Too busy to type a Hello or Hi? Do you think that it isn’t necessary to include a brief greeting at the beginning of your business e-mails?
Then, know that you may be coming off as terse or being perceived as bossy. The little effort it takes to type a Hey, John!, Hi, Jane: or a Hello, Dr. Jones: can make all the difference in the world in setting the tone of your e-mail. It is well worth your time to type those 10-15 extra characters!
When you call folks on the phone, you don’t just start babbling without brief intro do you? If you do, then those you are calling probably cringe when they hear your voice. Same goes for e-mail. People prefer to communicate with those who reflect basic courtesies and present themselves in a friendly manner.
Business is all about relationships; people do business with people. How can you expect to build upon those relationships or start new partnerships if you are unwilling to type a simple courteous greeting? It takes very little effort and is so important to setting the tone and level of formality (respect) dictated by your relationship with the person on the other side.
Tiny little courtesies, such as including a greeting with every e-mail instead of just blurting out your comments, demands or questions, will go a long way to being perceived as someone who is a pleasure to communicate with and with whom long term relationships can depend upon.
You don’t want folks cringing when they see your name in their inbox do you?
Some More Info for You:
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I received a reply from one of our directors a few levels up from my boss when proposing a new idea. I emailed it to all of the company directors who might have a hand in considering the solution as well as to the customer whom will also have to have a part in the proposal.
In the response I received the letter opened with George… What does that mean. The rest of the letter went on to explain that while the idea is well received it should have been vetted through the company first before presenting it to the customer.
So what does George … mean? I take it as either contemplating what to do with me or it is demeaning. I know the informality of email in the civilian sector as compared to the military is significantly different and something I will have to get used to.
Please solve this as I can find no reference to any email etiquette rules for this sort of salutation.
Thank you for your time and advice
George
Hey, George:
I would take that as a direct greeting being professional on the stern side. I know that I greet most through my e-mails with an informal “Hey, name” or “Hello, name” to ensure I am friendly and approachable. But when I want to have a more direct tone, I skip the Hey or Hello. Maybe that’s the case here — maybe not. If you are unsure of the Sender’s intent it is best you call or meet in person, if possible, to discuss and avoid any possible misunderstandings.
One thing I would refrain from repeating in the future is to not Cc: others in an ongoing conversation with another individual. They were communicating with you, not the others you chose to bring into the conversation. I just posted about this very topic here: Who Should You To: or Cc:?
HTH!
Hi Team,
i am in real estate biusness i want to creats my company greeting mail. could you please help me in this….i really thanks full if you can help me.
Hello, Anjali:
I would start with capitalizing your sentences in all communications — even on Blogs like this and forums. You never know when a potential customer may be reading your public notes. You can learn everything you need to know and consider by reading this site. You can start here:
Business E-mail Basics
HTH and good luck with your business!