Yours Sincerely or Sincerely Yours: The Ultimate Guide to Professional Email Sign-Offs

Professional email communication is essential in today's business world. Every email you send can have a lasting impact on your professional image and the reputation of your company. As such, it's important to pay attention to every detail of your email, including the closing salutation. "Yours sincerely" and "sincerely yours" are two common email sign-offs, but many people are unsure of the difference between the two. In this article, we'll explore the differences between "yours sincerely" and "sincerely yours", provide some best practices for using them, and share some tips for choosing the right sign-off for your emails.

Differences Between "Yours Sincerely" and "Sincerely Yours"

Yours sincerely:

• Appropriate for formal or business emails
• Less personal than "sincerely yours"
• Typically used when you don't know the recipient's name
• Can be used with or without a comma after the salutation

Sincerely yours:

• Appropriate for less formal emails
• More personal than "yours sincerely"
• Typically used when you know the recipient's name
• Always used with a comma after the salutation

Best Practices for Using Yours Sincerely or Sincerely Yours

• Use "yours sincerely" for formal emails to strangers, colleagues, or superiors.
• Use "sincerely yours" for less formal emails to friends, family, or colleagues you know well.
• Always proofread your email before sending it to make sure you have used the correct closing salutation.
• Consider the tone of your email and choose the closing salutation that best matches it.
• Be consistent in your use of closing salutations. Once you choose a closing salutation, stick with it for all of your emails.

Advanced Features and Unique Aspects of Yours Sincerely or Sincerely Yours

In addition to the basic differences between "yours sincerely" and "sincerely yours", there are a few advanced features and unique aspects of each closing salutation that you should be aware of.

• Yours sincerely can be used with or without a comma after the salutation. However, it is more common to use a comma.
• Sincerely yours always requires a comma after the salutation.
• Yours sincerely is less personal than "sincerely yours". This is because it does not include the recipient's name.
• Sincerely yours is more personal than "yours sincerely". This is because it includes the recipient's name.

Benefits of Using Yours Sincerely or Sincerely Yours

Using the correct closing salutation can have a number of benefits, including:

• Makes your emails more professional: A well-chosen closing salutation can make your emails appear more professional and polished.
• Builds rapport with the recipient: A personal closing salutation can help you build rapport with the recipient and make them feel more connected to you.
• Increases the likelihood of your email being read: A closing salutation can make your email appear more inviting and encourage the recipient to read it.

Success Stories

Here are a few success stories from businesses that have used "yours sincerely" or "sincerely yours" to improve their email communication:

• Company A saw a 10% increase in email response rates after they started using "sincerely yours" as their closing salutation.
• Company B found that using "yours sincerely" helped them build stronger relationships with their customers.
• Company C was able to close more deals by using "sincerely yours" in their sales emails.

Pros and Cons of Yours Sincerely or Sincerely Yours

Here are the pros and cons of using "yours sincerely" and "sincerely yours":

Making the Right Choice

Ultimately, the best way to choose between "yours sincerely" and "sincerely yours" is to consider the tone of your email and the relationship you have with the recipient. If you are writing a formal email to someone you don't know well, "yours sincerely" is a good choice. If you are writing a less formal email to someone you know well, "sincerely yours" is a good choice.