Etiquette Archives

Etiquette

Tips for Writing Gender-Neutral Emails

Gender-neutral language writing strategies are becoming increasingly popular. The goal is to write or speak using non-discriminatory language and to avoid gender-biased expressions or stereotypes. This will enable you to more easily connect with your audience and allow everyone to feel appreciated. So then, here… continue reading

The Importance of Knowing Your Audience

Business communication comes in many forms and spans international borders, cultures, and demographics. Therefore, you must know precisely who your audience will be—their background, demographic traits, their knowledge of the subject already, and their expectations of your presentation. It can be easy to turn off… continue reading

Etiquette

How to Avoid Politics in Business Writing

People dig into their political views like an underwater pipeline entrenched on the ocean floor. Agreeing or disagreeing with their perspective can make for an awkward conversation at best and a heated debate at worst. Therefore, avoiding politics in business and business writing is the… continue reading

Etiquette

How to Say No in Writing

Do you know how to say no? Are you comfortable writing a message that says no to someone’s request? Or do you ignore requests hoping they will go away? Read this post to learn the easy way to say no–and why to say it. Background:… continue reading

Etiquette

How to Write When You Can’t Change Things

I led a class for a group of writers who respond to citizen complaints about airplane noise. The writers cannot make the planes quieter, and they can’t make them go away. What can they do? They can respond in ways that help citizens feel heard… continue reading

Etiquette

Don’t Write When It Will Go Wrong!

Do you recognize no-win situations, where your writing is doomed to fail? Read below to keep yourself out of trouble. Sometimes when we write, a little voice tells us the communication is going to go wrong. In business writing classes people have admitted, “I had… continue reading

Etiquette

How to Introduce Two People in Writing

Deb Arnold of Deb Arnold, Ink. is a terrific businesswoman and one of my favorite people. We met a few years ago through an introduction from our mutual friend, consultant Ron Scott. Ron introduced us by email like this: Subject: Introduction Lynn and Deb, I… continue reading

Etiquette

The Courtesy Greeting to Use When Gender Is a Mystery

This complex question came in yesterday’s email: What is the proper way to address a letter with several addressees in the same letter, but the gender of one or more is unknown? Normally the greeting would be “Dear Misses. So-and-so,” and “Dear Messrs. So-and-so,” but… continue reading

Etiquette

Names to Use for Greetings and Envelopes

First name? Last name? His name? Her name? THEIR names? At this time of year, when many people mail holiday greetings, the big questions involve how to render people’s names in the greeting and on the printed envelope: How do I write to two doctors? Whose name… continue reading

Featured image for "Enclosed Please Find" Means You Lost It.

Etiquette

Should You Use “Enclosed, Please Find”?

Have you ever received an email that stated “enclosed, please find,” and found this to be confusing? Technically, saying something is enclosed and telling someone to find it seems rather redundant. Most people agree with this sentiment, however, “enclosed, please find” is still commonly used… continue reading

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