As a business owner or entrepreneur, you have many touchpoints with potential customers, business partners, and investors. Communication skills and tone play a large role in how you and your brand are perceived.
Think about the common etiquette you use in everyday, in-person interactions. Depending on the context, you might aim for a casual tone or a more formal approach to business communications. This common-sense approach can also inform your emails. A well-crafted email closing can make all the difference, whether you’re building rapport with customers or hoping to make a great first impression with a potential supplier.
Learn how to end an email effectively, from a simple sign-off to a call to action that drives results.
Why do email sign-offs matter?
Professional email sign-offs round out the tone of your message and leave the recipient with a positive impression. Ending an email professionally can mean wishing the recipient the best, expressing gratitude, providing your contact details for an easy follow-up, or simply using a kind word to show respect. The right sign-off can create a positive perception of you and your brand. If you send an overtly professional email, your sign-off can humanize your message and add a more personal touch.
How to end a professional email
To end an email professionally, there are many options for a formal sign-off. The best one will also depend on the type of email you’re sending. Whether emailing colleagues or extending a job offer to the perfect candidate, closing a formal letter or casual email with the ideal sign-off will conclude the email’s tone.
These no-nonsense words are safe choices to keep in your tool kit for choosing the proper email sign-off for most professional situations:
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Sincerely
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Respectfully
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Thank you
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Regards
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Kind regards
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Best
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Best regards
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Warmly
How not to end a professional email
Just as an appropriate sign-off can leave a positive lasting impression, choosing the wrong sign-off can distract from the intended message. For formal business, it’s not appropriate to use a casual goodbye or colloquial salutation such as “Cheers” to sign off an email.
Of course, you’ll need to use your best judgment to choose a sign-off based on your relationship with the email recipient, but to play it safe, steer clear of these sign-offs for formal business communications:
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Cheers
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Take care
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Yours truly
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Have a great day
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Have a good one
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Talk soon
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Talk to you later
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Best wishes
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Stay awesome
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Hope that makes sense
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Thanks in advance
“Thanks in advance” should be avoided in some circumstances because it can be read as presumptuous—thanking someone for their help before they have agreed to be of assistance might not be the right tone for your message.
6 examples of how to end an email
- Networking
- Meeting follow-up
- Product sourcing
- Investor communications
- Collaboration request
- Phone screening
Your email sign-off might include more than a one-word ending salutation. Oftentimes, a closing phrase can help summarize your message to conclude your email and add a personal touch.
Here are some common scenarios when you might be overthinking how to end your email, with templates that follow best practices. Tailor and personalize these templates to get the best response from your email recipient:
1. Networking
It was great meeting you, and I hope to stay in touch.
Best,
[Your name]
2. Meeting follow-up
Please let me know if there are any additional questions I can answer.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
[Your name]
3. Product sourcing
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to trying the products from [brand name] and sharing them with my customers.
Best,
[Your name]
4. Investor communications
If you think [company name] would be a good fit, please let me know. I can also connect you with our [technical/sales/product development team] if you have any specific questions.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
[Your name]
5. Collaboration request
If you’d like to know more about how [your product or service] works, please get in touch!
Thank you,
[Your name] from [Your company name]
6. Phone screening
Please let me know if there are any additional questions I can answer.
We will be in touch soon with the next steps.
Best,
[Your name]
Tips on how to end an email
- Tailor the sign-off to your email recipient
- Include relevant contact information
- Create a branded email signature
Writing professional communications will become second nature with some practice. Mastering the art of ending an email tactfully in any situation is a crucial part of business communication. The tips will help you navigate how to customize your email closing on a case-by-case basis:
Tailor the sign-off to your email recipient
You know your brand and your audience best. Use your best judgment on the level of formality that is appropriate for your email correspondence based on the nature of the relationship with the recipient and the context of your message. Adjusting your email closing based on your familiarity with the recipient and the purpose of your message shows attention to detail and helps build rapport.
Include relevant contact information
Below your name, include any relevant contact information or company details that the email recipient might need for their follow-up actions. This can include:
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Job title
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Phone number
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Office location
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Website
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LinkedIn or other professional social media accounts
Create a branded email signature
An email signature is a helpful branding tool for professional communication. It’s often the last thing an email recipient reads, so it’s an opportunity to reinforce your identity—especially if you include your brand logo.
Keep your branded email signature clear and concise. Avoid excessive verbiage or ornamentation that could distract from your messages. An email signature that aligns with your brand’s font and color palette will create brand consistency. A well-designed email signature adds a polished and professional touch to your correspondence but also strengthens your brand’s presence and recognition.
How to end an email FAQ
How do you politely end an email?
To politely end an email, express gratitude for the recipient's time and attention, creating a cohesive tone of positivity throughout the message. Whether discussing the next steps in a business email or writing an informal message in a personal email, a clear and respectful sign-off can help leave a good impression. Choose a tone that aligns with your relationship with the recipient to encourage a response. For example, this can range from “Kind regards” to “I look forward to hearing from you soon.”
What is a nice email sign-off?
A nice email sign-off will vary based on the tone and context of your message and the recipient. For a more formal email, “Sincerely” or “Best wishes” can be a kind sign-off while conveying professionalism and respect. "Warm regards" offers a friendly yet respectful closing phrase for a warmer tone.
How do you end a strongly worded email?
To conclude a strongly worded email, use an appropriate sign-off that maintains a professional tone. For a more formal approach, “Sincerely” signals your respect and consideration for the recipient. If you wish to keep the door open for further discussion or if there are follow-up steps discussed in the body of your email, you can use “Looking forward to hearing from you.”
