What is proper way to close a friendly, but work related e-mail?
Sincerely, yours truly, or cordially are out of the question. Simply signing one’s name can seem rather chilly. “Peace out” is trying too hard. “Take care” is too granny. The ever popular “Cheers” ending only works if you are a guy; it’s all very leather armchair and cigars.
Any ideas?
Apt. 11d 
I generally use “Thanks”, although I disagree with the “cheers” characterization as being male. It’s my back-up.
Thanks,
Sarah
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Nearly all of mine end with “Thanks”.
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The standard around here seems to be “All best” or “All the best.”
Personally I use either “Cheerio” or “Yours aye,” but then I’m funny that way.
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I’m a big fan of “Best”
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I’m with Jane Galt.
Best,
Ianqui
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Regards
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Like Sarah, I have to disagree about “Cheers.” I use it all the time. I see it less as “leather chair and cigar” than “cold beer in one hand.” Which is a persona I am happy to propagate, even at work.
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I agree with the others about “cheers” as a backup. Where I need to be a bit more formal, I use “regards”.
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Leather armchair and cigar? Yikes. I may need a new closer.
And it’s not going to be “best.” Best what?!
You did say work-related. So namaste is out. (Just kidding.)
Sincerely, RC
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“thanks” is my general solution, which works in most, but not all, situations. On the other end of the email, I used to work with someone who opened all messages with “Greetings”. She worked with a number of men who were of an age to remember the Vietnam era draft, and there were some complaints that this salutation brought back unpleasant memories.
So, I don’t recommend “Greetings”!
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Why is “Yours” (not “Yours Truly”) unacceptable? I’ve used that for years and never run into problems. Or “Thanks” if it is an email where I actually request something.
“Best” is also good, although I don’t use it.
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Email is the same as a memo format — no closing is necessary. I never use one, nor do most of the people I work with. If I want to add a personal touch, I might put my first name at the bottom, but that is not even necessary.
Sometimes I’ll write a sentence that gives some sense of closure: “I’ll see you at Tuesday’s meeting.”
I wonder if there are regional differences on this …. I might seem abrupt to colleagues from other parts of the country.
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I go with “Best” in most situations.
Am I the only one who thinks that “cheers” sounds like an affectation if you’re not from the UK? Maybe it’s a regional difference.
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“Thanks” or “Best”. “Best,” I think, is a shortening of “best wishes.” Generally, I would use “thanks” or, if appropriate, “thanks for your input,” or similar, if the email requires a response. A lot of people don’t seem to notice embedded requests for response, and anything you can do to improve the response rate is useful.
Speaking of which, I have some email to answer…
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Okay, now for a harder question.
What if someone sends you an e-mail that ends with a bon vive “cheers?” Can you follow up with a more formal “best?” Does the “best” response just scream, “No, I’m sorry, but I don’t want to go to your party. I’m way too serious for that.”
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Thanks! With gusto!
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You didn’t ask, but I’m in a giving mood, so here’s what I hate: I hate when people just start writing without any salutation. No Dear, Hello, or even just my name. It’s like not saying hello when you call someone. It’s rude. When I don’t know the person very well or it’s a professional e mail I stick with Thanks or Best. Both of which are clearly over used so now I’m going to come up with something else. Maybe I’ll shake things up and go with Love or xo or Keepin’ it Real. (Obviously I would eventually shorten it to KIR)
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I HATE to get emails that are signed “thanks” when I haven’t done anything for the sender. Thanks for reading? No thanks.
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I think that once the “cheers” arms race has started (except if, like me, you work for a UK co), then you are perfectly justified in bringing in any sort of flippant closing you choose.
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If you begin the email with ‘Dear – ” then end it with ‘yours truly’ or ‘sincerely’. If you just start with the person’s name then I use ‘Thanks!’. Good luck!
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‘regards’ when being slightly formal,
‘thanks’ when I’ve just asked for something,
‘cheers’ for people I know well.
Agree with carosgram, if starting formally ‘Dear Ms..’ I’d end formally too. In this case I don’t see an email as any different from a letter.
Don’t see ‘cheers’ as particularly masculine or inebriated, though: more in the ‘be of good cheer’ line. And when I use a word..
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If I’m asking them for anything, I generally end with “Thank you for your time” or “thank you for your consideration.” If I’m writing a send-off sort of email to a graduating student, departing colleague, etc., I use something like “Wishing you all the best” in closing. Otherwise, if a closing’s necessary (and with most short, to-the-point emails it isn’t), I use “Yours sincerely” and have done with it.
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As someone who sees dozens of friendly work e-mails a day, I promise the dominant sign-off is “Thanks,” with a rare “Best Regards” or “Best Wishes.” I only get “Cheers” from women.
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for biz, Regards or Thanks ( if I ask for something). Cheers from an American sounds faux British to me.
I used to have a colleague that ended every passive aggresive email with a Thanks! As in, now I stab you in the back, Thanks!
Now, when I see an exclaimation point, I distrust the person.
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Death to the exclaimation mark!
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Am I the only one who finds “cheers” to be an affectation? I ask this in all seriousness. I grew up and have lived primarily in the South and Midwest. Could this be a phrase more common in the Northeast. Is this a regional variation?
To my ears, it sounds just a little better than “peace.” Judging from the comments here, however, “cheers” appears to be perfectly acceptable to many.
Could it be an academic usage? I’m really curious about this now.
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I use ‘cheers’ routinely, though occasionally use best (usually with people I don’t know, or not as well, and almost always with students). I’m English, and ‘cheers’ for me is not especially cheery — it can be, but in english english it can also be weary and mildly annoyed, or merely weary, or…well, it has so many meanings depending on how I say it that it is nicely ambiguous for readers. But perhaps they all think I’m being cheery, now I see what you have to say. I’ll try to find omething more openly lugubrious.
What about how you sing your name? I use H with people I know well, Harry with those I know less well, HB with students (unless I know them well) and my full name with people I either don’t know or whom I do not want to think that I presume they remember me.
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I always just sign Todd, unless I’m teaching. Then it’s Prof. Price. I’ve tried the initial, but I just can’t do it. I’ve noticed some people switch to the initial for follow-up messages. I just drop my name by that point.
I always keep a signature with my full byline, “Todd A. Price,” just below my name. Without that crucial middle initial, I’m almost impossible to find on Google.
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“Best regards” and “All the best” seem popular in the work circles I frequent. Interestingly, the common one in military circles is “V/R” for “very respectfully”. Not bad in many circumstances as well.
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