# Does it much matter how you sign off from email? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966 "2022-04-17T20:37:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/1 "2022-04-17T20:37:59Z")
I think it does. And even business emails can imply warmth or competence or charisma. But unsure how much of this sign-off advice from _The Economist_ that I agree with. Maybe the problem is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent full of doubt? > **[How to sign off an email](https://www.economist.com/business/2022/04/16/how-to-sign-off-an-email)** > > Epistolary etiquette for the 21st century ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/2 "2022-04-17T21:08:34Z")
Huh, gotta say, I’ve never even thought about it. Sent a lot of emails, but most of them business-related. My emails are like “Chuck, here’s the info you wanted. When can you get finished stuff to Theresa? Thanks, Diggory” So I guess my favorite sign off is “Thanks”. “Take care” is second. “Stay warm” works half the year up in the tundra here. But “etiquette book” salutations like “Sincerely” or Yours…" sound like they should be followed by a hoity-toity name… “Yours, Lord Benedict of Shrewsbury”. I _guess what my rule would be is **what would you say as you left the person’s office in real life**?_ In my (upcoming) TED Talk, I make the point that when adverts and corporate communiqués (and, yes, business letters) fail… …it’s because they’re **not written the way real people talk**. It’ll peg someone’s BS meter if you put on airs and try to sound important and full of yourself. Which is what so many corporate types try to do, because they’re emulating the generation before them, who WERE full of themselves. Not a good look… Cheers, ya wanker! Diggory ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/3 "2022-04-17T21:59:05Z")
My standard sign off is “Best, FinsToThe Left” and has been for probably 20 years. No one has ever commented on it, pro or con, to my recollection. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/4 "2022-04-17T22:35:32Z")
Better for politics than Tinder, one supposes. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/5 "2022-04-17T22:55:04Z")
I sign mine: Closing, Full name Title Company Phone number Email address That isn’t a format, that is how I sign them. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/6 "2022-04-17T23:15:52Z")
I have dozens of different sign offs, depending on context, recipient and familiarity. The first criteria is if the email is for business or private. And if it’s in a business/professional context, there are still many gradations in formality. It makes a lot of difference if the email is for initiating a business contact, for your boss or for your co-worker buddy . And if private, it differs depending on the closeness I have to the recipient. So, many shades of grey. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2022, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/7 "2022-04-17T23:55:56Z")
I normally sign off my emails using “Thanks” or “Regards”, or occasionally “Sincerely” like I’m writing a letter. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/8 "2022-04-18T00:27:08Z")
Mine are either “Regards” or “Cheers” depending on how formal the relationship is. During a conversation it will often change from the former to the latter if the tone of the exchange becomes more casual. I would normally have an automatic blurb like @don_t_ask’s but I haven’t got around to making one in my current job. Instead I will typically put as much information as is relevant, normally just my job title. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/9 "2022-04-18T00:56:04Z")
I don’t have a sign-off. I went through a bunch of emails from work. My manager has “Thanks” as part of his signature. One other engineer said “Thanks” once out of about half a dozen emails, with the rest having no sign-off. The other dozen or so engineers had no sign-off whatsoever in any of the emails that I looked at. It used to be that everyone had a signature that was: Name Title Company Phone Email Most managers have a signature that follows this format. Most engineers don’t bother. None of my home emails (sent or received) have a sign-off. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-it-much-matter-how-you-sign-off-from-email/962966/10 "2022-04-18T14:51:01Z")
I’m not sure I have ever signed off on an email - either work or personal. Well - maybe in a rare instance in which the email is essentially what would’ve previously been a formal letter. Like a job application. In those instances, my email mirrors a business letter in all respects. Occasionally, if I’m asking the addressee to respond or do something, I might end with “Thanks” or “Thx.” But that’s about all.