Signing a professional email is weird at the best of times.
We all have our preferred closing (hands up if you’re a best regards kinda person or Team Sincerely all the way) and the one that makes us grit our teeth (all best, I’m looking at you).
But the standard sign-offs feel even stranger during these Strange Times – they’ve always been platitudes that we used as shorthand for complicated emotions and wishes, often sent to total strangers in the context of a business transaction.
So what the heck do you close an email with when there’s a pretty good chance the person on the other end is actually dealing with some shit?
Crafting the right email sign-off is a matter of knowing your audience in a general sense. No, you likely don’t have a personal relationship with a business contact – otherwise, you wouldn’t be stressing about your signature, you’d just talk to them on that level.
But generic just doesn’t feel sincere or right. And going too formal or too casual can also backfire. You’re the best judge of how casual you can be – if you’re in sales or legal, for instance, you’ll want to stick with a more formal sign-off than if you’re, say, a copywriter for a candy bar company.
Here’s a few solid COVID-era email sign-offs to get you started:
- Sincerely
- Best wishes
- Best regards
- Take care
- Be well
- Have a great [day, week, etc]
- More soon
And, of course, the best thing to do is to be contextual! Have a standard sign-off that you use for new contacts, formal situations, etc. – but sign with what feels right for that person, at that time.
We can all use a little more human connection and sympathy, especially right now. Don’t get trapped into using one email sign-off if another feels right for that moment. Go with your gut; it’s usually right.
So. How do you sign your emails?
Recent Comments