Picture this: you’ve crafted what you think is the perfect email to a prospect. Your value proposition is crisp. Your call-to-action is clear. You hit send feeling good about it. Days pass. No response. You start second-guessing everything.
But here’s what you might not have considered: maybe it wasn’t your offer or your timing that fell flat. Maybe it was those last few words before your signature. Sounds dramatic? It’s not. The closing line of your email does more heavy lifting than you’d expect.
A forgettable sign-off can drain the energy from an otherwise powerful message. Sure, the gap between “Best” and “I’d love to hear your thoughts” seems small. But that small difference often decides whether you’ll actually get that reply.
Why Your Email Sign-Off Matters
Cold emails pull an open rate somewhere between 14-23%.Think about that. You’ve already won half the battle just getting someone to open your message. Why would you stumble at the very end?
Every sign-off broadcasts something about you, whether you intend it or not. “Regards” can be read as impersonal or even cold. “Cheers” might come off as inappropriately breezy depending on who’s reading. You’re making a choice between warmth and distance, between authority and approachability.
Tools exist that help you track which closings get better responses. For instance, offering email verification and deliverability insights that reveal patterns in how people engage with your messages. The closing you pick tells people how you view the relationship. It sets the stage for what comes next.
Essential Factors to Consider Before Choosing Your Email Closing
Don’t just default to whatever you used last time. Pause and think about these variables before you sign off.
Relationship Dynamics and Professional Hierarchy
Are you writing to someone for the first time? That demands different professional email closings than what you’d use with a colleague you’ve known for three years. Emailing your CEO? That’s a different ball game than pinging your peer on another team.
When exploring the most reliable ways to close an email, “Warm regards” adds a human touch without getting too informal, making it perfect for relationship development.
Industry and Company Culture Assessment
A fintech startup operates differently from a corporate law office. Creative agencies embrace casual communication; accounting firms generally don’t. Even within progressive industries, individual companies have their own cultures. Some are buttoned-up despite being in tech. Others are laid-back even in traditionally conservative fields.
Watch how people in your sector close their emails. You’ll pick up on unwritten rules pretty quickly.
Email Purpose and Desired Outcome
What outcome are you chasing? If you’re asking for something, your closing should encourage action. If you’re expressing gratitude, it should feel warm. Navigating a tricky conversation? Choose words carefully.
Don’t mismatch your closing with your goal. Ending a sales email with “Take care” when you need commitment is like running a marathon and stopping ten feet before the finish line.
Best Email Sign Offs: Complete Category Breakdown
Enough theory. Let’s get into what actually works in real situations.
Professional Email Closings for Formal Business Communication
“Sincerely” is the old faithfulness of business correspondence. Job applications, legal correspondence, first-time contact with executives—this is your go-to. “Respectfully” works when you’re addressing someone with significant authority or dealing with sensitive matters.
“Best regards” and “Kind regards” sit slightly warmer on the spectrum while keeping things professional. These are your safety nets when you’re genuinely unsure what tone to strike.
Semi-Professional Ways to End an Email
“Best” has become the Swiss Army knife of modern business emails. It’s brief, it works in most contexts, and it doesn’t feel stuffy or too casual. “Thank you” or “Thanks” perform beautifully when you’re asking someone for their time or acknowledging help they’ve given you. Research actually shows that personalizing emails can double your reply rate, so combining these with specific acknowledgments makes them even more powerful.
Friendly Yet Professional Email Closing Phrases
“All the best” occupies that sweet zone between cordial and professional. “Looking forward to hearing from you” signals you expect (and want) a response—good for follow-ups. “Have a great weekend” or similar time-based well-wishes add warmth to regular exchanges with people you’ve already established rapport with.
Just remember: don’t use these with complete strangers. They assume a familiarity you haven’t earned yet.
Action-Oriented Closings That Drive Response
Sometimes you need your closing to do more than be polite. “Looking forward to your feedback” creates gentle pressure without being pushy. “Let me know your thoughts” opens the door for dialogue. “Hope to connect soon” keeps momentum going for future interaction.
