When I was a kid, there were two words that would always come out of my mouth whenever I found myself asking for something or thanking someone. They were “yes” and “please.” If I wanted ice cream, my mom would yell those two words into the kitchen while she frantically looked through her cupboards for some vanilla extract. And if I needed help with homework, Id throw up my hands and shout, “Please!”
Im not sure why I used those particular words — maybe it had something to do with all the times other kids made fun of me because they thought I sounded like a little robot. Regardless, Ive stuck by them ever since. It turns out theyre also good words to know when you want to be as polite as possible.
You dont have to scream about how much you need something every time you talk to anyone. Instead, take a moment to think before you speak. Try using one (or several) of the following three sentences instead. Youll find yourself sounding a lot less bossy than you normally would.
Getting someone’s email address is often the first step in building a new professional relationship or making a sale. However, directly asking “Can I have your email address?” can come across as too forward or even pushy
You need a more subtle, polite approach. Here are 17 clever ways to ask for someone’s email address without being overly aggressive:
1. Exchange Business Cards
Exchanging business cards is a tried and true way to share contact information. Simply say, “Do you have a business card?” or “May I give you my business card?” Most likely, the other person will reciprocate and offer you their card in return.
2. Say You’ll Follow Up
Tell the person, “I’ll follow up with you on [topic]” or “I’ll send you more details on [topic]” This signals that you need their email address to send the information. Just wait a few seconds – they’ll usually offer their email or ask for yours.
3. Ask Permission
Politely ask, “Would it be alright if I emailed you about [topic]?” or “May I contact you via email about [topic]?” This phrasing takes the pressure off the person to automatically give you their email.
4. Compliment Their Work
If you wish to contact someone about their work, offer a genuine compliment first. Then say something like: “I’d love to stay in touch and learn more. May I have your email?”
5. Note It Down
Casually pull out a notepad and pen, saying something like: “Let me jot down your email address so I can send that document over.” Have the pen ready to write it down when they tell you.
6. Say You’ll Email Information
Mention that you’ll email them helpful information: “I’ll email you that article on [topic] we discussed” or “I can email you some product catalogues to look through.”
7. Use a Confirmation Statement
Try saying “So I’ll email you at [email] about [topic]. Does that sound good?” Then pause. Allow them to correct or confirm the email.
8. Refer to Your Email Signature
Say “I’ll reach out via email – you can just reply to me directly.” They’ll likely ask for or visually check your email signature contact information.
9. Ask for a Digital Business Card
Request a digital business card instead of a paper one. Many apps easily allow sharing contact information digitally.
10. Ask for Their Email “For Your Records”
Say you need to take down their email address “for your records.” This gives a practical, bureaucratic reason rather than just asking out of personal interest.
11. Set a Meeting or Call
Suggest a meeting, call, or video chat. Wait for the other person to offer their availability and contact information instead of asking for it directly.
12. Use a Sign-Up Sheet
Have a sign-up sheet ready at networking events, meetings, and conferences. Head it with “Email” so people write down their address when adding their name.
13. Send a Follow-Up Email
If you already have the person’s business card, follow up by email referring to your previous conversation. Add that you’d be happy to further discuss via email.
Tell them, “I’ll introduce you to [name] via email.” Wait for them to provide their address or request yours first before sending the intro.
15. Request Permission to Share Information
Ask, “Would it be alright if I share your contact information with my [colleague, client, manager, etc.]?” Once they give permission, ask if they would prefer phone or email.
16. Pretend You’ve Lost the Business Card
Say, “I had your business card, but I think I misplaced it. Could you please send me your contact information again?” Most people will politely re-send their details.
17. Blame Your Messy Handwriting
Say, “Sorry, I couldn’t quite make out your email when you told me earlier – my handwriting is so messy. Could you please tell me again?”
The key to asking for someone’s email address politely is using indirect, subtle phrasing instead of being blunt. Give a valid reason why you need their email, ask politely, or build up to the request through conversation. With the right approach, you can request email addresses smoothly.
Tips for Asking for Email Addresses Professionally
Here are some additional tips for requesting email addresses in a professional manner:
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Only ask for email addresses when there is a clear, professional reason to connect. Don’t overuse email requests.
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Verbally offer your email first before asking someone else for theirs. This establishes trust and reciprocity.
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Follow up in a timely manner after receiving someone’s email address. Don’t let the new connection fizzle.
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Double check spelling when writing down an email address. Verify any unclear characters to get it right.
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If emailing international contacts, ask how they prefer to have their name written and formatted. Respect their preferences.
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Whenever possible, exchange digital business cards instead. They provide more contact details at once.
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Personalize your email greetings and sign offs based on your relationship and their culture. Avoid overly casual language.
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Briefly recap your previous conversation when following up by email. Provide context and remind them who you are.
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Only send professional content by email. No spam or frequent, overly casual correspondence.
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For cold outreach emails, research the person and customize your messaging to them. Avoid mass emailing.
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Thank the person again over email for connecting once you have their contact info. Appreciate them taking the time.
