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How should you sign-off your email?

Your brand – the opinion people have of your company – is determined by everything you say and everything you do. So how should you and your team sign-off your email?

A recent survey attracted a lot of interest. It was exploring opinions on the language used in emails. Apparently “Yours sincerely” is considered too formal for use in email by the younger generation in the work place.

From a brand perspective, this throws up some interesting questions. Every communication you send to clients or customers is part of your brand. Each email has the potential to influence their opinion of your company.

So how do you want your company to address your customers?

And how much control do you have over it?

97 per cent of 18-24 year olds want to show their personality through office interactions.

But should they be responsible for determining how your company addresses customers?

My simple answer: “No”.

However, it is more complex than that.

It’s not black and white.

The reality is that what’s “right” will vary from company to company.

You need to consider your company culture. Your customers. Your market position.

We can make some assumptions…

What we might consider “serious” companies – like lawyers or accountants – might want to sound more formal.

And consumer-facing companies might want to sound more informal.

But there will always be exceptions to those “rules”.

And the strength of your brand is creating opportunities for you to stand out from competitors and find ways to look and sound different. (Breaking those rules.)

So the rule is… make your own rules.

In every company, someone should be responsible for monitoring your brand and the image you project. Someone should have the role of brand custodian – with the authority to determine what’s right and wrong.

But to do this, there needs to be a clear set of guidelines in place.

You need a set of rules.

This process – creating and following rules – is called brand management.

It’s the active review, analysis and development of the experience you deliver to your customers.

It’s brand management that is the secret of long-term success.

Delivering a consistent experience to your customers.

Every week. Every day. Every email.

So, with that in mind, how should your company sign-off your emails?

OUR SERVICES: HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

BRAND STRATEGY

A clear brand strategy will create a competitive advantage for your business, and make it easier to win new customers. This is because it brings focus to your business, so you can identify what’s most important and make the best use of your resources.

BRAND IDENTITY

Your brand identity will help you to raise your profile and stand out from your rivals in a competitive environment. We’ll work with you to create a strong brand identity that is distinctive and memorable, so you can make an impact, in print and on screen.

BRAND MANAGEMENT

Strong brand management will drive your business success more efficiently and effectively. It is the process of building a relationship with your customers, by managing the quality of their experience, through every interaction people have with your organisation.