[migratory birds]

When in written communication with others via letter or email, what are appropriate closings?

How do you close with a peer/casual acquaintance? A friend who emigrated to NZ closes his emails with "Cheers" but I think of this as a term associated with drinking...

Professional/formal turned friendly-but-less-formal? What started out as a professional contact, we may be peers, let's keep it somewhat formal for now but not too uptight...

Professional-hope-to-get-the-position still formal? The way one might sign off on a CV submitted for consideration and while negotiating contracts early on in the game...

When do you use "Regards"? "Kind Regards"? "Ta"? "Cheers"? Others?

[tigerlily]

Kind Regards seems to be the standard that I get back when I apply for positions.
Best Regards comes up occassionally in the same situation.

[MB]

Good question. I use 'Regards' for most "fairly formal" communications, especially (as Mrs. MB has just pointed out to me) first contacts. An example of this is a work e-mail to a colleague. The first contact can then be followed up with just your first name, or whatever.

My take on "Cheers" is that it can be used in professional situations (I have seen at least one e-mail from, funnily enough, an immigration officer to an applicant, in which it was used as a sign-off) but that it tends to be in contexts when the writer wants to convey reassurance, friendliness or some other polite/professional informality of the sort.

I still use "(Yours) sincerely" and "(Yours) faithfully" for truly formal communications, such as job-application covering letters.

I also sign off e-mails with "Many thanks", or a variation, quite often. I like this if, for example, I am requesting a quote, or in similar situations for which such a sign-off conveys an appropriate spirit of gratitude and goodwill.

And, then, of course, there is perhaps my favorite. This little fella:
:nice1

[Sam B]

I use 'cheers' for friends, and I noticed that everyone here uses 'kind regards' for more formal, so I do now.

[wanderingoregonian]

I'd agree with the above.. I do see 'ta' used quite a bit on the 4th or so email exchange. In other words, the first email in my box might have a question with 'kind regards', then after my reply a follow up email with 'much thanks', if my next email is short and adds a bit of follow up information, I often receive very short emails signed of with Ta or Cheers.

I find myself slowly replacing my standard 'take care' for less formal emails with cheers.

[KerryS]

I'm definitely a 'cheers' person in all my emails at work. IT is quite informal and I think Kind regards is a bit too stiff, but I sometimes use it when communicating with senior management outside the IT sphere.
Best regards just sounds awful.

[Caroline and Dave]

I'm definitely a 'cheers' person in all my emails at work. IT is quite informal and I think Kind regards is a bit too stiff, but I sometimes use it when communicating with senior management outside the IT sphere.
Best regards just sounds awful.

Got me thinking now Kerry.
As you can see most of my posts end with kind or kindest regards. Its something I have always used and have got used to it.
Maybe I should change my ways

Arrivederci

Dave and Caroline

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

I tend to use 'Regards' on formal/work related emails, but 'cheers' on less formal ones.

Might start using 'TTFN' for a while, just to see if it gets a reaction.

On a slight tangent I notice (and approve of) a lot of people starting to add the following into their signature lines on emails:

Consider the environment - Think before you print

Or words to that effect, usually formatted in a tasteful green font

TTFN :D

[ellenmelon]

for work/employment/formalish type emails i usually write 'regards'...ive often gotten a 'cheers' back...if i communicate with them again and i happen to write cheers or something other than 'regards' im not too worried..

personal emails its usually a 'see ya' or more likely 'thanks a million'..even when ive no reason to say thanks.LOL (the latter is thanks to living in ireland :) )