How to Politely Decline Providing Your Email
What if you would prefer not to provide your email to an acquaintance or casual contact? Here are some polite ways to decline:
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“I like to keep my professional email private, but please feel free to connect on [LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.].”
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“I appreciate you asking, but I try to limit sharing my personal email address. I’m happy to speak by phone instead.”
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“Thank you for asking, but company policy prevents me from sharing my work email outside of active partnerships.”
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“Let’s start by connecting on [social media platform] first, then we can go from there.”
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“I’m not comfortable providing my private email right now, but perhaps after we get to know each other better at future events.”
The key is to sound gracious while giving a reasonable excuse. Offer alternative contact options or provide a way to build the connection gradually over time.
With the right professional etiquette, requesting and sharing email addresses can help build strong business relationships. Just remember to always be polite in your approaches. The extra care is well worth taking.
What polite word will you say when you ask for something?
If you really want to be extra polite, try saying something along the lines of “Could you please…” but keep reading so you see what else is involved.
Do you remember the last time you asked someone to watch your dog for an hour at the park? Or give you another ride home after school? Perhaps you called a friend on the phone and said, “Hey! Can you meet us somewhere later?” Maybe you even asked your dad to pick up groceries for dinner. These types of requests arent exactly easy to figure out, especially if you havent done it before.
But just knowing which words to avoid doesnt mean you wont still end up sounding rude. For instance, lets look at the sentence “Could you please pass me the salt?” This sounds pretty innocuous, right? But it actually has quite a few different meanings depending on who you are talking to. Some might interpret it as a way of telling someone to hurry up and finish whatever task hes working on. Other people may assume you meant to ask someone to hand over a bag full of money. Still others will wonder whether you meant to ask him to stop eating his food. So what should you say?
Luckily, there isnt a single answer. The best option depends entirely on whom youre speaking to and how long you expect their response to be. Asking someone to repeat themselves back to you could save you some embarrassment in certain cases. However, doing so takes away any chance of getting a quick reply. That means youll either have to wait until the person finishes whatever hes doing or risk coming across as impatient.
In general, the safest route to go is to start off with a question such as, “Would you mind…?” Then follow up by listing out what action you want taken. Lets say you want your friend to pick up the phone. When you say, “Would you mind calling me?” youre giving him permission to call you and letting him know the message is important enough to interrupt whatever hes currently doing.
The same goes for asking someone to do something quickly. Say, “It would be great if you could complete this project within the next week,” rather than simply stating, “Finish it soon.” Your phrasing gives the recipient plenty of room to decide whether he thinks youre serious and willing to pay attention to details.
There are exceptions to everything — sometimes it pays to be bolder. If youre sending an email to someone who works remotely, it might be a better idea to state, “We urgently need [something], and we wouldnt ask unless it was absolutely necessary.” Of course, you shouldnt do this unless youre 100 percent confident that they can fulfill your request. Otherwise, you run the risk of annoying them and losing their trust.
What can someone do with your email address?
Some websites and apps collect user data in order to improve their services. By signing up for an account or filling out a survey, you agree to share certain pieces of personal information. Sometimes companies will only ask for limited amounts of information, but some require more extensive documentation. Even though you probably already provide your name, contact number, and location, many sites insist on knowing where you live too.
For instance, when you sign up for Facebook, you must enter your first name, gender, date of birth, city and country. On Twitter, you can choose between providing your real name and nickname, plus your city, age, gender, username, and language preference.
Even if you never plan on sharing your email address online, its smart practice to change it anyway. After all, there are plenty of ways hackers can access accounts if you fail to secure yours properly. Plus, if you ever receive spam messages that seem suspiciously personalized, youll feel much safer having changed your password.
To prevent unwanted intruders from accessing your social media profiles, keep your passwords protected with a PIN code. Make sure the codes you create on each site match the ones set up on your smartphone app, computer, tablet, and browser. Dont forget to check your spam filters regularly for messages containing links to phishing scams.
Email | How to ask for something POLITELY | 2021
How do I request customer email addresses politely?
The following steps include effective approaches to request customer email addresses politely: 1. Engage customers through content Before you can encourage audiences to sign up for your email list, it’s important to build engagement with them through meaningful and valuable content.
How do you ask a customer email address?
Ask prospects directly. When companies and brands create email lists, marketing departments use digital techniques to raise awareness and foster community among audiences. Effective methods for politely requesting customer email addresses are as follows: 1. Engage customers through content
How do you ask someone for help politely?
But, if there is a need for a high level of professionalism in the correspondence, this expression is suitable. How do you ask for help from someone politely in an email? To ask someone for help in a polite way via email, the expressions “I would appreciate it if you could…” or “It would be nice if you could…” are good choices.
What etiquette should you use when asking for contact details?
Be positive and focus on their benefits in your request. First, your email address has to look professional to signal that you are not a joker. You are competing against many odds, other emails, and your recipient’s attention. Here are some of the basics of email etiquette to start you off before asking for contact details.
