What email signature means best?

Email signatures are for more than just identifying your recipient. They can also be used to add a personal touch, as well as communicate what you do, where you're based, and how people should reach out to you if they need help with something.

If you ever get invited to speak in front of someone else's team, it’s worth considering adding some kind of email signature that will give them a heads up about who you are (and maybe even offer to connect them to your services). If you want to attract new clients, consider including one on every single message you send — that way potential customers know exactly whom to approach when making inquiries. And don't forget to use this space to promote yourself!

It may seem like overkill but there are plenty of ways you can make sure your emails have a strong impact by using a customised signature. Here we'll look at the different types of email signatures available, their pros and cons, then suggest our favourite options.

Is sincerely too formal?

When sending an email, "Dear Client" might sound like the perfect opening line. But while this can work well for letters from lawyers, accountants and other professionals, it feels less appropriate when communicating directly with someone whose job isn't related to yours. It's fine to address a client by name here, but avoid saying things like "Kind Regards", "Respectfully," or "Best Wishes". These words all feel overly polite, which implies that you aren't quite ready to start working together yet.

Instead, try starting each letter with "Hello [Name]," so your readers immediately see you've taken time to write personally to them. This makes it easier for everyone involved — particularly those receiving your correspondence. You could also include something like "Looking forward to hearing back from you soon!" if you haven't heard anything after a few days.

And remember, not everybody likes being addressed formally (or disrespecting someone when addressing them informally), so keep your tone friendly without going overboard.

Is Kind regards too formal?

You probably already know that "Regards" has become a catch-all phrase that many people use these days, regardless of profession. While it sounds nice, "Best Wishes" is often seen as friendlier since it doesn't imply any formality between parties. In fact, it's perfectly acceptable to say either word to anybody you'd normally call "Mr." or "Mrs.", whether they're older family members, colleagues, friends, etc. The same goes for titles like Dr., Ms., Prof., etc.

So if you think "Kind Regard(s)" would put people off reaching out to you, go ahead and use "Warm wishes," "Good luck," or "Hope to hear back from you soon!" instead. Your recipients won't notice much difference in meaning, and you'll likely find it helps improve response rates.

Which is better sincerely or best regards?

The most common question we receive regarding email signatures concerns the correct choice between "Sincerely" and "Best Regards." We recommend starting with "Best Wishes," because it's short enough to fit in almost anywhere and easy to read. However, the two phrases are interchangeable — it really depends on the context. For example, if you're writing to a colleague, "Sincere wishes" is usually good enough. On the other hand, if you're trying to impress a VIP, then perhaps "Best Wishes" wouldn't cut it.

In general, the first thing to consider is how informal your audience is. Are they business partners? Colleagues? Family members? A mix of both? Try to take into consideration factors such as age and gender, as well as how long you've known them.

Also, note that sometimes email addresses can change. So if you're signing off to a person who no longer works for your current employer, always check the domain before hitting Send. When I did this recently, my old boss' email ended up getting forwarded onto her successor, and she wasn't happy to discover me impersonating another employee. Oops.

Lastly, keep in mind that "Best Wishes" isn't necessarily the only option. Other popular choices include "Cheers," "Thanks," and "Stay Safe & Healthy." Just pick whatever fits best within the rest of your email body.

What is the nicest email sign off?

We prefer "Best Wishes" to simply closing an email with "Regards," especially when it comes to official documents. By leaving out the latter, you're letting others know that you respect their privacy and value their professionalism. Plus, it gives your reader room to respond to your message properly.

For example, imagine having a big meeting with your CEO, during which he shares sensitive information with his employees. Before heading home, he sends a follow-up e-mail to thank everyone for attending and share his thoughts on the event. What happens if he closes it with "All the Best"? Would anyone bother replying? Probably not. Instead, let him finish off with something simple like, "Have fun tomorrow!" That way, whoever got the memo next morning knows precisely when to expect a reply from the boss.

Of course, that said, there are times when "Best Wishes" is too casual. Perhaps you've been corresponding with someone constantly throughout the day, and it's important for them to understand that you weren't actually checking your messages until 10pm last night. Then again, "Best Wishes" may still be okay if you didn't meet face-to-face with them today. Maybe they emailed you several times throughout the day, and you were busy running around elsewhere. After all, it takes time to craft the right wording.

