on where you work.

[zebra363]

"Dear Title Surname" made me laugh. I might start using it, just like that!

Looking at both my personal and work emails, I think about 80% of people use "Hi X". In your line of work, I definitely see how looking approachable is important.

[st_crispins]

I pretty much agree. I use 'hi' to folks I know, 'hello' to those I don't; 'hey' to someone I email all the time.

'Dear' looks odd in an email.

[st_crispins]

And if I began an email with "Greetings and Salutations", people I know would interpret it sarcastically.

[zebra363]

I don't think my friend above means it very seriously!

[psycho_tabby]

Emails to proponents I have talked to before I will say Dear ...

but after the first email I will say Hello ...

I would only ever really go Hi to somebody I knew well and if it was at work it would have to be somebody at a similar level to me or the issue wasn't really about work. So I was therefore talking to a work person as if they were a personal friend not a professional one.

[psycho_tabby]

Sorry that first line was meant to say 'not' talked to before

[zebra363]

That sounds polite to me! "Hi" always makes me grimace a bit at work (unless it's in the situations you describe).

[victorian_tweed]

If it is a formal exchange, then I go with 'Dear Jane' or 'Dear Ms . For semi-formal, then I base the salutation on the general vibe I get about the other person, so it might be a 'Dear', or a 'Hi' or a 'Hello', or even a 'G'day'. I try to go with whatever I feel would be appropriate, and what I also hope would be friendly and polite enough for the recipient.

Friends usually get something clingy and needy. *g*

I'm admittedly old fashioned about addressing my elders. (Less so as I age, I guess.) Hearing someone young addressing an older/elderly person by their first name, especially if they weren't invited to do so, makes me cringe.

[zebra363]

I think I've had a "G'day" from you and it was nice!

Hearing someone young addressing an older/elderly person by their first name, especially if they weren't invited to do so, makes me cringe.

Yes. Some of the worst offenders seem to be the staff in care facilities, too, many of whom aren't particularly young!