I received an email today that contained “Thanks, Susan” as the signature.
Thanks, as a closing, and as an exchange wrap up, is overused in business email:
- Do not use “Thank You,” and your name as a signature. Every email you send will not need to convey thanks at the end, so do not automate this.
- If you over-thank, it will soon become meaningless or insincere.
In business, our jobs require that we solve problems. It’s not necessary to thank people for regular work tasks.
At the end of an email exchange, don’t add another email round by thanking someone for doing their job. If thanks is really warranted, make it meaningful. Draft a new email and express brief thanks for the above-the-call-of-duty work, and copy the person’s supervisor.
We’re all deluged with too much email. Save “thank you” for when it really conveys gratitude.
Learn More in This Course: Email Essentials: Productivity and Impact
