Speakeasy: Netiquette

Nov 25, 2006 at 2:55 PM
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“So many people are not clear communicators,” said Judith Kallos, creator of NetManners.com, a site dedicated to online etiquette, and author of “Because Netiquette Matters.” To be clear about what an e-mail message is trying to say, and about what is implied as well as what is stated, “the reader is left looking at everything from the greeting to the closing for clues,” she said.

- 'Yours Truly,' the E-Variations, NY Times, 11.25.06

Since starting work at the Mouse, almost all my e-communications end in 'Thanks,' unless I'm sending an intentionally curt response. At that point, I drop the salutation and just use my initials (ooooh, burn!).

I have much more trouble with the greeting in an email. I have a tendency to use "Hi [name]," or the over-exclamatory "Hi!" or the, perhaps, too open to interpretation of intent "Hey."

How do you say hello and goodbye in your emails?

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I start with "Hi" in more personal e-mails and instant messages, and "Morning," "Afternoon" or "Evening" in less personal ones. More often than not, I close out with "Yours as ever."

Sometimes I just skip the greeting and then sign with just "--Rachel". When I don't know how to close but want to be friendly, I use "Best," or "Take care!", as the case may be.

Back in the early days of the Internet, I noticed that some people assumed that unless I wrote something nice at both the beginning and end of my e-mail, I was pissed off and being glib. So I started every e-mail with "Dear" and ended 'em with ": )". I'm glad those days are behind me.

I always start off with "Hi, <name here>" or "Hey, <name here>" in the case of more personal e-mails. For the most part, all my e-mails end with "Cheers / <my name here>." It's nigh impossible for me to say "cheers" without somehow incorporating a smile, so it's as good as adding in a :) in my opinion.

Hmmm, I might have to add "Cheers," to the repertoire. I'm still struggling with the greeting though. "Dear" sounds too formal and sometimes "Hi" seems, I don't know, quaint and cutesy.

Despite my charm and boyish good looks, I'm not always quaint and cutesy.

Hi is usually the greeting. In signing off it depends on whether it's personal or business but the main ones I cycle through are Thanks, Sincerely, Warmly, and Fondly.

I usually just cut right to the chase in personal e-mails and forgo any greeting or salutation. On occasion, I may throw in a "What's up?" and just keep it rolling.

Business e-mails usually start with a "My name is ..." and end up with "Please let me know if you have any questions."

Most e-mails begin with "Hey" and end in either "Thanks" or "Best."

Speakeasy: Netiquette

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