An email sign-off, positioned at the end of an email, typically consists of a brief word or phrase followed by your name and professional signature. It follows the closing line of the email.
Email sign-offs are integral to various types of emails, particularly in business communication. They provide closure to the message, conveying politeness and professionalism — you wouldn’t end a real-life conversation by disappearing into thin air. Consistent and appropriate sign-offs help to maintain a professional image and build rapport over time. So, employing a suitable email sign-off is considered good email etiquette, and may help set the tone for conversation and leave a positive impression on the recipient.
Your email sign-off should reflect the general tone of your message, and it’s important to keep your intended audience in mind.
The appropriate way to end your email depends on your role in the company hierarchy (there’s a difference on how you address your boss and how you address your colleagues), your relationship with the individual you’re emailing, and the purpose of your communication. Additionally, make sure that the tone of your sign-off matches that of your greeting.
Formal emails are used for professional correspondence, like job applications or arranging meetings. Informal emails, on the other hand, are appropriate for communicating with colleagues or acquaintances. Formal emails generally employ professional language, whereas more casual emails may incorporate idioms. When ending an email on behalf of your brand, it’s best to stick to the tone you were using throughout all channels of your communication.
This is a professional email:
Here are two examples of a marketing email featuring a sign-off:
Consider adding the following to your email signature:
The email closing line, also known as the email sign-off or email closing, is the phrase or sentence that comes immediately before your name and any professional signature in an email. It serves as a courteous and formal way to conclude your message. You can find examples of professional and casual closing lines later in the article.
It is usually a good idea to include your full name in your email sign-off when emailing an individual. Using just your first name is only appropriate if the recipient is a friend or a colleague.
If you are sending out a marketing email on behalf of your company, you may want to use your company name instead.
Make sure to add your present job title and the name of your company, particularly when communicating with individuals outside of your organization.
You may wish to include your phone number, your address, your website URL and your email address in the contact info section. If you have professional social media accounts, it’s a good idea to link to those also.
Here is an example of a professional email sign-off that includes all of the above:
In this section, we’ll cover a few examples of closing lines for all occasions.
If in doubt about the kind of closing line you should use, remember that leaning towards more professional phrases is always a good idea.
If you are writing a personal professional email, consider closing lines such as
Additionally, consider the following:
If you would like your recipient to engage with the content of your message, or if you are writing a marketing email, including a CTA (call-to-action) could help you achieve your goals.
Consider adding phrases such as “I am looking forward to hearing from you” to prompt a response. Use positive language to entice your recipient to engage, for example, “We’d love to hear from you,” or “Join our community for exclusive updates.”
In a business email, a CTA could include promotional or sales offers in the form of a link or banner.
Casual email closing lines may include phrases such as
Other phrases that may be appropriate for a less formal email include:
Additionally, holiday greetings could also serve as a casual yet impersonal closing phrase in a marketing email.
Now that we have explored the best ways to end an email, let’s consider things you should avoid doing if you want your email to sound polished and professional.
Sign-offs featuring the word “yours,” such as “yours sincerely,” used to be very popular, but are now considered to be old-fashioned.
“Take care” may be appropriate to use when ending an email to someone you have a warm relationship with, but it’s best to avoid it when emailing a stranger.
The word “Respectfully” is much too formal even for the most professional emails — consider using it only when emailing someone who is in a high position of authority.
Try to avoid using abbreviations such as “Thx,” “TTYL,” and “Rgrds” as this may come across as lazy and overly colloquial.
Emotional sign-offs like “Love” are not appropriate in the workplace and should be reserved for emailing your close friends and family.
Text message vernacular, such as “xxx” and “xoxo,” is also inappropriate to use in professional emails. In addition to that, bear in mind that your recipient might not understand what it means!
As we discussed already, it’s best to use your full name in a professional email. The use of just your first name or your initial is only appropriate when emailing someone you know, or in an email chain.
Not using a closing line is potentially even worse than concluding an email with “Thx” or “Love.” It may be misinterpreted as abrupt or even rude!
My personal pet peeve is the ubiquitous “Sent from my iPhone” automatic signature on iOS — it may give the impression that the author composed the email in a rush, or may come across as bragging and showing off.
There are many options you could choose for your email sign-off. To summarize,
Do:
Don’t:
