9/24/2015 Business Writing: Salutations in Letters and Email

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Business Writing

Share this page January 15, 2006

Salutations in Letters and Email

Dear Reader: Dear Reader, Dear Ms. Reader: Dear Mr. and Mrs. Reader: Dear Sir or Madam: Hi, Reader, Reader,

This post is all about the etiquette of salutations (greetings) for business letters and email. It's dedicated to themany who have visited this blog in search of tips on how to begin a letter.

Rules for Business Letters

1. The standard way to open a business letter is with Dear, the person's name (with or without a title), and acolon, like this:Dear Louise: Dear Ms. Chu: Dear Mr. and Dr. Paige: Dear Professor Amato: Dear Patrick: (For more discussion of Dear, see my post "Do I Have to Call You Dear?")

2. The standard way to open a social business letter is with Dear, the person's name (with or without a title),and a comma, like this:Dear Nigel, Dear Dr. Tarabi, Dear Reverend Jans, A social business letter is social or personal rather than business­focused; for example, letters of condolence,personal congratulations (for weddings, births, promotions, and other celebrations), and thank yous.

3. If you don't know the reader well or if the letter or the relationship is formal, use a title and a last name (DearMs. Browne). Otherwise, use the first name (Dear Gila).

4. Unless you are certain that a woman prefers Miss or Mrs., use the title Ms.5. If you are writing to two people, use both names in your salutation, like this:

Dear Mr. Trujillo and Ms. Donne: Dear Alex and Drenda:6. Never spell out the titles Mr., Ms., Mrs., and Dr. Do spell out these titles and similar ones:

Professor, Dean, Sister, Rabbi, Imam, Senator, Governor, Captain, Admiral, Judge7. If you don't know a person's gender, use the full name rather than a title:

Dear Dana Simms: Dear T.K. Spinazola:8. If you don't know a person's name or gender, avoid "To whom it may concern." Instead, use the job title or a

generic greeting:Dear Recruiter: Dear Claims Adjustor: Dear Sir or Madam:

9. If you are writing to a company rather than any specific individual, use the company name:Dear Syntax Training: (This is considered slightly informal.)

10. For a simplified business letter, do not use a salutation. Instead use a subject in all capital letters, followed bythe body of the letter, like this:

WAYS TO BEGIN A BUSINESS LETTER

I am writing to share information about standard letter openings to. . . .

Simplified business letters are perfectly acceptable but not common.

Rules for Email

For formal email (that is, email used as a business letter), follow rules 1­7 above. Otherwise, use less formalitywith greetings like these:Dear Han, Hi, Eva, Hi Kwasi, Sue, Brooke: Good morning, Wanda, Hello, David,

Or just use the person's name in the opening sentence, like this: Yiota, you were right about the prices.

If you are looking for a desk reference that covers much more about business letters, email, reports, etc., I

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9/24/2015 Business Writing: Salutations in Letters and Email

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recommend The Gregg Reference Manual, also known as Gregg. I used Gregg to double­check all the rules andrecommendations above.

Dear Reader, good luck with all your salutations!

_________________________________________________________Other search spellings: slautations, salmutations, slamutations, gretings, greetngs, simplied, emial

January 15, 2006 in Email, Etiquette, Frequently Asked Questions, Writing Tips | Permalink

Comments

Thank you! You have answered a burning question for me about informal email salutations.

I know that the rule when addressing a person within conversation is to use a comma. For example: "Lynn, do you know theanswer?" Given this rule, I usually address friends in email like this: "Hi, Lynn,..." The problem was that I could not find aresource that specifically confirmed that this is correct­until now.

Of course, Microsoft's grammar and spell checker tells me this is wrong and rather than battle the little, green, please­correct­me line, I usually relent and remove the "Hi" and it's comma, leaving me with "Lynn,... Hi."

Finally, I crafted the right search phrase­"grammar salutations email"­and found the answer in your post. I have never seenanyone else apply this rule in email.

Posted by: Heather | May 18, 2006 at 07:43 PM

Heather, thank you for this message. I am so glad you found what you were looking for. Be sure to also check my February 5post. It is about commas with names, and it goes into more detail about the question that has been puzzling you.

Don't let your software intimidate you when it comes to punctuation. Sometimes you are right!

