Professional Letter Closings
You might wonder about the title of my post today. You see, I do a little bit of work for a friend of mine, who has a business based in New Jersey. She is very bright, and excellent at what she does. Because of these traits, she has little tolerance for people that don't do his/her job as well as she does.
I certainly wouldn't be able to do her job, as I am not trained for it. But she knows me pretty well, and trusts me. I am not going to stab her in the back or make her life difficult, and therefore, she lets me do some menial tasks. All of which take about 1 hour a month. My kind of gig. Just to be fair, she has told me that when I am ready, she would be happy to have me take care of more than just the mundane affairs. I might be ready to do more, but I need to find more time!
Anyway, because she is in New Jersey, she and I correspond mostly via email. I also rely on email as a way to interact with her clients and/or people with whom she is networking. She has always closed her emails (to me and others) this way:
And my question has always been. Best what? Best day? That doesn't really make sense. You are the best? No, that isn't it either. I am the best? Meaning S? Well, she might think she is, but that isn't the way to garner more clients now, is it? In actuality, I know that she means something akin to Best wishes, but her closing got me thinking.
I decided to look up some sites that had professional letter closings just to see what these places suggest. I personally just use "Thank you" and my signature for all of the dealings with S and her clients. Not creative, but polite. The following list is what I found at several sites to be just as appropriate, and boring, I might add!
I delved a bit further in my search, and found a great website with some original ideas. I wanted to copy the entire article, which I know would go against copyright, so I thought it best to direct you there. If you have the time and interest, check it out. There is a list of the same standard greetings I shared above, and then some more unique ways of closing your letters. A few of the more personal options they list:
In the end, the point is really to choose a closing that is appropriate for the setting. Her "Best" is just fine, as is my "Thank you" I suppose. But I'd love to see the look on a client's face if I sent the following message to them:
I certainly wouldn't be able to do her job, as I am not trained for it. But she knows me pretty well, and trusts me. I am not going to stab her in the back or make her life difficult, and therefore, she lets me do some menial tasks. All of which take about 1 hour a month. My kind of gig. Just to be fair, she has told me that when I am ready, she would be happy to have me take care of more than just the mundane affairs. I might be ready to do more, but I need to find more time!
Anyway, because she is in New Jersey, she and I correspond mostly via email. I also rely on email as a way to interact with her clients and/or people with whom she is networking. She has always closed her emails (to me and others) this way:
Best,
S
And my question has always been. Best what? Best day? That doesn't really make sense. You are the best? No, that isn't it either. I am the best? Meaning S? Well, she might think she is, but that isn't the way to garner more clients now, is it? In actuality, I know that she means something akin to Best wishes, but her closing got me thinking.
I decided to look up some sites that had professional letter closings just to see what these places suggest. I personally just use "Thank you" and my signature for all of the dealings with S and her clients. Not creative, but polite. The following list is what I found at several sites to be just as appropriate, and boring, I might add!
Kind regards/wishes
Warmest regards
Many Thanks/Kind thanks
With
appreciation
Sincerely
I delved a bit further in my search, and found a great website with some original ideas. I wanted to copy the entire article, which I know would go against copyright, so I thought it best to direct you there. If you have the time and interest, check it out. There is a list of the same standard greetings I shared above, and then some more unique ways of closing your letters. A few of the more personal options they list:
S might just think I am a lunatic if I use any of these:Cheerful greetings to all
Hugs (I dare myself to use this one!)
Kind thoughts
Take care
Wishing you the best
Write soon
Your friend
Yours in friendship (What would these people think?!?!)
CheerioAnd, she might just might let me go should I ever venture out with these:
Cheers
I'm out
More to come
Smiles
Ta ta for now
Happy trails to you
Hasta la vista, baby
Keep your stick on the ice
Kiss kiss bang bang
Live long and prosper
Tag! You’re it
Yabba dabba do
In the end, the point is really to choose a closing that is appropriate for the setting. Her "Best" is just fine, as is my "Thank you" I suppose. But I'd love to see the look on a client's face if I sent the following message to them:
Dear Mr. G:
I am writing to confirm your lunch meeting with S for tomorrow, October 5,
at 12 pm. A reservation has been made at X Restaurant, and is under the
name of G.
Please let me know that this day and time are still convenient for
you.
May the force be with you...
Chris
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