Edit: Another thought on the … Alex Durand, a Muse Career Coach, urges people to bolster their email signature with “a phonetic spelling if your name is atypical or not frequent in part of world where you live.” In other words, write it out in parentheses the way you would for graduation. Don’t Use a Nickname – I get emails from SmoothGeek and similar names. Please, continue.”. On the other hand, if it's coming from someone who who might reasonably be expected to remember specific information about you as a person, I would be inclined to point it out. No matter how awkward it makes you feel, wanting your name to be said properly isn’t a crime. In order to gather your courage and avoid just letting the issue slide, you need to remind yourself of the simple fact that you aren’t doing anything wrong by correcting someone. If you must absolutely be formal, stick with the good ol' "Dear Sir/Madam". How to end an email when you’re nurturing a relationship. We can't deny it: We often see people behaving a certain way and are just dying to tell them they’re wrong. So, I’ll just say, “It’s Ariella, actually,” and let it go. Share. Improve this answer. Well, someone might say that in informal speech, but you wouldn't write it or use it in formal speech. Especially when you operate in a … 2. If you don't know the gender of the recipient just use "Dear First Name, Last Name". Got your own tips on email etiquette? Simply state your name and your position in the company before moving on to the email's purpose. Especially when you operate in a multicultural environment and cannot tell the gender behind every single name. Be respectful and spell the recipient's name correctly. I've just had someone respond to an email with "yes ma'am" and don't know how, or if, I should correct her. So you have already ended your email with the best line(s) that reflects your situation. The body of an email is the meat of your message, and it must have a clear and specific purpose, such as getting feedback on a presentation or arranging a meeting with a new client. Let’s start with the simplest of options first. Socially as well as professionally, medical doctors, dentists, and other professionals are addressed by, and introduced with, their titles. However, when communicating via e-mail, SMS, chat or other means of written communication, I often find people misspelling my name as they're used to the more common variant. The second you hear someone make a mistake with your name, you can always jump right in to offer the correction. Whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time or just looking to improve your electronic communication skills, learning how to write a professional email is a critical skill. Start Your Email with a Greeting. Most of us have set a standard for ourselves (or adopted someone else's standard), and we expect others to at least meet that standard- … May I ask you what your name … First, let’s take a look at the commandments of correcting those around us. So correct them. 4. By using the above tips and examples to guide your email efforts, you’ll be composing effective messages in no time. In professional settings, copying someone else on an email can help get things done, especially if the person receiving the copy is in a supervisory role. When I'm replying to someone via email, I tend to use whatever they used to close their email. If some of your recipients saw the wrong graphic in the email, contact our support team; they can help you refresh an image in your email. Yes, this will mean interrupting (which I normally don’t advise). Label your emails with a professional subject line. I blame my parents.”. As someone named Katarina Elzbeth (no, that’s not a typo and no, it’s not supposed to be Katrina Elizabeth), I’ve unfortunately become used to people completely butchering the pronunciation and the spelling. She's also an Employment Advisor at a local college, and loves helping students prepare to thrive in careers (and lives!) Check for the correct spelling in the person's signature block. Include Your Full Name – Some people like to use just their first name, but when the person receiving your message is scanning a list and sees “Tom,” it may be difficult for them to know which “Tom” the message is from. : Dear, Tom, Mia, and Jim. Email etiquette for addressing unknown/external recipients: 1. If you’ve mailed to the wrong list segment or have the wrong offer in the email, send an apology email with the correct info. Use grammatically and morally correct language, stick to email format, behave like you usually would. they love. This way, your recipient is clear on your identity and is less likely to confuse you with other contacts who have the same first name. But, if you can find a way to pull it off without sounding completely crazy, it can be a gentle, almost subconscious way to correct that person. Under no circumstance is "Dear First Name OR Last Name" okay. If you're using email, put your name and request in the subject line, so your message gets opened: Subject: Your Name - Reference Permission. It's less personal, but also less hassle - especially when working in an African context. Let’s start with the simplest of options first. "May I ask you what's your name?" Hi [Name], I’ve just received the marketing reports from your … Ultimately, though, some people cannot handle that many vowels, I … These practical tips will be very helpful, whether you are new to writing emails or you’ve been doing it