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Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

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Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#21

Post by toss1 »

bluedino wrote: post #8

Nothing worse than seeing "thanks, John" at the end of an email because it's a signature that's auto applied. And it stands out because the font/size/color don't match the body of the email

Excellent point, and something to avoid!

Not sure about other email clients, bit it is definitely possible in Thunderbird to set it up so the "Thanks/Regards/Best/whatever" is in the same font, style, etc. as the body and the rest of the sig is in a different font (that's my standard setup; compose it in TBird, save it out, extract, set as sig file, maybe tweak the HTML a bit).

Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#22

Post by vimy »

forgingahead wrote: post #15

In the early days of email I would write to a lot of family members who were far away and were also connected to this new gizmo called "the internet". I of course would always sign off with "Love, NAME" as we're family. That muscle memory would randomly kick in at inconvenient times when I started using it for professional correspondence. Nobody said anything, but I can imagine the cocked eyebrows of someone receivin…

The CBInsights newsletter always ends with “I love you. Anand”

https://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=0c60818e26ecdbe423a10ad2...

Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#23

Post by ineedasername »

civilized wrote: post #7

I hate it when people use thanks for everything . What, you're thanking me for reading the email announcing the re-org? It reads as mindless and weird. I'm a "best" guy. It's never inappropriate. Whether I'm promoting you, firing you, reporting up on progress or problems, "best" always works. (I'm not saying it's the best closer in all situations, but if you hate thinking about closers, it's the best generic choice.…

"Best" what?

These things may be somewhat culturally determined (including office/corporate culture). To me, "best" reads as mindless as any other.

In fact, they all read as mindless to me, probably because in most cases they literally are mindless. You choose one and write it automatically in nearly every message.

That's not to say they're useless. Politeness in social interactions is filled with formulaic, almost ritualistics niceties. I just don't think there's all that much difference in meaning between these common formulaic responses.

Take care,

Another Internet Rando

Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#24

Post by happytoexplain »

LeoPanthera wrote: post #17
suchow wrote: post #5

This is an excellent example of why inferring causation from an observed correlation requires great care. Note that the study did not randomly assign valedictions to emails and observe the causal impact on response rate. Rather, they observed a correlation between the sign-off chosen and the response rate. "Thanks" garners many responses because people use it in emails that make reasonable requests with a good chance…

"&c" is the archaic form of "etc", the ampersand being a ligature of "et" - Latin for "and". As far as I can tell the "&c." version was popularized by the 1944 novel "Anna and the King of Siam". So it literally means "I am, etc.", which I assume only expands to "I am your humble and obedient servant" in a humorous way. Might be taken the wrong way.

I think humorously is the intended way for it to be taken. But not disrespectfully.

Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#25

Post by happytoexplain »

ineedasername wrote: post #10
suchow wrote: post #5

This is an excellent example of why inferring causation from an observed correlation requires great care. Note that the study did not randomly assign valedictions to emails and observe the causal impact on response rate. Rather, they observed a correlation between the sign-off chosen and the response rate. "Thanks" garners many responses because people use it in emails that make reasonable requests with a good chance…

>"I am, &c.," I've never heard that before, is it cultural/regional? (Compared to US)

I've only seen it from Americans, actually (though I am one, so not much evidence that it is strictly American).

Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#26

Post by pottertheotter »

_nickwhite wrote: post #9

“Thanks” has become such a disingenuous generic ending on e-mails that I’ve stopped using it altogether. And it hasn’t seemed to reduce my replies or cause people to think I’m “not nice.” I end every single e-mail with “-NW” and if I want to say “thanks” I do it in a real way in the body of the message.

The worst for me was when I worked in investment banking and senior bankers would end emails with “Thx”.

Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#28

Post by nmfisher »

pottertheotter wrote: post #18
WORMS_EAT_WORMS wrote: post #6

Me, when I started my career: Dear Bobby, Thank you for your email and response. I appreciate your prompt reply as always. Following the meeting with Jane at 2:00 P.M. PST, it is of my professional opinion that we… … Let me know when you get a chance for your thoughts and again appreciate your time. Thanks, Me — Me, today: Bob - Yes! Let’s rock and roll. Talk soon.

I always laugh a little when I get emails from someone still in college. They are so formal, even after I reply in a less formal manner. I don’t blame them as I did the same thing.

I think I'd cringe if someone showed me the first e-mails I sent when I was fresh out of university.

Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#29

Post by noduerme »

pottertheotter wrote: post #18
WORMS_EAT_WORMS wrote: post #6

Me, when I started my career: Dear Bobby, Thank you for your email and response. I appreciate your prompt reply as always. Following the meeting with Jane at 2:00 P.M. PST, it is of my professional opinion that we… … Let me know when you get a chance for your thoughts and again appreciate your time. Thanks, Me — Me, today: Bob - Yes! Let’s rock and roll. Talk soon.

I always laugh a little when I get emails from someone still in college. They are so formal, even after I reply in a less formal manner. I don’t blame them as I did the same thing.

I'm still pretty formal with new clients. It takes me years to leave out a valediction with some. But on the other hand, my favorite valediction is usually "Cheers," since it seems the most casual and least demanding. Still, I always worry this gives away the fact that I'm an alcoholic.

My runner up is "Yours," which I see didn't make the list.

Re: Closing email with “thanks” gets the most replies

#30

Post by variaga »

civilized wrote: post #19
nuclearnice1 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why does thanks read as “mindless and insincere” but best “always works?” Superficially, they seem about the same. Yours, &c., nuclearnice

Because thanking someone means you're grateful for something they did or that you'll hope they'll do. It doesn't really apply to every email. In contrast, expressing best wishes always makes sense unless you hate the recipient's guts and want them to know it. Thanks, civilized (See? It makes no sense.)

Every message you send is implicitly requesting something though - the time and attention of the person reading it.

Time is one of the most precious commodities we have - it seems appropriate to thank people for spending it on you.

Thanks, variaga

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