I like:

Never Change,
Jane

Either thanks or nothing, just an empty line followed by my name.

I say Thanks in most messages. If someone I don't know well, I say Thank You, or Thanks very much, or I might say Sincerely if quite formal in an e-mail.

I think Best and Cheers are OK, but I always think they probably would be said with a fake British accent, so I can't bring myself to use them.

I say thanks for most quick emails and All good wishes for longer messages or to people with whom I do not regularly communicate. People I work with in a lot of our offices in Europe close with all good wishes, and I like it so much better than best or regards. I HATE thanks in advance. Passive aggressive.

Sincerely,


Felicia Overlay
Vandelay Industries

Love this thread. So funny.

I did "best" until that other thread. Now I"ve been vacillating (can I use that word on DCUM?) between "thanks" if appropriate and --Suzie (not my real name).

I've played with 'yours" and "sincerely" in emails to people I don't know...don't like them.

Cheers reminds me of happy hour and is WAY to informal to me. Unless I'm toasting somebody...

wow, who knew this could elicit such strong feelings? (said in jest/irony, of course)

i usually close my emails with any of the following, depending on context:
Cheers (my go-to closer)
Thanks (when appropriate)
Best (but i like this one the least)

i usually begin my emails to strangers with Dear or Greetings, and to coworkers with:
Hello or Hi (if to one coworker)
Hello (or Hi), all (if to a group of coworkers)
Good morning (if it's appropriate -- I am usually the first one in to the office, FWIW)

i have a coworker who addresses his notes to our small, relatively informal department with "dear colleagues" which i find annoying as all hell.

Peace be with you,
Sally,

Live long and prosper,
Johnny

Anonymous wrote:I know someone who signs everything "Have a Grateful Day". Bugs the crap out of me.

Clearly a graduate of the Jerry Garcia school of business.

I know someone who signs everything "Have a Grateful Day". Bugs the crap out of me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ok Grammar Nazi, here's the thing about email correspondence. it is not an exercise in proper letter writing. it's more like... a halfway point between phone calls and text messages. if you write emails sounding like you just dipped your quill in an ink jar, you are culturally inappropriate, and therefore, your grammar is irrelevant.

also, bee tee dub, language evolves. who says "how do you do?" anymore? who actually replies to "how are you?" with "fine!" anymore? no one, i tell you. NO. ONE.

people aren't "Fine" or "Doing well" anymore; they are "Good." everything is Good. is that grammatically correct???

So, when you're making presentations, do you also pepper your speech with phrases such as "like" and "you know" and other informal language? Do you verbalize social media speak like "hashtag boom!"

I am going to guess you're about 25. You'll learn.

Are you saying 'Holla' would not be an appropriate greeting? What about closing with 'Just sayin'? TIA!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ok Grammar Nazi, here's the thing about email correspondence. it is not an exercise in proper letter writing. it's more like... a halfway point between phone calls and text messages. if you write emails sounding like you just dipped your quill in an ink jar, you are culturally inappropriate, and therefore, your grammar is irrelevant.

also, bee tee dub, language evolves. who says "how do you do?" anymore? who actually replies to "how are you?" with "fine!" anymore? no one, i tell you. NO. ONE.

people aren't "Fine" or "Doing well" anymore; they are "Good." everything is Good. is that grammatically correct???

So, when you're making presentations, do you also pepper your speech with phrases such as "like" and "you know" and other informal language? Do you verbalize social media speak like "hashtag boom!"

I am going to guess you're about 25. You'll learn.

presentations = / = email

In business correspondence, if "Thank you for your attention" is not approopriate, I tend not to include one and just put my signature at the end.

Anonymous wrote:ok Grammar Nazi, here's the thing about email correspondence. it is not an exercise in proper letter writing. it's more like... a halfway point between phone calls and text messages. if you write emails sounding like you just dipped your quill in an ink jar, you are culturally inappropriate, and therefore, your grammar is irrelevant.

also, bee tee dub, language evolves. who says "how do you do?" anymore? who actually replies to "how are you?" with "fine!" anymore? no one, i tell you. NO. ONE.

people aren't "Fine" or "Doing well" anymore; they are "Good." everything is Good. is that grammatically correct???

So, when you're making presentations, do you also pepper your speech with phrases such as "like" and "you know" and other informal language? Do you verbalize social media speak like "hashtag boom!"

I am going to guess you're about 25. You'll learn.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All best,
Mary

Hideous. Incoherent. Grammatically incorrect. And meaningless. Completely and utterly unprofessional.

The only way to make it semi-acceptable would "All my best" or, more appropriately, "I send all my best wishes."

I like it. Not too stuffy, not too casual. Who signs a work email with "I send all my best wishes?" Freak.