Whatever you decide, make sure you come up with a consistent email sign off method across all platforms you use. Never leave it blank unless you want to risk missing important responses, and never double up on certain occasions (e.g. sending multiple copies of the same mail). Also, try to limit your signature to three lines max. Anything beyond that becomes hard to scan quickly.

Now that you know everything about email signatures, test drive your own and see what works for you. Keep in mind that your signature shouldn't be spammy or promotional in nature, otherwise you run the risk of annoying your contacts unnecessarily. Remember, your goal here is to provide convenience rather than increase sales numbers.

This story was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2021.

When you write your emails, do they say "Best"? Or are their signatures saying something else entirely?

Email signatures have evolved over time to include more than just name, phone number, and website links. In fact, there's no official standard for what constitutes an email signature -- even when it comes to how many lines or characters should be included. So, if you're not sure what yours says, here's everything you need to know about what's considered best practice today.

What is best in email signature?

There isn't one definitive answer that defines what makes the best email signature possible. This can vary from person to person depending on who will receive those messages. But there are some key elements that all good ones typically include.

The first thing people look at is professionalism. If someone receives an email with a funny GIF as part of its signature, chances are she won’t take it seriously. However, including a link explaining exactly what the sender meant by the joke (and why he sent it) goes a long way toward making her feel comfortable enough to reply back. And while this may seem like common sense, it’s surprising how often we forget to add such information into our own messages. The same rule applies to memes or other content that might otherwise make users uncomfortable — be careful not to offend anyone unintentionally!

It's also worth mentioning any relevant personal data points too. For example, if someone has asked you to get in touch regarding housing options available in your area, then adding your current address or P.O box could help them find out where you live without having to ask you directly. A simple line like “I only accept mail addressed to my home" would suffice.

According to research conducted by Microsoft, the second biggest concern among consumers was spam. That's why it's important to keep any CTA within reason. Don't overload someone's inbox with offers; try to limit yourself to two calls-to-action per message. Also, don’t use overly aggressive marketing techniques like auto responders unless you absolutely must. You want the recipient to see your words as genuine, so stay away from things like "Buy Now!" or "Sign Up".

Finally, remember that you always want to provide value above and beyond whatever call-to-actions you offer. Think about what kind of impression you'd like to leave others with after reading your email. How can you improve upon that experience?

For instance, if you send promotional emails regularly, consider offering up a coupon code that allows recipients to save money on future purchases. Or maybe you sell products online, give a discount on certain items that were purchased recently. Anything that helps shows customers that they aren’t being sold anything but actual goods and services.

A quick note before wrapping up: There's nothing wrong with including your social media handles in your signature. It’s especially helpful to let potential clients know that you’re active and willing to engage with them elsewhere. Just don’t go overboard with these accounts, because doing so dilutes your brand identity and takes away attention from the real work you've been trying to accomplish.

What does best mean at the end of an email?

While there are varying opinions on whether companies should actually put “best” anywhere in their email signatures, the word itself seems to serve as a general guideline for what works best in terms of tone. As previously mentioned, using humor in your email signature is fine (as long as it doesn’t cross boundaries), but putting the phrase right at the end of the message is generally frowned upon.

If you ever come across an email signature containing the term “best” somewhere near the beginning, rest assured that whoever wrote it didn’t think very highly of themselves. On top of that, the majority of experts agree that it shouldn't appear in the body of the message either.

In addition to looking unprofessional, it’s distracting for readers. They may start wondering what you had to say at that point anyway. While it’s true that sometimes people skim through entire paragraphs to determine if they’d care enough to read it fully later, it’s still annoying to have that thought process interrupted halfway through.

Also, since “best” usually refers to quality rather than quantity, it tends to imply that there is one specific option that trumps all others. This can lead to confusion between multiple parties involved in a project or conversation — perhaps one employee thinks another is better suited for a particular task, leading him to believe there’s only one choice. Instead, focus on highlighting each individual’s strengths without giving preference to any one over the others.

Another important aspect to consider is how well your email addresses customer service concerns. Sending off questions via email can cause serious problems if done incorrectly, because it puts both the writer and reader at risk of getting frustrated. Consider sending a follow up request via DM if necessary.

And lastly, avoid going full corporate whenever possible. No matter how fancy your office looks, casual communication is much easier for everyone involved. People appreciate hearing different voices, regardless of who uses them.

What should I sign instead of best?