Posted by: Lynn | May 19, 2006 at 03:44 PM

can we address as madam xyz in formal letters??

Posted by: sriakr | September 04, 2006 at 04:46 AM

"Madam" is used only when we do not know the reader's name, like this:Madam:Dear Madam:If we know the reader's name, we use one of these:

Dear Ms. Chan:Dear Mrs. Chan:Dear Miss Chan:

What I have described is standard in the United States. I am not certain whether "Madam" is used differently in otherEnglish­speaking countries.

Posted by: Lynn | September 05, 2006 at 05:51 PM

Hello.I would be grateful if you could answer these two questions:

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1) If the mail recipient has two last names (eg. Professor Smith­Jones) how do I salute them? Is it correct to use "DearProfessor Smith­Jones"?2) If the mail recipient has a title Dr, meaning a PhD rather than being a doctor, how do I salute them?Thank you in advance for your timeMarina

Posted by: Marina | September 28, 2006 at 05:27 AM

Marina, you are right about how to greet a person with a hyphenated name. You use both names: Dear Professor Smith­Jones:

The PhD question is a little tricky. It is best if you can find out the person's preference or the style used in the person'senvironment. In the US, many PhD's in academic settings use "Dr." However, in the UK, I have heard only "Mr." and "Ms."Outside a university setting, "Mr." and "Ms." are more common than "Dr."­­even in the US.

Posted by: Lynn | September 29, 2006 at 12:14 AM

Thank you very much for your answer. It was extremely helpful.

Posted by: Marina | September 29, 2006 at 05:01 AM

Can you please tell me how to address and start a letter to an Executive Mayor? Is it His Excellency the Mayor and then DearCllr So­and­so?

Thank you for your help!

Posted by: Marianne Janse van Vuuren | October 23, 2006 at 03:48 AM

Marianne, I don't know the answer to your question. I would phone the mayor's office and ask for advice. If that approachwould not work for you, I would try a library or an embassy in your country (South Africa?).

I wish you luck.

Posted by: Lynn | October 23, 2006 at 08:27 AM

Thanks.

Posted by: Swaroop | November 30, 2006 at 02:21 PM

Hi, I have a question about salutations in business letters. If the person's full name ends in "Jr." or "Sr." should I format it as,Dear Bob Smith, Sr.: ­­or­­ Dear Bob Smith, Sr: ???I'm inclined to go with the second option because it looks less awkward, but haven't been able to find any references or stylemanuals that address this particular issue. In general, does a colon ever follow a period, or does the bottom half of the colon dodouble duty and fill in for any necessary period? Thank you so much!

Posted by: Chris | December 14, 2006 at 11:11 PM

Chris, please see my December 18, 2006 post. I wrote it to answer and expand on your question.

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Lynn

Posted by: Lynn | December 18, 2006 at 08:50 AM

I am addressed in the UK as Mr E.F.Green,FCA but in the USA only as E.F.Green FCA. As a child I was taught in the UK not towrite Mr. A Jones, Esq. It was either Mr ar Esq. Has the rule changed Hope you can clarify

Posted by: Eric Green | December 25, 2006 at 09:06 AM

Eric, good question! I had to do research to find out what "FCA" means. Based on what I found, I am guessing that it is"Fellowship of Chartered Accountants." Is that correct?

If FCA is like Esq., it is used in the U.S. without another courtesy title. That is, FCA would be used without Mr. or Ms. Thestandard U.S. style agrees with what you grew up with in the UK.

Thank you for introducing me to a new abbreviation.

Posted by: Lynn | January 03, 2007 at 12:36 PM

How do you address a letter to a Captain and his wife? Is it Captain and Mrs. John Smith?

Thank you.

Posted by: lori | January 05, 2007 at 08:56 AM

Lori, you would address the envelope as you indicated: Captain and Mrs. John Smith For the greeting (salutation), you would write this:Dear Captain and Mrs. Smith:In a business letter, the greeting is followed by a colon. For a personal letter, use a comma.

Posted by: Lynn | January 06, 2007 at 10:29 AM

How would an envelope be addressed to Jerry & Diane Shields when he is a Mr. and she is a Rev. Would it be

Mr. Jerry & The Rev. Diane Shields ?

