Should e-mails open with Dear, Hi, or Hey? - BBC News

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"If you're sending a business e-mail you should begin 'Dear...' - like a letter. You are presenting yourself. Politeness and etiquette are ... It'stimeweditched"Dear..."fromworke-mails,accordingtoaUSpoliticalfigure,whosaysit'stoointimate.Sowhatisthemostappropriatewaytogreetsomeoneinane-mail-hi,heyorjustgetstraighttothepoint?Twowords.That'sallGiselleBarryneededtoleavealastingimpression.ThespokeswomanforUScongressmanEdMarkeywase-mailingagroupofreporters,toalertthemtoanimportantannouncement."Hey,folks,"shebegan.SuchacasualsaluteraisedeyebrowsattheWallStreetJournal,whichinterpretedthebeginningofhere-mailastheendofacenturies-oldwrittentradition."Acrosstheinternettheuseof'dear'isgoingthewayofsealingwax,"notedthenewspaper."'Dear...'isabittoointimateandconnotesapersonalrelationship,"MsBarrytoldthepaper.Andasshestrivestomaintainwhatshecalls"theutmostandhighestlevelofprofessionalism",sheseesnoneedforold-fashionedgraces.E-mailhaschangedtherulesofengagement.Thelanguageofbusinessisevolving.Ourold"dears"arewitheringaway,replacedinthetopperchby"hello","hi"and"hey".AndnoteveryoneisquitesorelaxedaboutthisasMsBarry."I'mfedupwithpeoplewriting'HiJean'whenthey'venevermetme,"saysetiquetteguruJeanBroke-Smith."Ifyou'resendingabusinesse-mailyoushouldbegin'Dear...'-likealetter.Youarepresentingyourself.Politenessandetiquetteareessential."Wearelosingtheartofletterwriting.E-mailsarebecomingliketexts.Ifwedon'tgetahandleonit,futuregenerationswon'tbeabletospellatall."Butwhyaresomanyofusculling"Dear..."fromoure-mails,evenintheworkplace?Thesimplestanswerforitsdetractorsisthatitnolongersayswhatitmeans,itfeelscoldanddistant."TheonlytimeIwrite'Dear...'isifI'mmakingacomplaint,"saysDanGermain,headofcreativeatInnocentsmoothies."IfI'mwritingtosomeoneIamtryingtoimpress,Iwouldsimplysay'Hello'.Losing'Dear...'doesnotequalrudeness."Thewordalsoimpliesbeingofacertainage,saysJonKing,managingdirectorofthedigitalmarketingagencyStoryWorldwide,whoadds:"Ineveruse'Dear...'It'sold-dearish."MrKingwasthefrontmaninpost-punkbandtheGangofFour.HisclientstodayincludeluxurybrandslikeFabergeandEsteeLauder.Sohowdoeshegreetthem?"Oftenwithnointrolineatall.Iassumetheyknowwhotheyare,andcuttothechase."Itisthisracetocommunicatethatleavesold-schooletiquettetrailinginthewake,accordingtosocialbehaviourexpertLizBrewer,starofITV'sLadettetoLady."Withsocialnetworking,wedoeverythinginthreeseconds-reply,type,send-andoftenwithoutdueconsideration,"sheexplains."Wehavetorememberthatatthestartofane-mailwearesendingasubtlemessage.IfIwrite'hi'toapersonIdon'tknow,Iriskfallingintoapit.Ishouldn'tpresumeIcanbesofamiliar."Introducingane-mailisalotlikearrivingataparty,shesays."Bettertobeoverdressed.Youcanalwaystakeoffthepearls."Ase-mailgreetingsgo,"Heyfolks"sureain'tpearls."Hey"soundsmorelikethebrash,surfyAmericancousinof"hi".ButisitreallyBermudashortsandbarefeet?Thatalldependsontherecipient,saysAnnaPost,spokeswomanfortheEmilyPostInstitute,whichisbasedinVermontandprovidesetiquetteexpertsandadvicetocorporationsintheUS."'Hey'isafunnyone.Ineverusedtohaveaproblemwithit,"shesays."UntilImettheCEOofayoung,hipcompany,whosaidshehatedit.Shesaiditsoundslikeasharpjab.'Hey!'Whereastome,'hey'soundsjauntyanduplifting."Andsincewehavenocontroloveroure-mailrecipient'sperception,greetingslike"hey"arenotworththeriskinbusiness,sheadds."Iwoulduse'Dear...'withpeopleIdon'tknowparticularlywell,becauseitcorrespondstorespect.Idisagreewithpeoplewhosay'Dear...'means'youareparticularlydeartome'.Toconveythatkindof'Dear...'youneedtowrite'mydearest'."Butifintroductionsareadilemma,sign-offsareasocialnetworkingminefield."Yoursfaithfully"can'tbetrusted."Sincerely"feelsinsincere.Andyour"kindestregards"soundlikeanythingbut.LizBrewerbelievesyoucannevergowrongwith'bestwishes'."Peopleput'XX'allthetime-andthat'sfine,butonlyifyouwouldkissthepersoninthestreet."Thetroublewithsign-offsisyouhavesomanyoptions,saysAnnaPost."It'sthehottestquestionIgetaskedatmybusinesscommsclasses.Ifit'sbusiness,Iwouldstickto'regards','kindregards'or'best'."'Cheers'istoowarmforsomeindustries.ButtheoneIreallydon'tlikeis'BR'.Howcouldtheybeyour'bestregards'ifyoucouldn'tevenbebotheredtotypethemout?"Thetrickwithsign-offsistochooseaphrasethat'salmostinvisible,shesays,becauseifthephraselooksodd"thenpeoplearenolongerthinkingaboutthecontentofyourmessage",saysAnnaPost.Somaybethesolutiontowhat'srighttowriteisjusttokeepitsimple.ViewcommentsTopStoriesUkraineseeksUNandRedCrossprisondeathsprobePublished3hoursagoTopUSjudgemocksworldleadersoverabortionbanPublished18hoursagoStopwearingtiestosaveenergy,SpanishPMsaysPublished8hoursagoFeaturesThaicaverescue:'Atfirstitwasdifficult'VideoThaicaverescue:'Atfirstitwasdifficult'ThesecretmissiontosaveLGBTAfghansAnAmericandream'stragicend800milesfromhomePridejerseyrow:AreckoningforAustraliansport?HowSingaporeisturningcarparksintofarmsBodypaintingandsunflowers:PhotosoftheweekHowacartoondogbecamearolemodelfordads.VideoHowacartoondogbecamearolemodelfordadsThetowndestroyedtomakewayforawhites-onlysuburb.VideoThetowndestroyedtomakewayforawhites-onlysuburbTheshockingfateofthetreethatchangedtheworldElsewhereontheBBCTheislethatFranceandSpainshareThiscuriousgeographictransactionhasbeengoingonfo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