What Our E-mail Sign-Offs Say About Us
What is your e-mail sign-off? Do you end e-mail with "sincerely," "best," or "cheers?" Last year, I told you about a Washington Post article which contends your e-mail signoff can offend readers and hurt business relationships.
A lot of readers weighed in -- some called the very idea rubbish, while others admitted they were personally offended by some sign-offs. In particular: When a presumptive "thanks" is used as a standard closing.
That's not, it seems, the end of the story.
I was amused to see the topic flare up again, this time at WebWorkerDaily, where Dave Clarke evaluated the real meanings of the most common sign-offs.
- Cheers signals a sense of worldliness. This sign-off says "I'm casual, yet professional."
- Thanks can sound patronizing -- "Just do what I've asked in the body of this email, and let's leave it at that."
- Best might literally imply, "I wish good things for you," but chances are that tone doesn't mesh with what you've communicated above.
Best,
Dave
Photo by Hammer51012
