Tuesday, August 14, 2007

How to make us properly love you.

Don't start your letters with 'Dear Sirs'. We're mostly not.

Sam.

16 comments:

Chris said...

Etiquette-wise, that is the correct way of addressing a letter where you do not know the name of the person you are writing to - and using the first name, if you do find out, is rather presumptuous.

Perhaps if you had an "About Us" page which details the people behind the brand?

Leaf Books said...

I'm not saying people need to research to find out to whom they're talking... just that it'd be nice if they didn't automatically assume we were men.

Sam.

Anonymous said...

Maybe it's the beard that's fooling them.

Anonymous said...

Would you prefer 'Dear Sir or Madam'?

Leaf Books said...

Well... yes, I think so. Though it's a shame there's no indeterminate marital status feminine version of 'Sir'. Or 'Dear Leaf Books'. That'd be fine. It's just a bit weird reading 'Dear Sirs' and thinking 'Well, you can't be meaning us then'. Not two thirds of us anyway.

Quillers said...

What about 'Dear Editor(s)'? That's non-gender specific.

Writing 'Dear Leaf Books' sounds like we're addressing the books ;-)

Leaf Books said...

Editors is fine, yes. But Dear Leaf or Dear Leaf Books is dandy too. The books themselves are Leaf books. We are Leaf Books with a capital B. It took us months to work this out, mind. So I do see your point.

Anonymous said...

surely, then, the books are
Leaf Books books

Quillers said...

My head hurts...

Anonymous said...

Are you banging it on your keyboard?

ZX.

Anonymous said...

Dear Leaf?
Dear Twiglets??
Dear Editors,

I agree - it is annoying when custom and practice is based on 'Dear Sir' being considered the norm.

Hope things are going well for you all - you are doing a great job with Leaf Books. I love the small format and have read some great stories.

Anonymous said...

Dear People?

Dear Girls and boys?

Dear Sirs and Sirs-etts?

Dear dears?

Dear Men and Women?

Dearest Darlings...

only kidding but yes, that is pretty annoying in a so called a modern thinking world.

Anonymous said...

When I write I usually start with "Hi" - Leaf Books never struck me as the kind of organisation I needed to be formal with!

Anonymous said...

The "about us" comment is so right on! By the way, I'm a Texas girl who stumbled upon this site. I've had a most enjoyable time poking around, Sam. Thank you kindly, ma'am!

Max Madrid (yes, a female)

Anonymous said...

Hello Leaf Books

Any news on the Spring competition results?

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Yes, come on Sir/Madam, tell us wot's wot.