Writing a killer email or a flawless proposal goes beyond the body of the message. The rules of being polite are also related to the greetings, openings, and closings the person decides to use. In a business email, is it better to finish with “Cheers”? Or does it look more professional to write “sincerely”? Read the guide below and discover how best regards is the perfect match for any etiquette in the world of business.
Table of Contents
“Best Regards”: How and When Is it Used?
If anybody is looking for a friendly and polite sign-off or signature for emails, this is their ally. Yet, how is it used? Those who want to discover Best regards meaning should keep on reading the list below.
- Once the sender already knows the receiver. It could be a friend, a colleague, or even a boss, but not a stranger. If they get a closing with “best regards”, it might be rare.
- When texting a provider, that is a long-term relationship. It is advisable to know them for at least 3 months or more.
- After the person already answered. Then, it means that there is some degree of familiarity with the ones who got the email.
- When talking to colleagues who are at the same level.
- Anytime users want their text to sound a bit casual but not too informal.
“Kind Regards” in Use: Some Examples
One may be wondering about the difference between polite signatures and other structures when contacting another person. Well, this one is a bit more polite. And will often show respect for the other person. Let’s see some examples using Kind Regards in writing:
- When reaching out to somebody one doesn’t know. This is a good closure to contact and offer something to a person, such as a service or a product.
- When sending out the first message. Unless the two (or more) persons already know each other, it’s always wise to be polite. In particular, if the other one has not yet answered any email or contacted the other.
- If the sender is about to speak to someone who outranks them, it could be the executive of the same company or of another business, it’s the same.
- In the situation of speaking to an acquaintance of a friend.
- In case the writer does not know how to close the email. Bear in mind that, of course, is not something to use when being familiar with the receiver.
Kind Regards vs. Warm Regards? Let’s Discuss These Closings
The Regards meaning varies a bit, depending on the level of privacy. It all goes down to what goes with the word. There are a couple of combinations that help. And all of them have a different degree of warmth.
For Example:
- Experts often think that Warm regards is a bit more familiar than other similar options. This, of course, has to do with the first term in the expression.
- The same happens with “Kind regards”: it’s not that good for using it in-company to contact colleagues.
- Both of them are almost always reserved for members of the family and friends.
Some Other Ways to Close a Message
In addition to options like Warm regards, there are other closings employees can include in their written communications. Some of them are shorter, others longer. And there are also many degrees. Let’s explore some of them below and how they can help with writing.
1. Best
This is a popular closing salutation. It started as a combination with wishes and ended up being quite shorter. The persons who would like to make it a bit more related to business can add another term. Then, the structure becomes Best regards. Anyhow, this structure can be used in almost any context.
2. Sincerely
This is quite a professional option to sign off. Mostly used by the Brits. Plus, it’s also common in big companies. In case the writer has a small business, or it’s just a freelancer, it might be better to use some other terms. The idea is to get more personal and warm with future or current clients. So, using Kind Regards might help. But it is suitable in certain contexts, for example, when in privacy. Like when applying for a new job and wanting to get an answerback.
3. With Gratitude
This type of greeting is a bit of an issue. Some experts claim that it is great if the person is truly thanking the other. If not, the whole thing might seem to be a bit fake. And the effect, instead of honoring, would be insulting.
4. Regards
This word has two main meanings today. On the one hand, there are some experts who claim this is a lot colder than other types of greetings. So, it might be great to use them in business contexts or correspondence. On the other hand, other people claim it’s a nice way to say goodbye when the relationship is warmer.
5. Respectfully
Ending an email or letter with this type of sign-off is, of course, a sign of respect. But, at times, it can become too much. It’s a good option for those who don’t know each other. Or for future candidates applying for a job at a new company, for instance. In other cases, it may seem a bit off.
6. Thanks
Thanks is the safest option. In particular, when the sender is not sure of what to write. It is still both pleasant and distant. At the same time, it’s quite casual. Meaning these words are good if they know one another.
7. Take care
Another method to close a text but only in cases of familiarity. As an example, a teacher may speak to a student asking him or her why they didn’t go to class that day. In that case, that professor might finish the message writing “take care”, and it would be acceptable. In other contexts, not so much.
8. Cordially
Cordially fits the need for a more personal greeting that is formal at the same time. Similar to best regards, it’s a nice practice to say goodbye to a partner. Or even to a superior if they know each other.
Top 8 Not a Good Idea to Use
Not every closing is useful in every case. And this is particularly true in the corporate world. Where nobody wants to offend their partners or bosses, while some of them are too informal, like “hugs”, others can be too risky. Most of the time, it’s safe to just go for the classic “Best regards”. So, here is a list of things that help when considering what one should not include at the end of their emails.
