COURTESY TITLESSubject line Closings What courtesy titles should

COURTESY TITLES/Subject line/ Closings

What courtesy titles should I use? § Use "Ms. " unless a woman has a professional title or prefers a traditional title. Use "Mr. " unless a man has a professional title. § Ms. is particularly useful when you do not know what a woman's marital status is. However, even when you happen to know that a woman is married or single, you still use Ms. unless you know that she prefers another title (Mrs. or Miss). § Also, never refer to a married woman by her husband’s name (for example, Mrs. Robert Washington) unless she specifically requests that you do so. § Letters require courtesy titles in the salutation unless you're on a first-name basis with your reader. Use the first name only if you'd use it in talking to the person on the phone. 2

What courtesy titles should I use? When You Know the Reader's Name but Net the Gender When you know your reader's name but not the gender, either 1. Call the company and ask the receptionist, or 2. Use the reader's full name in the salutation: Dear Chris Crowell: Dear J. C. Meath: 3

What courtesy titles should I use? When You Know Neither the Reader's Name Nor Gender When you know neither the reader's name nor gender, you have three options: 1. Use the reader's position or job title: Dear Loan Officer: Dear Registrar: 2. Use a general group to which your reader belongs: Dear Investor: Dear Admissions Committee: 3. Omit the salutation and use a subject line in its place: Subject: Recommendation for Ben Wandell 4

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If letterhead stationery is not available, the heading includes a return address (but no name) and starts 13 lines from the top of the page 7

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Email Closings/Complimentary Closings Thank you! Thanks again! (If the other person has done you a favor, and you’ve acknowledged that in the past, you can end your email with thanks again. ) Best regards Use this formal closing line if you’re writing to someone who doesn’t know you and/or works in a conservative industry. All the best This is a variation of “best regards” that can be used with people you know or new contacts. 9

Complimentary Closings Regards Like “Best regards”, this option can seem a bit rigid. Use it for strangers and/or transactional emails. With gratitude This closing is a professional way to communicate you are grateful for your contact’s actions, thoughts, or feedback. Sincerely Most professionals end their cover letters with this closing. That’s probably the only situation you should be using it for – otherwise, you might sound like you’re trying to be someone’s pen friend. Respectfully Use it when you are emailing someone who’s far, far more powerful, experienced, or knowledgeable. It can also help soften a potentially antagonistic message. 10

Subject Lines The subject line is often the most important part of an email message because it can determine whether the message gets read. • To capture your audience’s attention, make your subject lines informative and compelling. • Go beyond simply describing or classifying your message; use the opportunity to build interest with keywords, quotations, directions, or questions. 11

Making Subject Lines Specific The subject line needs to be specific enough to differentiate that message from others on the same subject, but broad enough to cover everything in the message. Too general: Training Sessions To make this general subject line more specific, identify the particular topic of this message. Better: Dates for 2009 Training Sessions or: Evaluation of Training Sessions on Conducting Interviews or: Should We Schedule a Short Course on Proposal Writing? 12

Making Subject Lines Concise Most subject lines are relatively short—usually no more than 10 words, often only 3 to 7 words. A good rule of thumb is to keep subject lines to around 25 characters. Wordy: Survey of Student Preferences in Regards to Various Pizza Factors Again, the best revision depends on the specific factors you'll discuss. Better: Students' Pizza Preferences or: The Feasibility of a Cassano's Branch on Campus or: What Students Like and Dislike about Cassano's Pizza If you can't make the subject both specific and short, be specific. 13

Making Subject Lines Appropriate for the Pattern of Organization In general, do the same thing in your subject line that you would do in the first paragraph. When you have good news for the reader, build goodwill by highlighting it in the subject line. When your information is neutral, summarize it concisely for the subject line. (NOT FOR BAD NEWS). Subject: Discount on Rental Cars Effective January 2 Starting January 2, as an employee of Amalgamated Industries you can get a 15% discount on cars you rent for business or personal use from Roadway Rent-a-Car. Subject: Update on Arrangements for Videoconference with France In the last month, we have chosen the participants and developed a tentative agenda for the videoconference with France scheduled for March 21. 14