The other minister in our church is easy since it is

The Rev. & Mrs. Jeffery Deardorff

Posted by: David R. Thiessen | January 20, 2007 at 06:47 AM

David, her name comes first as a reverend (or any person with a special title). The recommended way is to address theenvelope like this:The Reverend Diane ShieldsMr. Jerry Shields

An alternative is to put their names on the same line:The Reverend Diane and Mr. Jerry Shields

Although traditionally the man's name comes first in a letter to a married couple, when the woman has a special title (Dr.,Rabbi, Senator, etc.), her name comes first.

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Posted by: Lynn | January 20, 2007 at 09:11 AM

Dear Lynn,

When addressing a letter to a recipient with whom I have a idealogical difference of opinion or a dispute of legal or businessnature, it frustrates me to open the letter with "Dear". e.g. "Dear Senator Hyperbole".

What other options are available for a proper salutation?

Posted by: James Wempe | February 03, 2007 at 05:36 PM

James, you have a couple of choices when you write to Senator Hyperbole. One is to use the simplified letter format, whichskips the greeting altogether. I illustrate it in the post you have commented on (above). See also "Do I Have to Call You Dear?"(in the etiquette category on August 16, 2005).

The other option is simply to use "Dear" as a way of taking the high road with your message.

I believe following the conventions of writing (using "Dear") shows that you are an intelligent human being who knows therules of effective communication.

Please let me know what you have decided to do.

Lynn

Posted by: Lynn | February 07, 2007 at 08:08 AM

What is the proper salutation to a local practicing attorney?

Posted by: Betty Wilson | February 26, 2007 at 12:04 PM

In our fundraising database, we have a number of women doctors. 1. Does the special title rule apply to women doctors marriedto men without titles? Would Dr. Jane Smith and Mr. John Smith's envelope be addressed to Dr. and Mr. John Smith? Wouldthe salutation be Dear Dr. and Mr. Smith:? 2. If they are both doctors, would they be addressed as Drs. John Smith?Thank you,Natasha

Posted by: Natasha Walter­Fisk | March 02, 2007 at 03:53 PM

Natasha, please see my post "When Doctors Marry" from August 15, 2006.

Lynn

Posted by: Lynn | March 02, 2007 at 03:59 PM

Dear Lynn,I went through your article about salutation. I have some specific questions:I work for a project with a group of people; some of them are junior to me while some of them are senior. We daily interactwith each other thru email, a very common situation any employed person faces.1. How do I open a formal email when writing to my colleague? After reading your article I understand that there are manyways to begin a formal letter, but which one suits best for the situation I mentioned above?

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2. There is a culture in the group to start formal email with person’s name with a comma (eg. Tom,). Isn’t that a bit rude way tostart a formal email? What salutation should I use while replying to such a mail (from junior and from superior)?Any answers to these questions will really be helpful.

Thanks,ASK.

Posted by: ask | March 18, 2007 at 09:41 AM

Ask, I think it is fine to use just the person's name with a comma, as I have done in this sentence. I do not find it at all rude.

If you communicate daily, I do not see a reason to be formal.

If you want to be more friendly, you can simply use positive, friendly language, such as "happy to," "pleased," and "It was goodto hear your view." Or you can use "Greetings" or "Hi" with the person's name if those words fit your culture.

Why not ask other people at work how they feel about salutations? Maybe you and your colleagues can agree on the best ways tobegin a message.

Lynn

Posted by: Lynn | March 20, 2007 at 02:30 PM

Is it improper to use "&" between names in a salutation?

Posted by: Rose | April 05, 2007 at 09:34 AM

Rose, according to "The Gregg Reference Manual," using & is improper in salutations.

Posted by: Lynn | April 08, 2007 at 09:17 PM

Which is correct, Scott and Julie Miller or Julie and Scott Miller?

Posted by: susan thompson | April 23, 2007 at 12:55 PM

Both are correct.

Posted by: Lynn | April 23, 2007 at 12:59 PM

What about the case of a woman who has taken her maiden name as her middle name; for example, Sharon Smith Jones (nothyphenated). Would the salutation be Mrs. Jones or Mrs. Smith Jones?

Posted by: Deanna | April 25, 2007 at 12:39 PM

What is the proper way to address a letter to a child? What is the correct salutation when writing a letter to a child?