1. Thanks!
It usually depends on the context. But, often, the exclamation mark can be taken the wrong way. In some cases, persons may interpret it as too excited. On the other hand, let’s imagine the email happened between an employee and a boss. In that exchange, the person with more authority asked the other one to perform a lot of tasks. And then ends with “thanks!”. It looks a bit mocking.
2. Be Well
Though Be well may express concern or respect for other people, it might not be the best option in a corporate context. In case anyone wants to be nice to another person, he or she can write Warm regards. This may look a bit more detached, but at the same time, it’s much more professional.
3. Yours
It can be hard to describe what “yours” means. It belongs to the English-speaking culture and is mostly used by teenagers. This can also be common among friends and lovers who already know each other. A nice alternative for people in the corporate world is Best regards.
4. Love
Love might work in certain contexts, but business isn’t one of them. It could be seen as too confident or even over-sharing. A better way of saying this would be using Kind Regards. Only in the case of colleagues, this would be a good idea. In particular, if they belong to a culture where kissing and hugging are common. Even if they are strangers.
5. Sent From my iPhone
This might be a wise closure. Let’s see why. Imagine the writer came up with a very short text full of typos. Then, the text about the iPhone explains why the message was a bit messy. On the other hand, it’s not that good when it comes to business. As an example, it tells the employees that the person is not at his or her desk, which might not be very serious.
6. Cheers
Only acceptable as long as the writers know each other well. If not, it may come as too casual. Or even disrespectful. When in doubt, try to use Best Wishes or other options that come across as neutral.
7. XOXO
When it comes to professional email endings, this is the worst choice. Xoxo is too informal and casual. No business-standard would accept such a structure. Of course, this is something senders would use with their family and friends. Or in the rare cases when the others already used the term.
8. Your Name Alone
Using one’s name without saying anything else is too abrupt. People are always expecting things to close somehow. That is why there are endless alternatives above. So, it’s wise to avoid using just the name as the last element in the message.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does It Mean to Say Best Regards?
This is an expression, like best wishes, that shows the writer cares about the message he or she just wrote. Or about the receiver. The terms come from the word “regard”, which means respect or esteem. So, if people decide to close their messages using this greeting, they are saying they hold the other one in high esteem. Or just a lot of respect. It’s very common to use it in business or in the education world.
Is Best Regards Formal?
Yes, it is. Yet, just deleting a word from it makes the expression much less formal. Curious, right? Anyhow, Best Regards is one of the most common when trying to show respect to others. Some similar examples include Kind Regards, Yours Truly, and Sincerely. It would not be good to write to them, for instance, when sending a message to a friend or colleague at the same level.
Is Kind Regards Formal?
This is also a greeting to use in a formal setting. It is a bit colder than other types of structures, such as warm regards. But it is a great option to apply when reaching out to individuals not yet known. Or when trying to express one’s respect for the other person, especially in business.
What Is the Difference Between Best Regards and Sincerely?
There is a difference in terms of how formal each one is. Best regards (similar to kind regards) is used, most of the time, when the writer knows the receivers’ name. If not, there exist other manners to address them and show respect in correspondence. One of them is Sincerely. This is at the level of Yours, and it would be kind of old fashioned. But still, it’s a safe approach to ending one’s messages.
How Do You Say Regards?
People can say it that way. Just writing the word alone is enough to be polite. But, at times, some persons might want the sign-off to sound a bit warmer and more personal. In these cases, they can add certain terms and personalize the greeting. Some examples are warm regards, kind regards, and more. Of course, it all comes down to the relationship that exists between the two people.
What Does With Regards Mean?
Well, it is a standard manner to close written communications in the world of business. From a letter to an email, they are suitable in a wide variety of situations. Different varieties of this greeting exist. And most of them consist of adding a new word in front of it. For example, then, it will turn into Kind regards, adding a new layer of meaning to the structure.
How Do You End an Email Politely?
If in doubt of how to end an email, read on this advice. There are plenty of structures from which users can choose when contacting others. These are polite and formal to close an email or even a letter in case it’s needed:
- Best regards
- Kind regards
- The warmest regards
- Yours sincerely
- With gratitude
Keep It Light But Polite
Business etiquette implies a lot of rules. One of them includes constantly being polite. And it may be hard, considering the hundreds of options available. Is it OK to include regards in email? Is it better to just say “cheers”? Well, to make such a decision, the writer should consider his or her relationship with the reader. But there are certain sign-offs that simply won’t cut it in business. Keep them in mind, and don’t lose your professionalism. What about you? How do you close your business emails?
Related Posts
Comments