Let’s talk about yawn inducing emails for a second. No one does rigid formality like the French, can we agree? One of the most stressful jobs of my life was managing grant agreements between fancy embassy officials and a global charity in Haiti. Everything I wrote was in French, peacock-level French. And millions of dollars were on the line.

So there I was in Port-au-Prince, wearing silk dresses and wool blazers writing covering letters and emails on behalf of our country director. I was doing my best to say fancy things like, Thank you for your ten million euro contribution to our life-saving programs, or Where is the next payment, we are spending your cash quickly. It always felt like an ordeal.

A peek behind the curtain? You may not believe me, but I spent three years signing off emails with this level of formality in French:

Kindly receive this message with my most sincere regards and honourable consideration of the highest,

Utmost deep respect, in gratitude.

The Country Director

The issue is this. What I thought was formal enough to close an email to her majesty the queen always seemed to fall three flourishes short of adequate politeness – at least according to my Parisian coworker Alice. Thank goodness for Alice and her willingness to review my work before I hit send. She helped me fit my tone to the contact and situation, just like you and I will today for your email signature.

But back in 2015, for some ironic twist of fate, Alice from Paris was assigned all the American dossiers while Anglophone Emily had the French files. So I returned the favour by reviewing her emails in English. I slashed her lengthy formal missives, as she winced, and downgraded her multiple French flourishes to American appropriate email standards. Short, casual and sweet.

Today I’m here to play the role of my friend Alice for you. Let’s check your email sign offs, making sure it fits your personality, and your audience to a T.

In a world where email marketing has 40-60% conversion rate compared to 5-12% social media, its worth mastering email for your business.

Your email gets to sound and feel like the genuine you. Being memorable matters. So saying goodbye to boring phrases like best regards once and for all is key.

Plus, in an age of automation and being harassed by bots on social media all week long, people value authentic human touches more than ever.

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11 Fresh Email Sign Offs

Ideal for coaches, healers, teachers, digital product sellers and service providers.

With deep gratitude

This is a heartfelt sign off that you could comfortably put in your signature block. It balances between a warm and professional tone, and has a singularly genuine ring that feels timeless.

With gratitude

You can notch up the formality and minimalism with a simplified version…while staying genuine. Its memorable and speaks to your value system too. What’s not to like?

Cheers to you from [ icy,sunny,windy] [city]

Email can feel impersonal, so reminding your reader where you are located in the world adds a human touch. It anchors in a part of your brand and offers a touch point of relatability too.

As ever

This pithy classic remains a great choice for established business connections. It reassures your contact that things are as good between you as they’ve ever been, and the vibe is strong.

Your success is my success

A good blend of friendliness and formality makes this sign-off a good choice. Its especially well suited for email marketing when you are providing a service or are invested in their business.

Here’s to your clarity and steady rise

It works well if your email is friendly, conversation and supportive of their personal transformation or business advancement. There’s something reassuring and encouraging in tone, which I enjoy.

This is your year, your time and your moment. I am thrilled to watch you grow.

If you want your message to be dynamic and attention-getting this is a fantastic choice. Switch up I for we if you’re a team, and feel confident that you are a crowd leading email sender.

Beaming hugs and admiration your way. You got this.

If you are a cheerleader type, this will fit like a glove in your email send offs. Everyone could use more encouragement in their life, so why not be the empowering voice in their inbox?

I really appreciate your [help, feedback, support]

Expressing gratitude is always a classy move that elicits a positive response. Every day is a good day to share appreciation when someone has helped you out. The more specific the better.

Thanks, (contact name), wishing you a great (end of the week, start to the week, start to the weekend!)

A conversational and thoughtful sign off that draws attention to their name, which is proven to be everyone’s favourite word. Plus your zest for life and general positivity will seep through the screen.

10 Stale Email Sign offs to Avoid

Thnx a lot, Thx or Rgrds

You’re not twelve, and this isn’t a chat happening in a messaging app. Use your magical grown up words… and include vowels, please.

Looking forward to hearing from you

Is that an order? This one also sounds great at first, but it’s got a strong passive-aggressive undercurrent. Your recipient is likely to hear an implied “You’d better write back.” Not ideal.

-[Name] or -[Initial]

Brrr, it’s cold in here! While a name only sign-off may work for ultra brief, informal emails, it’s too detached for most instances, especially when you’re building rapport with the recipient or messaging a contact for the first time. At least throw them a with gratitude.

Best

Can you say boring? Unless you’re a drone working in the basement of IBM and have no aspirations of building deep human connection one day…you can do better. You must do better! I get that some organizations treat email like semi automated chat messengers, I’m just not willing to capitulate.

Kind regards

At first glance it may feel nice, but the true sentiment is as about friendly as a starched pencil skirt one size too small. It doesn’t suit a genuinely loving, friendly environment. Get a better fit!

Respectfully Yours

This one’s acceptable if you’re sending a memo to the president, but it’s too formal for anything meant to build human connection. In fact, according to Business Insider, respectfully yours is the standard close for addressing government officials and clergy. Unless that’s your audience, ditch it.

Sincerely Yours

This is almost as awkward as ending with love Billy to an email destined to your boss. It has no place in a modern work exchange, especially not a warm or evolved one!

Yours truly

Unless you’re 16 signing off a letter to your crush or writing home to mom from summer camp, ditch this doe eyed, overly earnest closure.

Take Care or Be Well

On the surface, take care sounds pleasant, but on closer inspection, it seems to indicate that the recipient should be wary of potential dangers. No sinister plots need to emanate from your inbox or day to day greetings for that matter, OK?

Sent From My Iphone

The only thing worse than no sign off- not even your name – is a sign off automated by your phone. It shows a lack of presence, awareness and negligence that bodes unwell for your business connectivity.

However..some people get playful by editing their phone signature to be individualized.

A few creative (though only appropriate depending on your business field) examples I found around the Internet include:

• My phone can’t spell for carp
• Sent telepathically
• Sent from my laptop, so I have no excuse for typos
• Sent from my smartphone so please forgive any mistakes
• Sent from my mobile. Fingers big. Keyboard small.
• iPhone. iTypos. iApologize.

How helpful was this post on a scale of 1-10? Oh, and which new email sign off are you going to use?

I would be eager to hear your reactions in the comment section below.

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