Everything about email should be brief and to the point. In our digital age, we spend way too much time on email, and greater productivity demands that we develop a more concise and effective style when communicating via email.

One time-consuming decision when drafting an email is what sign-off to use. Many people avoid this problem by adopting a standard sign-off and using it consistently, like a stamp - an advisable method that saves time and energy. Yet there will be times when a sign-off needs to be tailored to a context of varying formality or familiarity. The question is, which sign-off is appropriate for the correspondence at hand?

The following guide is not exhaustive or definitive, as cultural expressions are always evolving in their application. This list is a working guide to the top email sign-offs currently in use, observing their CHARACTER (ie. qualities and effects), and their PROPRIETY in terms of context and purpose.

‘Regards,’
CHARACTER: Polite but detached, verging on cold.
PROPRIETY: Fit for correspondence between complete strangers, and for emails addressing issues or points of concern or complaint.

‘Kind regards, / Best regards,’
CHARACTER: Very polite, warm and friendly, common.
PROPRIETY: Highly appropriate to most communications. This sign-off is readily used, making it ubiquitous but always suitable to cordial exchanges.

‘Cheers,’
CHARACTER: Casual and friendly, verging on nonchalant.
PROPRIETY: Suitable for informal emails, exchanges between friends or friendly colleagues, particularly in instances of appreciation for a good turn. When used as a standard sign-off or style choice, it can potentially seem cool or detached.

‘All best wishes, / Best wishes,’
CHARACTER: Polite and warm, standard but with a slight flourish.
PROPRIETY: Highly appropriate to most communications. As a variation on expressing ‘regards’, offering ‘wishes’ can seem flowery, but the implication is a general expression of goodwill.
NOTE: ‘Best,’ / ‘All best’ on their own - without ‘wishes’ - are too curt for an initial email, but can serve as suitable truncations in continued correspondence.

‘Thanks, / Many thanks,’
CHARACTER: Functional, friendly.
PROPRIETY: Suitable for most established email communications in which correspondents are working together and supplying each other with information and/or documents.
NOTE: When making requests, particularly of superiors or strangers, ‘Thanks’ should be accompanied with ‘kind regards’ or ‘best wishes’ as to show due deference (ie. respect).

Using the character qualities as a guide, any of the above can serve as a standard sign-off - but the effectiveness of an email depends in part on the appropriateness of its style, so it is always worth checking the suitability of your sign-off before you send.