When communicating in the professional world, how we say things matters as much as the things we say.
You might see email closings as a simple formality—a couple of sentences at the bottom of an email.
While it’s true that email endings don’t add a huge amount of extra information, their presence in a business email is mandatory.
Think about the experience of someone reading an email without a closing. It’s as if they’re strolling down a smooth path. Then, suddenly, the path ends, leaving them at the edge of a cliff. It’s not a great feeling. A brusque ending with no clear farewell can negatively impact how readers perceive your email.
When communicating in the professional world, how we say things matters as much as the things we say. Not paying attention to your email sign-off could give the impression you’re careless and leave your reader wondering if you can be trusted in a business context.
If you are lost when it comes to which ending best suits your business email, this article covers how to sign off an email (how to close an email) professionally so you can hit Send with confidence.
Why email closings are important
The ability to communicate effectively is a crucial skill in any work environment. Good communication leads to better relationships; in the professional world, relationships build careers.
Using the right etiquette in your email closing brings subtle but major benefits, such as clearer communication. You’ll be seen as professional and trustworthy, someone who understands business rules. It’s a chance to be professional, kind, and positive.
Not following the right customs when ending a professional email has disadvantages. You risk presenting yourself as incompetent, sending an unclear message, or even damaging potential business relationships.
Let’s look at how to end an email professionally.
Using the right tone when ending business emails
The overall tone of your email determines what your sign-off looks like.
A way to nail your email’s tone is to think about who you’re writing to. For example, if you’re writing an email to a colleague you know well, it makes sense to sign off with a friendly “Good luck on your presentation. You’ll do great! Take care.” Now, that wouldn’t exactly work if your recipient is a potential customer you’re contacting for the first time.
Being business-appropriate doesn’t mean you can’t be conversational or use simple language. Remember, it’s a person at the other end of the line, and a clear, respectful, friendly tone will always be better than one that is full of jargon or contains many formalities; really formal email closings, such as“Yours Faithfully” are hardly ever used in a business context these days!
How to sign off an email professionally
You’re done with an email. It’s clear and respectful, and you’ve added the actions your reader needs to take. Now you need to ensure that the last line in your email makes the recipient want to get back to you. It’s the cherry on top of the sundae.
Here are four things to consider before hitting send. In other words, learn a good ways to end an email:
1.Know your audience
You probably don’t speak to a family member the same way you would with a potential customer you’ve never met. The same logic applies to your email ending.
The email’s audience determines your email ending’s tone and how formal or informal it’ll be.
Use formal language with people you don’t know well, managers, colleagues, or customers with whom you have a business relationship. Use professional language, employ a clear structure, and be polite and respectful when writing formal emails.
Reserve informal language for interactions with friends or family members, or colleagues you have a more relaxed relationship with. The structure here doesn’t need to be as rigid, and you can use more casual language.
💡 Email closing examples:
- Talk later
- Thx
- See ya
These are examples of informal email endings reserved for casual settings.
It’s a good idea to keep your closings respectful and professional as long as you’re in a business setting.
2. Use a professional email closing phrase
Closing phrases are a regular occurrence in most business emails.
A professional email sign-off phrase is a short sentence that you use before formally ending your email. You’re preparing your reader for the end of the message. Closing phrases commonly express gratitude, send well wishes, or simply say goodbye.
They are a great way to end a business email gracefully, adding a final touch just before the very last sentence.
💡 Here are a few ways to end a formal email in a business context. See professional ways to end an email:
- Looking forward to meeting you.
- Have a great day.
- Let me know if you have any questions.
- Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need additional help.
- You’ve done a fantastic job, keep it up!
- Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
- Looking forward to hearing from you.
- Thank you for the productive session.
- Thank you for your time.
- I appreciate all your help.
- Thank you for all the information you’ve provided.
- Good luck with your presentation tomorrow.
- I hope your presentation goes well.
- Thanks again for the reminder.
- Thank you again for the follow-up.
- I’d be happy to jump on a call if you have additional questions.
- I look forward to learning about the next steps of the interview process.
- I’ll be in touch about next steps next week.
- Please let me know if you have any questions.
- Let me know how I can help during the process.
- Please let me know if you need to reschedule.
- Please let me know if that sounds okay to you.
- If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
- Please let me know if there is anything else we can help you with in the meantime.
- Please let me know what works best.
- Please let us know if you have further questions.
3. Sign-offs: stick to the classics
When it comes to sign-off lines, there’s no need to be original. The business world relies on customs to operate, and email endings are no exception.
The following email sign-offs are all good ways to end a business email. Simply select the one that fits with your audience and your overall message.
