Anyone who writes a (business) letter or email has to make many choices. Not only about the content and structure, but also about the layout and tone of the text. This certainly includes the opening and closing of the letter or email. An incorrect or inappropriate salutation can be poorly received, getting you off to a bad start. In this blog we’ll offer some tips to help you pick the right greeting for various situations.
Dear or Best
The first question is whether it’s best to start the correspondence with ‘Dear’ or, for our Dutch readers, ‘Best’? In Dutch, ‘Beste’ is often used as a greeting, while in English, ‘Best’ is used only as a sign-off and is slightly informal. With English letters, ‘Dear’ is usually the appropriate salutation. This has to do with the fact that nowadays letters are only used in fairly formal situations, when a formal salutation is appropriate.
With e-mail it’s a bit more complicated. If you don’t know the recipient at all, or if the situation is formal, then Dear “name” is also the best choice here. For more informal messages, Dear is a good option, but saying Good Morning/Afternoon ‘name’ is also acceptable and common. If you know each other well, you can also choose a short salutation such as Hi or Hello “name”.
Salutation
If you don’t know the name of your recipient, consider something general such as ‘To whom it may concern’. This is a broad way to address formal correspondence, and may also be used when addressing a group. It is better to not use Dear without any further additions; that comes across as rather bland. You can also refer to the capacity in which you are addressing the reader: Dear reader, Dear subscriber.
Names in the salutation
When interacting in a formal way with someone you know, and a gender designation is known to be appropriate, use their last name in the salutation if you know it: “Dear Mr. Winkel”, “Dear Ms/Mrs. Amrani”. In this case it is worth noting the difference between Ms and Mrs. If you are not sure if a woman is married, use Ms instead of Mrs. Mr does not change for married men. If you are unsure about wether or not gender designations are apporpriate, consider a using their title or full name.
For an informal salutation, a first name is more appropriate: Dear Tim, Hello Soumaya. Some people combine first and last names: Dear Tim Winkel, Dear Soumaya Amrani, though that is less common.
Group of recipients
If your message is going to multiple recipients, and there is no way to personalise each message, it is best to choose a salutation that fits everyone. ‘Dear ladies and gentlemen’, is possible, but there are more options: Dear Management, Dear Committee, Dear Customer, Dear Colleague. If you are unsure about who may be reading your message, consider the salutation ‘to whom it may concern’.
Some writers still opt for outdated variants such as L.S. or Dear Sirs. Not everyone remembers that L.S. is an abbreviation of Lectori Salutem (which means “to the reader”). That makes this salutation unclear and impersonal. That ‘My Lords’ no longer fits in with today’s business life hopefully needs no further explanation.
Communicating professionally at a distance
With many people working from home, more communication than ever is done via email. How do you ensure appropriate, businesslike language with the right tone-of-voice in emails, on Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp or on the phone? Follow our online training course Business Dutch or English: Communicating Professionally at a distance for personal coaching and practical handling of business communication.
Want more? Check out the links below or watch our Business English webinar!
Read also: Before you hit send
Read also: Business Writing: Getting your point across
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