for some time now. He was one of those people who has a first name for his last name, and I got confused when I received something from him. Think about people who can speak to your skills and ... your list of references), or by email. I’d want to know if I was calling someone the wrong name, so I could start calling them by the right name. Here’s how to decide how, when, and when not to correct someone. This is why the subject of your email should clearly state the purpose. If you send it to more than a couple of people, read it twice before sending. They didn’t do anything wrong, so no need to get upset. Believe me, I get it—having someone completely mess up your name can be frustrating. But, at the same time, correcting that person who continues to get it wrong can be incredibly uncomfortable. Take it from me—I live this life. Hint: Your first line should only be about you if you think your name and company will get them to open. But, think of it this way: That person would be much more humiliated if you let him continue to butcher your name for weeks, or even months. BONUS: If you know you are emailing a woman, stick with "Ms. Last Name" - it covers both the married (Mrs.) and the unmarried (Miss). If they call your name in class incorrectly don’t correct them on the spot. Sorry to interrupt, Joe! is valid. I've just had someone respond to an email with "yes ma'am" and don't know how, or if, I should correct her. One leads and the other follows: 4. In your examples, "May I ask you what your name is?" Because you are asking this person to speak … Use of contractions gets tricky some times. In the case of an email reply, use a salutation in the first reply. For an email exchange - note that it's all about the dance. 2 Use simple, direct prose. Reread your emails, more than once. Improve this question. Situation 3: A person you know you'll be meeting in person soon--I'd put a short note in your email along the lines of, "To avoid confusion at our meeting, I know my name is commonly used by men, but I am a Ms. not a mister. Pay attention to sentence structure, to syntax. Make your sign-off the best it can be. Take the extra time to spell someone’s name correctly the first time. I dislike it when people misspell my first name, but I don’t say anything if it happens in an email. Person One: “Your work on this project is impressive, Katrina.” Person Two: “Thank you so much! 3 Powerful Strategies You Can Use To Market…, #Justice4Her: 11 things you can do right now…. DO INCLUDE A CLOSING Some people think they can simply leave a closing out of an email.However, this is unprofessional. Always include a closing. Reciprocate - In case of doubt, just reciprocate in kind. Have you—“ Person Two: “That’s Kat. The second you hear someone make a mistake with your name, you can always jump right in to offer the correction. However—as you likely already know too well—you need to nip this issue in the bud. I haven't tried explicitly correcting people. Make sure to select people who will give you a glowing reference. Instead, make it about them. Try to prefix or suffix your desired email name with intelligent short forms that may include: Concatenated initials of your First/Last Name (followed by) your full name OR your full name (followed by) initials of your First/Last Name. This should be the structure of your professional email and missing out on any part of can cost you the time, efforts and a possible prospect for your business. What’s the worst someone has ever managed to butcher your name? 2. dang, beat me to it. Messing up someone’s name isn’t the end of the world. For instance if it was regarding a job it would be formal: Dear , My name is , passed on your email to me as I'm extremely interested in the . But, if you simply can’t jump in and do it, it’s time to get a little sneakier. Kat is a Midwest-based freelance writer, covering topics related to careers, productivity, and the freelance life. It would embarrass them. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you compose your email closings: Use your full name. Especially not after multiple email exchanges. Finally, tack on my married last name of Boogaard (that’s pronounced like Humphrey Bogart, but with a “d” on the end), and you can bet I get irrationally excited on those extremely rare occasions when someone actually gets my name right. It doesn’t take a whole lot of effort in this digital world to find out the correct spelling of a person’s name, but you can easily slip this up and lose credibility before they’ve even begun reading your message. Proofread your writing. 3. If you mess up someone’s name or identify the wrong person in an email for any reason, follow up in a human way. A business email should be as easy to read as possible. Do what the rest of us do - read your email over before you send it. Use the built-in spell checking client that comes with your email provider or an add-on like Grammarly. When she manages to escape from behind her computer screen, she's usually babying her two rescue mutts or continuing her search for the perfect taco. Whenever addressing one, two, or three people, state each person’s name in the salutation, e.g. Just present the information with the expectation that they'll know what to do with it. When writing your professional email format, you will need to know exactly how to do it. They just unintentionally misheard, mispronounced or misremembered your name. 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