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Changes in Email Etiquette
Posted by Scott on 17th May, 2009 | 21 commentsRecently I’ve been noticing some changes in basic email etiquette that I thought were interesting. I’m a grandpa when it comes to the Internet, since I was launching sites in 1994 when the Internet was still very new. Back then, most emails began with “Hi Dave,”, and ended with “Thanks, Scott”. Since then, I’ve been in the habit of adding that “Thanks, Scott” at the bottom of every single email for the past 15 years, but I’ve noticed that the recent Internet newcomers who probably text more often than they email, don’t sign their emails at all - no name at the bottom. It makes sense — I already know who the email is from when I see the from: name/address in my email client so what’s the point of being so formal with the name at the bottom?
A while back, I stopped signing emails “Scott” and switched to “S” - I just got tired of typing “Scott”, and I don’t use an auto signature. But now I think I’m going to just stop signing my name altogether to friends/family/colleagues and only keep it on there for professional work emails.
I’ve also noticed that when you email or reply to a new professional/work contact, it’s customary to begin the email as “Hi Name,” on at least the first 2 or 3 emails. Then, you can drop the “Hi Name,” and just begin your email without it to be less formal. It’s funny, maybe I’m just noticing that etiquette, but I definitely like to drop the “Hi Name,” as early as possible because I just find it redundant and stuffy.
So if you sign every email you write to friends, family, everyone, consider saving yourself the time and omitting that ending signature. They know who the email is from before they even open it, and if they haven’t figured out who it’s from by the time they read down to your name, they have bigger problems :).
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Sunday, May 17th, 2009 at 3:10 am and is filed under Web Business. If you like this post why not subscribe to my full text RSS feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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I use an auto signature so I don’t have to sign every e-mail I send
, Dropping the Hi part is a bit debatable. If its a close friend that might be ok , but if its a business contact or an office colleague you might not know well then I suppose its better to start with a Hi
Signatures are good for business, because you state your position in the company when emailing someone. All my signatures are automatically included, so I loose 0sec time. I like your post. I wrote an article: E-mail Ethics: 24-hour reply rule, but forgot to mention about signatures.
I agree that an auto sig on the first communication with someone is ok - let’s them know your contact info and title etc. But on every email? Emails to friends and family? I think that’s too formal.
I gotta agree with you though Scott. When it comes to professional emails sure that is one thing. But we live in in the internet age today. I think the myspace and the facebooks, is what likely broke our habit of old style mail etiquette.
Till then,
Jean
PS: The only reason why I leave by name at the end… even though by now you know who I am… it just makes it more personal, lol. I think you would prefer me do it this way more. But comment vs email is a whole another issue
Hello Scott,
I respectfully disagree with you. Society is becoming less civil everyday and it seems like these types of little things just deteriorate respectful communication even more.
Are we all so lazy now that a kind greeting and salutation is too much effort?
When I get an email from someone who writes just an initial or even nothing at all, I tend to think that person is either too lazy or simply doesn’t care enough about our relationship to finish their message properly.
I will always begin with a “Hi” or slightly more formal “hello” and will sign off with my customary, “All the best” and my name. It’s my small way of letting that person know they are important to me and deserve my respect - in a world where less and less seem to be evident each day.
All the best,
Tim
Hi S.
I like to read my name in an email - I also use it as a kind of filter because only those that know me in person or where I had to fill in my name into a subscription field (read this as ‘newsletters I want to read’) know my real name. an email without adressing me is likely to be discarded.
As for marketing mails, remember that there is nothing more personal than a name.
Have a good day
(without a sig today)
Like you said, as you spend longer and longer hours online sending and reading multiple emails from different accounts. You realise that you spend time putting your signatuory to family/friends..Whats the essence? But my business email does have a customised one ..
Nice topic..
The internet age, and texting and IM especially has led to an abbreviated form of the language becoming acceptable, and the norm in many instances. Another thing with signatures is that an email discussion consists of the same message being commented on and forwarded again, and the accumulation of signatures is just too much here.
I use an auto signature so I don’t have to sign every e-mail I send
, Dropping the Hi part is a bit debatable. If its a close friend that might be ok , but if its a business contact or an office colleague you might not know well then I suppose its better to start with a Hi
I still start emails with the person it addresses. At my company we often read email on a blackberry and its harder to tell you is on the “To” Line and who is on the “CC” line. I’ve read many emails which seem confusing until I realize that I’m just getting CC’d.
Scott I’ve noticed more and more of this too. It most definitely is a facebook trend, originally adopted from cell phone texting. Since I have boycotted facebook to be more productive I have been slow to get into the trend of dropping the hello and my name.
I agree with Tim how the hello and closing name add a level of personality and shows respect for the recipient. So I will keep doing this except with contacts that instigate such e-mail formatting themselves.
-Jeremy
Yeah, I pretty much always end the email with a sincerely, at the bottom, if it’s a serious email. For friends and family I will leave something as well, something very informal and pertaining to that person, like if its for my mom I will say Bejos (which means kisses in Portuguese) etc. I just like leaving signatures.
-Kevin
It’s a fair point that recipients should know who the message has come from so you don’t need to sign it.
I personally don’t bother with the “hi Xxx” prelude if i’m responding to a message because it’s then an ongoing conversation and I wouldn’t say hi everytime I have an exchange with someone.
[nerd] I have to pick you up on one point though, the Internet has been around longer than the web - the 1994 reference to the internet means the web, I think [/nerd]
hello,is it a good Email etiquette to use all CAPITAL letters in subject line of an email?
I am aware that all caps must not be used in the body of an email. If used can change the tone of the message. CAPITALS in body of a message portrays ANGER.
Since I tend to write emails in everyday common language, I use capital letters where needed and and lower case for the rest. The only time I would use all caps in a word is if I am REALLY tying to get my point across - and I look at that to be the same thing as emphasizing a particular word in a vocal conversation.
I’m an internal process/improvement researcher and I also implement new change. When change is completed I post to an internal website.
When other managers/supervisors from other departments email and ask tons of questions and I answer in great lengths. A lot of their emails are complaining emails however, I have senior leadership I take direction from. Should that person send an email back saying…
i love it when emails to me start “Dear Sarah”,
cos then i know it’s someone who’s taken time on it, like writing a letter, rather than hurling words onto a screen and pressing send
That’s because you’re a girl…. Just kidding!
Guess it depends on the person.. Doesn’t matter to me either way.
I am disappointed that people are getting this lazy. Sure they don’t have to type names in facebook, but e-mails are not the same. I don’t even use facebook. I would much rather people show some respect and include names.
Sorry but I don’t agree. If you cannot take the time to sign your name and be polite then why are you emailing? In the past when we sent letters we also knew who they were from before we got to the bottom of the letter.
I think we need to make sure that our technophile age is not making us impersonal.