💡 Learn on how to sign-off an email professionally. Best closings for email:
- Warm regards
- Best
- Kindly
- Thank you
- Best regards
- Thanks
- Regards
- Thanks in advance
- Best wishes
- Wishing you all the best
- Take care
- All the best
- Stay in touch
4. Include an email signature
Your email signature serves as your digital business card, allowing you to present yourself to the outside world. It comes right under the sign-off.
💡The basics of a business email signature should include following elements. Learn how to how to sign an email professionally:
- Full name
- Job title
- Company name, including a hyperlink to the website
- Additional contact information, such as phone number
- If relevant, include graphics such as your company’s logo
- You might want to include links to your Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook accounts, depending on whether you use them to promote your brand
Beyond promoting your personal brand, you can also use signatures to collect customer feedback by embedding an in-signature survey to your email signature. For a clutter free professional link, share a digital business card and add all the details including the survey link as your email signature. You can choose the best digital business card software to create one.
5. Proofread your email ending
Typos in an email can indicate a lack of professionalism at worst (and sloppiness at best). Don’t let a simple typo at the end of your email (“Wishing you all the rest” is not exactly the best) spoil an otherwise great-looking business email.
Pay special attention to repetitive sentences, apostrophes, misspellings, capitalization, and other details that will make your email look polished. It’s also a good idea to use a spelling and grammar check while you write.
Start your day
with great
quality
content
How to end an email professionally: examples
The language, structure, and tone you’ll use in a business email depends on your goal. Your email closing is no different—it’ll change based on what you’re trying to achieve. Ending a support email to a customer is different from concluding an email sent to a long-time colleague you’ve known for many years.
Here are five professional email situations and how to best sign them off:
1. Applying for a job or following up on an interview
Thank you for taking the time to review my resume. I’m looking forward to speaking next week.
Best regards,
[Full Name]
Thank you again for sharing this opportunity! I’ve attached my resume. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best regards,
[Full Name]
I appreciate you taking the time to review my resume. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.
Best wishes,
[Full Name]
Thank you for your time today. It was great meeting you. Please let me know if you have any more questions.
Warm regards,
[Full Name]
Thank you so much for the follow-up. I’m looking forward to meeting you.
Best,
[Full Name]
2. Asking for help or a favor
Thank you in advance for your help and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions. I’d be happy to jump on a call to talk it over.
Best,
[Full Name]
______________
I appreciate your support on this matter. Please let me know if I can be of any help to complete this task.
Thank you,
[Full Name]
______________
I’d love to know your thoughts. Please let me know if you have time for a quick call to talk it over.
Best,
[Full Name]
______________
Any assistance you could give would be greatly appreciated. Let me know if I can be of any help during the process.
Thank you,
[Full Name]
3. Accepting a job or writing a team intro email
I am very excited for the opportunity, and I can’t wait to meet you in person.
Best,
[Full Name]
Thank you so much for the opportunity! I’m looking forward to meeting you in person next week.
Cheers,
[Full Name]
4. Saying thank you
I really value your contributions to developing the new feature. It wouldn’t have been the same without you! Thank you.
Warm regards,
[Full Name]
I’m so grateful for your help, and I hope our paths cross again in the future.
Warm wishes,
[Full Name]
Thank you so much for all your help. I really appreciate how you went out of your way to get things done.
Best,
[Full Name]
Thank you so much for all your feedback so far. Your input is valuable and will shape the future of [company], so again, thank you.
Best,
[Full Name]
I appreciate you taking the time to tell us your thoughts. Don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything else you’d like to share.
Best regards,
[Full Name]
5. Asking for information
Thank you in advance for the information. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Best regards,
[Full Name]
______________
If you ever have any questions or want to share more, feel free to contact me. We’re always happy to hear from you!
Best,
[Full Name]
______________
Please review the above and let me know if you have any questions or comments by EOD tomorrow. Thank you in advance!
Best,
[Full Name]
______________
Thanks in advance for the update. Have a great day!
Best,
[Full Name]
Email endings: from draft to sent
Every single time you hit Send and your email reaches your reader’s inbox, you’re making an impression. The sum of all your interactions with a given customer or colleague adds up—it shapes their perception of you.
Care about your email’s content up to the last word, and you’ll come across as competent while guaranteeing smooth communication. Think about who you’re communicating with first, add a tested-and-proven closing phrase, include a professional-looking signature, and use a respectful tone and appropriate formatting. Lastly, don’t forget to proofread your email.
Now you’re ready to move that email from Drafts to Sent!