Despite how tempting it may be, never sign off with anything besides your initials. Even though it sounds silly, signing your whole name is seen as a bit informal. Plus, it leaves room for interpretation. Someone receiving an email from John Smith, CEO might assume differently than from Jane Doe, HR Director.

Instead, stick to your initials or nickname, followed by your title. Not only does this make it easier for recipients to identify who sent them the email, it makes it clear that you’re responsible for the correspondence.

You can also customize your initials based on job titles. For example, you could simply append your department acronym onto the end of your first initial. Doing so immediately identifies you as the corresponding role, and eliminates any mystery surrounding who wrote it.

What is the most professional email sign-off?

So now that you understand what professionals tend to recommend, you probably wonder what you should tell yourself. After all, you’ll likely be writing dozens of emails every day, and it’s easy to lose track of the proper etiquette. Luckily, there’s a tried and tested solution.

Think about how you respond to texts from friends. Unless specifically requested, you wouldn’t normally type out an elaborate greeting like “Hey man, what’s up?” or “How r u?” When texting strangers, however, you’ll almost certainly go ahead and fill those extra spaces with a few words. Why not apply this logic to your email signatures?

Just be mindful of how formal you want to appear. Email is great for communicating quickly, but it’s not appropriate for lengthy conversations. Stick to short responses and bullet points whenever possible. Use phrases like “Let me run this idea past [your] team/boss,” or “We'll get back to you once we hear back from [the client].” Otherwise, your response times may increase significantly.

Email signatures are like business cards for your inbox, but not as intimidating or time-consuming to make. You can have one that’s simple yet elegant, personal yet professional, all with just about 30 seconds to spare before hitting send.

If you work from home, it's easy to get lazy when creating these digital documents. It might be tempting to use templates you find online—or even copy someone else’s signature without giving them credit. But there are some rules to follow if you want yours to be effective. Here’s what they should include.

Can you sign an email saying best?

First things first, let’s address whether or not it’s appropriate to say “best” in a signature. The answer is yes! However, we recommend keeping this message short and sweet so people don't think twice about who wrote it.

The general rule of thumb here is to keep everything under three lines because anything more than that will likely be cut off by Gmail anyway. If you need help coming up with an idea, check out our list of creative email signatures.

Also, remember that any information mentioned in your email must match what appears on LinkedIn profiles, social media pages, etc., otherwise potential clients may wonder why they're receiving emails from multiple accounts. Also, you'll look unprofessional if you misspell names or titles (e.g., Mr. instead of Ms.).

What do email signatures mean?

Before diving into how to create a great email signature, take note of the following elements:

Company name

Your full title/position

Phone number(s)

Physical mailing addresses

Any other relevant info such as website URL, blog link, Twitter handle, LinkedIn profile, event schedule...and so forth

This information doesn’t necessarily have to appear in every email signature, but consider including it whenever possible. For example, many companies now offer their employees access to Slack through internal messaging apps, so having those links included in your email signature makes sense.

It also helps to organize your contacts so that you know where to reach each person easily. This way, you won’t waste precious minutes trying to figure out whom to reply to next.

Additionally, try adding a little personality to your signature. Think about using words that reflect the tone of your messages. Or maybe you prefer writing in a conversational manner. Whatever works best for you.

And finally, always add your own photo alongside any headings. In case anyone has trouble reading over your signature, your face provides visual confirmation that it was indeed written by you.

Which signature is the most formal?

Now that we've covered the basics, let’s talk about what kind of email signature suits you best. There are two main types — casual and formal. Casual ones typically feature fun graphics and callouts while formal versions tend to stick to plain fonts and colors.

However, it’s worth mentioning that neither option is better than the other. They both serve different purposes depending on the type of content being sent. A casual version would be used for sending jokes or memes, whereas something less informal could accompany a serious proposal or important document.

Keep in mind that unless you only communicate via email, it’s often difficult to tell which side of the spectrum you fall on. So, if you still aren't sure which style to go with, ask yourself which approach feels most comfortable to you. Afterward, adjust accordingly.

Here are a few examples of both kinds of email signatures:

Casual Signature Example 1: "Hey [name], hope you had a good weekend!"

Formal Signature Example 2: "Dear Madam / Sir,"

Best Email Signatures Examples

A well-written email signature is essential if you ever plan on expanding beyond freelancing or small businesses. To ensure you come across professionally, here are several ways to craft an impactful email signature.

