21 february 2024, 07:02
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Email is the most popular communication medium in the workplace. Knowing how to write good emails is a vital skill that will help your corporate trajectory. It highlights your professionalism, attention to detail, and respect for your colleagues.
In this article, we’ll show you how to end an email in a professional manner and offer good examples you can use. You’ll learn how to write excellent email sign-offs.
What are email sign-offs?
An email sign-off refers to the text you use to end your email. It is the final section of an email, usually a short phrase followed by the sender’s name and signature, e.g., “Cheers, [Name], [Signature].” The sign-off comes after the last line of text and indicates the end of the email.
What should email sign-offs include?
Email sign-offs usually include:
- A farewell phrase
- The sender’s name
- Contact information for the recipient
- Signature
The farewell phrase is the salutation you use to end your email, e.g., “Cheers”, “Yours faithfully”, “With respect”, etc.
After the farewell phrase comes your name and contact information, to allow the recipient to get in touch via other means if needed. You can use a preset email signature that already has your name and contact details.
Email sign-off types
There are two main types of email sign-offs: General and Personalized. General sign-offs work for a broad range of recipients, while personalized sign-offs are aimed at the specific recipient.
General email sign-offs
General sign-offs are short statements that don't address anything specific to the recipient. You can comfortably use it for any recipient. Examples include:
- My Regards
- Cheers
- Thank you for your time
Personalized email sign-offs
Personalized sign-offs incorporate information specific to the sender's relationship with the recipient. In professional settings, personalized email sign-offs are a better choice than generalized sign-offs.
Examples of personalized sign-offs include:
- Thank you for speaking with me
- I look forward to this collaborative project
- Thank you for your advice
Tips for ending emails professionally
Below, we’ll discuss email sign-offs for different cases.
Formal email sign-offs
Yours Sincerely |
This is a popular sign-off that ends a professional email on a friendly note. |
My Regards |
This email sign-off sends a friendly and appreciative message to the recipient. |
Thanks |
A simple email sign-off that works for both formal and informal settings. |
Informal email sign-offs
| Cheers | A friendly sign-off to end an email. It can also work in formal settings. |
| Take care | An email sign-off that expresses concern and goodwill for the recipient. |
| Talk soon | A friendly, informal email sign-off for a recipient you plan to continue conversing with. |
Email sign-offs for requests
| Thank you | This email sign-off is simple and precise, showing appreciation for the recipient. |
| With thanks and appreciation | Another short and precise way of showing appreciation for the email recipient. |
Email sign-offs for casual talk
| Catch you later | A casual way of letting the email recipient know that you plan to talk to them later. |
| Keep me posted | An informal way of telling the email recipient to keep you updated about the relevant issue. |
| Best | A one-word sign-off giving good wishes to the email recipient. |
Good email sign-off examples
Let’s see some examples of good email sign-offs in various cases:
A job application
Thanks for your time and consideration. I look forward to your feedback.
My Regards,
John Doe
111-111-111/JohnDoe@email.com
The above sign-off is formal and personalized, ideal for an email sent for a job application.
After a phone interview
I've attached a link to my graphic design portfolio. Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Best wishes,
John Doe
111-111-111/JohnDoe@email.com
The above sign-off fits an email sent after a hypothetical phone interview for a graphic design job. It lets the interviewer know that the sender has included a link to their portfolio (which the interviewer presumably asked for during the interview) and that they can ask any further questions.
A response to a meeting request
I look forward to meeting with you next Thursday.
With thanks,
John Doe
Chief Executive Officer
111-111-111/JohnDoe@email.com
The above sign-off is ideal for an email responding to a meeting request. In this example, the chief executive officer receives a meeting request, acknowledges it, and tells the sender that he looks forward to their meeting.
After completing a job interview
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I look forward to your feedback and taking the next required steps.
Regards,
Jane Doe
111-111-111/JaneDoe@email.com
In the above example, Jane Doe has completed a job interview and is thanking the interviewer for taking the time to speak with her. The sign-off is a perfect place to remind that the applicant is awaiting their feedback.
Accepting a job offer
I look forward to learning more about the company and taking the next steps.
Regards,
Jane Doe
111-111-111/JaneDoe@email.com
In the above example, Jane Doe has accepted a job offer from the company. She talks about looking forward to learning about the company she’s about to join and taking the next steps to get onboarded. This sign-off ends the email on a high note for the sender and recipient.
Email sign-offs to avoid
We’ve shown you good examples of email sign-offs. It’s also important to note the things you should avoid in your letters. They include:
Emojis
Emojis are a bad way to sign off emails, especially professional ones. It makes you look frivolous and can leave a bad impression on the recipient. You might think adding a smiling emoji shows warmth, but the truth is far from it. Emojis might create a negative impression about the sender, so you should avoid them.
Multiple color fonts
Don’t use multiple color fonts in your email sign-offs, regardless of how artsy you want to look. Multiple colors look too bright and distracting. They look messy to the recipient and might leave a wrong impression about the sender.
Abbreviations
Don't use abbreviations like "Thx," See ya L8r," "BRB," "Rgrds," etc. Email is not SMS. Abbreviations in email sign-offs make you appear lazy and unprofessional. Besides, the recipient might not understand the abbreviations and end up confused. Always type your words in full.
Overt emotion
Avoid appearing too emotional with your email sign-offs. Don't use affectionate sign-offs like "Love," "Xoxo," "Hugs," etc., especially in professional emails. These sign-offs are suitable for close friends, family members, and partners but not for corporate settings.
“Hope that makes sense”
This sign-off may seem innocent, but it carries some negative connotations. It makes the sender look unconfident about what they’re saying. It also feels insulting to the recipient and makes them unwilling to ask more questions. It’s a dismissive way to end an email, so you should avoid using it as an email sender.
No sign-off
It’s worth mentioning that you shouldn’t write an email without signing off, especially in corporate settings. Including a sign-off is a good email etiquette to abide by.
Understandably, people occasionally forget to sign off an email. To solve this problem, you can create a permanent email signature that includes your desired sign-off. This way, you don’t have to type it repeatedly; it gets automatically included at the bottom of your emails.
From
Including a “From [Your Name]” as an email sign-off is redundant. The recipient already knows about the sender from the beginning of the email, so there’s no need to include this information again.
Conclusion
Knowing how to end an email helps a lot in both business and personal life. It’s a seemingly trivial yet important skill that enables you to communicate clearly. We have explained email sign-offs and provided tips for using the best ones for different situations. Follow our tips, and you’ll likely communicate seamlessly with your friends, family, and colleagues via email.
