# I am looking for another way to sign business emails besides "sincerely." **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 9, 2002, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478 "2002-10-09T03:07:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/41 "2002-10-10T15:58:48Z")
Best regards, Iteki On a more friendly tone, and when finishing a correspondense (at least temporarily, for example at the end of series of replies on the same issue), All the best, Iteki Kind regards and warm regards sound odd to me. They have a very american ring to them (thats a value neutral statement here before somone gets touchy). Sincerely, faithfully etc gives the feeling that the person hasn’t really grasped this whole internet thing. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/42 "2002-10-10T16:20:51Z")
I rarely (if ever) use a salutation or closing phrase/signature in e-mails. Don’t they say who they are to and from right at the top? ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/43 "2002-10-10T16:58:49Z")
I use “Bien à vous”. Even with the English ones. Startles folks. If you really want to throw them for a loop, say “Je vous prie de bien vouloir agréer, Monsieur (ou Madame), l’expression de mes sentiments les plus distingués.” ---
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/44 "2002-10-10T20:31:51Z")
I use several: Regards, or Best regards, or, With best regards, if I know the person. Cordially, or, Very cordially yours, if I don’t know them and it’s formal. Truly yours, or, Very truly yours, if it is from my company and not personally from me. With some foreign companies I use: I humbly remain, Very truly yours, On a personal level, and sometimes with close business associates that I have worked with for years and developed a friendship, I sometimes use: As ever, DaToad ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/45 "2002-10-11T03:02:15Z")
I never liked you much anyway, Jin Wicked Oh wait, you wanted \repeat\ business… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/46 "2002-10-11T03:03:26Z")
Ack! I really need to sort out my HTML from my vB codes. :o ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/47 "2002-10-11T05:34:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > \*\*Email messages aren’t to be treated like letters. They don’t require a formal closing. \*\* Uh-uh. _Business_ emails require all the formality of business letters. Aside from certain style differences in the headings, they should be written with the same respect as letters. My favourites: “Sincerely”, for people I don’t know well. “Regards”, if we’ve met before (never “best” or “kind”). “Cheers” or no closing, if to a friend my age. BTW, “faithfully” isn’t so uncommon here in Australa. It’s perfectly acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/48 "2002-10-11T11:23:38Z")
I agree with **RTFirefly**. “Sincerely” feels impersonal to me. “Yours truly” conveys a greater familiarity. Think about it. Does it really sound correct to tell a relative stranger that you are truly theirs? Creeps me out, to tell you the truth. “Kind Regards” is my default close. “All the best” may be used for people I have a regular business correspondence with. In emails, most business contacts I have tend to close with the truncated, voweless “rgds.” Then again, I tend to get telegraphic-style emails from editors who have little time. I rarely see “sincerely” these days. If it’s a really close business contact, I’ll even opt for “Take care” or “Cheers.” ---
**Author:** ![longjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@longjohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longjohn)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/49 "2002-10-11T12:17:17Z")
Boomshanka, J. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/50 "2002-10-11T17:42:39Z")
Usually easier to go from more formal to less than vice versa. Which is why I usually sign everything Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Delta-9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/51 "2002-10-11T18:00:13Z")
My boss uses, “With warm regards,”. I like, “All the best,”. ---
**Author:** ![Jorel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jorel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorel)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478/52 "2002-10-11T19:40:20Z")
If I know the recipient a bit I use: Electronically Yours, Jorel [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-looking-for-another-way-to-sign-business-emails-besides-sincerely/131478.md?page=2)