1. Use strong formatting tools

In order to properly format and customize your signature, you’ll need to download Microsoft Word. From then on, simply click File & Options & General and select Font Style tab. Then choose bold, italics, or strikethrough font effects.

2. Add images, hyperlinks, and videos

To insert images, pictures, or logos into your email signature, right-click anywhere within the body of your email and pick Insert Picture. Choose whichever file you want to display. Alternatively, you can upload files directly onto your computer. Click Browse, navigate to wherever you saved it, and double-click it. Lastly, hit OK.

3. Create custom fields

Custom Fields allow you to assign certain parts of your signature to specific contacts. That way, you can change the color scheme, background picture, template layout, and more based upon preferences set by individual users.

4. Make tweaks to default options

Default settings vary between services. While some providers allow you to modify the signature settings per user, others leave everything up to you. Fortunately, Google Docs lets you tweak the appearance of your signature. Simply open the email, click Tools and then Formatting Styles. Once inside the menu, scroll down until you see Text Effects. Selecting Modify existing styles opens up new choices. And once done, save changes.

5. Pick a design

When designing your email signature, there are plenty of free designs available online. You can browse hundreds of unique email signatures on Unsplash.com, for instance.

6. Adjust the spacing

You can manually increase or decrease the space between sections of your signature by clicking Home " Design " Spacing. Otherwise, you can opt to utilize preset sizes ranging from narrow to wide.

7. Change the color palette

By default, your email signature comes in black and white. But you can switch it around if needed. Head back to the same area where you made edits to the spacing, and click Colors. Now, you can either pick a single hue or experiment with thousands of shades. Feel free to play around with various palettes until you arrive at something suitable.

8. Customize the CTA button

CTA stands for Call to Action buttons encourage readers to respond to your email. Since this action takes place outside of the app, it’s important to optimize its visibility. By doing so, you can entice clicks without taking too much attention away from your subject line.

9. Showcase your portfolio

If you’re looking to expand your skillset, embed your previous projects into your email signature. All you need is a tool called Portfoliobox, which allows you to showcase your work in a sleek interface. When clicked on, visitors will be redirected to your portfolio site. Plus, you can filter past jobs according to category, client, date range, etc.

10. Integrate third party software

Signature creation platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact give you the ability to integrate additional features. With Mailchimp, for example, you can highlight special offers, promotions, and discounts. On top of that, you can post job openings, events, articles, newsletters, surveys, etc.

11. Add location data

While not required, embedding GPS coordinates can potentially improve search engine rankings. Just go to Settings " Preferences " Locations. From there, input latitude and longitude values into the corresponding boxes.

12. Link to external sites

Adding hyperlink icons to your email signature gives customers quick access to websites you wish to direct them towards. First, visit the External Links section on the left sidebar. Next, drag and drop URLs onto the page, or enter them individually. Hit Save Changes and repeat steps for as many links as you'd like.

13. Include footer info

At the bottom of every email, you’d normally see a footer containing copyright information, disclaimers, and privacy policies. Like banners, these areas are considered part of your email signature since they’re visible during delivery. Therefore, feel free to edit them however you please. As far as customization goes, you can choose whether to show your logo, tagline, and slogan, or remove them altogether.

14. Embed YouTube Videos

Videos embedded within signatures are ideal for conveying brand identity and promoting products, services, deals, etc. To do this, go to Edit " Video " Upload Your Own Video. Enter desired dimensions, frame rate, video length, and file path. Finally, hit Save Changes and voila!

15. Spellcheck your texts

Even though spellchecking isn’t technically an element of email signatures, it’s definitely an overlooked aspect of professionalism. Whether you’re a writer or someone who uses auto correct regularly, it pays to run your texts through Grammarly after making any necessary adjustments. Besides fixing obvious spelling mistakes, this tool also checks grammar usage and punctuation marks.

16. Keep it short and concise

Since recipients receive countless emails daily, shorter word counts usually perform better. Furthermore, longer signatures require scrolling, which causes eye strain. Be mindful of these factors when crafting your signature.

17. Don't forget to proofread

Nothing screams amateurism quite like typos. Before finalizing your signature, spend five minutes going over your entire email. Look for incorrect capitalization, missing periods, poor sentence structure, bad grammar, and similar errors.

18. Limit attachments