Posted by: Larysa | May 14, 2007 at 04:55 AM

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I hope you can help me. I need to send a letter to three people ­ a married couple and a woman with the same last name.Addressing the letter is simple, but what is the proper salutation?

Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Ms. Smith? or is there a plural for women like Messrs. for men?

Thank you for your help.

Linda

Posted by: Linda | May 23, 2007 at 07:24 AM

Linda, there is a plural for Mrs: Mesdames. The plural of Ms. is Mses.

If you cannot use first names, I would use this:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Ms. Smith:

Alternatively, write two letters. In the first sentence say something like "I am writing to you and to Ms. Smith . . . ."

Posted by: Lynn | May 28, 2007 at 11:12 PM

Larysa, girls and boys who are 13 or older are addressed as adults. Young girls may be addressed as Ms. or Miss or with no title.Very young boys may be addressed as Master or with no title.

Posted by: Lynn | May 28, 2007 at 11:22 PM

Can we use 'Dear All' for many receivers? Should 'All' start with a capital 'A'?

Posted by: Rohini | May 30, 2007 at 01:00 AM

I am writing a letter to several companies to request MSDS (material safety data) sheets about the products we purchase fromthem. Is it okay just to use "Gentlemen" as a salutation?

Posted by: Louella | May 31, 2007 at 06:06 AM

What is the proper salutation when writing a Mayor?

Posted by: Sheila Brenton | June 04, 2007 at 08:29 PM

What's the proper way to sign for somebody else?

1. "Allen Baker for Charlie Day" or 2. "For Charlie Day, this is Allen Baker" or3. just sign as "Charlie Day" even if sending from Allen Baker's email account

Posted by: AdminGuy | June 12, 2007 at 09:45 AM

when writing a letter and there are more than one sending same, sould it read, Sincerely we are,Pat Mike

Posted by: bea arena | July 10, 2007 at 05:16 AM

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When writing a personal letter and there is more than one person signing, the closing should read as follows:

Sincerely,

Pat and Mike

For a business letter, the closing ("Sincerely") stays the same, but each person has his or her own signature block, like this:

Patrick WhiteManager, Customer Service

Michaela BestRegional Manager

The signature blocks are side by side or one above the other. Each person signs above his or her name, using first name only orfull name depending on the formality of the letter and their relationships.

Lynn

Posted by: Lynn | July 10, 2007 at 06:28 AM

When a woman's name is hyphenated, is it correct to write Dear Mrs. Jones­Cooper, or since the last name is different fromher husband's, is it correct to write Dear Ms. Jones­Cooper? I have not been able to find any rule that addresses this situation.

Posted by: Leslie | July 10, 2007 at 08:41 AM

How do you address a couple who are both captains? Would it be Captain & Captain John Smith? Unusal, I know, but I amfaced with this situation. Thanks.

Posted by: Michael | July 17, 2007 at 02:03 PM

Here's how:

Captains John and Rene Smith

Posted by: Lynn | July 17, 2007 at 02:08 PM

I just got married and hyphenated my last name and my husband did not. How do we address ourselves as a couple? Would itbe his full name and then my full name or could we have first name &* first name, but what last name do we use. Mine or his?

Posted by: Kristina Parker­Wingler | July 29, 2007 at 11:12 AM

Kristina, I wrote about what to call married women on July 13, 2007, so read that post for ideas on your name.

As for both of you, I believe he remains Mr. First­Name Wingler, but you can probably introduce yourselves any way you want.

In my family, socially we are the Gaertner­Johnstons, but officially we are Mr. Michael Johnston and Ms. Lynn Gaertner­Johnston.

Congratulations! I hope you have a long, lovely life together.

Lynn

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Posted by: Lynn | July 30, 2007 at 07:41 AM

I need to write a letter to a gentleman all I know is his name and behind that he has Ph. D. Do I address him as Dr. Smith Ph.D or Dr. Smith

Posted by: debbie | August 28, 2007 at 07:01 PM

Type his name in the address block like this:James Smith, Ph.D.

Address him as:Dear Mr. Smith:

Or if you know he likes to be called Dr., use this:

Dear Dr. Smith:

Posted by: Lynn | August 29, 2007 at 09:18 PM

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