Etiquette Archives

Salutations in Letters and Email

This post is all about the etiquette of salutations (greetings). We discuss both business letter salutation and email salutation. It’s dedicated to the many who have visited this blog in search of tips on how to begin a letter. Rules for Business Letters The standard… continue reading

Sales Reps, Answer Your Email!

Can you imagine a company turning away interested and ready customers? According to a 2005 study published by Benchmark Portal, many companies do just that–by ignoring inquiries they receive by email. The study evaluated 147 small and medium-sized North American businesses in the retail, travel… continue reading

title graphic stating "saying no in writing"

Etiquette

How to Say No

You’ve probably experienced this awkward situation: a person makes a request to you in writing, and you have to say no–in writing. On the telephone or in person, you could respond earnestly, “I’m sorry! I wish I could!” or “Unfortunately, I have to say no.”… continue reading

Etiquette

Thank You for Condolences

We published several articles about writing condolences and thank you notes. This post combines the two: how to write a thank you for a condolence message. “Thank you letter for condolence message” is a definite topic of interest around the world, so we hope this… continue reading

Etiquette

How to Write a Thank You

Writing a thank you is one of the easiest tasks in business writing. It’s a short, happy message that makes both writer and reader feel great. Some recipients even post thank you notes on their bulletin boards and in scrap books, so the good feelings… continue reading

Etiquette

Writing Condolences After a Death

In early September I posted a blog on writing condolences, inspired by the need to send messages to people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Since then I have been amazed at the number of people who have visited this blog in search of examples of condolence… continue reading

Etiquette

Sending Condolences: Hurricanes and Natural Disasters

Although all Americans and many people throughout the world have been touched by various disasters, some have been touched more deeply. These are people who have lost or been separated from loved ones, whose homes or businesses have been destroyed, or whose future has been… continue reading