These email closing phrases work best when you’ve already been clear about what you’re asking for earlier in your message.
Ways to Close an Email You Should Avoid
Not every sign-off deserves a place in your professional toolkit. Some can actually damage your credibility.
Outdated and Overly Formal Closings
“Yours truly” belongs in a Jane Austen novel, not your inbox. “Obediently yours”? Even worse—it’s so archaic it reads as mockery. These dinosaurs make you look disconnected from how modern professionals actually communicate.
Skip them. Use that mental energy on closings that resonate in 2024.
Too Casual or Unprofessional Sign-Offs
“XOXO” is for texting your best friend. Never, and I mean never, for work emails. “Later” or “Peace out” might feel natural with your college roommate, but they’ll torpedo your professional image instantly.
Internet slang ages poorly, too. What feels current now will feel cringeworthy in six months. When you’re uncertain, lean slightly more formal rather than risk being too casual.
Passive-Aggressive or Negative Email Closings
“Per my last email” broadcasts frustration even if you’re technically just stating facts. “As previously stated” sounds condescending. “I trust this clarifies” implies the reader is slow.
These closings poison relationships faster than almost anything else you could write. If you’re irritated enough to use them, step away from your keyboard and come back in twenty minutes.
Matching Email Closings to Specific Scenarios
Context is everything. What crushes it in one situation falls flat in another.
Job Application and Career-Related Emails
Cover letters need formality—go with “Sincerely” or “Best regards.” After an interview, you can warm up slightly: “Thank you for your time” combined with “Looking forward to hearing from you” shows enthusiasm without desperation.
Networking emails benefit from “Happy to connect” or “Excited to learn more about your work.” These demonstrate authentic interest while staying professional.
Client Communication Best Practices
New client proposals require polish—stick with “Best regards” or “Looking forward to collaborating with you.” Once you’ve worked together for a while, project updates can loosen up a bit: “Thanks for your partnership” recognizes the relationship you’ve built.
Handling complaints? “I appreciate your patience” or “Thank you for bringing this to our attention” shows respect and ownership.
Cold Outreach and Sales Emails
First contact needs confidence without presumption. “Looking forward to your thoughts” invites a response without demanding it. Your third follow-up shouldn’t mirror your first—vary your approach.
“Hoping this is helpful” positions you as a resource rather than just another salesperson. Remember: persistence pays, but your closing should honor their time.
Building Your Personal Email Closing Strategy
Don’t reinvent this every single time you write an email. Create a system.
Creating Your Default Professional Email Closing
Choose one versatile closing for routine professional emails—something like “Best” or “Best regards.” This becomes your baseline. The sign-off you use when nothing particular is at stake. Make sure it fits your industry and feels natural to type repeatedly.
You’re going to use it hundreds of times. It should feel comfortable, not forced.
Developing a Rotation System for Different Contexts
Build yourself a mental library (or an actual one). You need go-to closings for thank-yous, requests, follow-ups, introductions, and delicate conversations. Having these ready saves decision fatigue and ensures consistency.
Most email platforms support text shortcuts or snippets. Use them. This isn’t about sounding robotic—it’s about being efficient with decisions that don’t require fresh thinking every time.
Common Questions About Email Sign-Offs
What’s the most professional way to close an email?
“Sincerely” and “Best regards” remain the safest best email sign offs for formal business situations. They communicate respect without feeling distant. They work across industries and generations. Nobody will ever question these choices.
Can I use “Best” as a closing in formal business communication?
Yes. “Best” has earned widespread acceptance in professional environments, though extremely formal situations (legal matters, high-stakes executive correspondence) still favor “Best regards” or “Sincerely” for that extra layer of traditional polish.
Should I match the email closing style of the person who emailed me first?
Usually, yes. Mirroring their formality level demonstrates social intelligence and respect. If they signed off with “Cheers,” responding with “Sincerely” might make you seem unnecessarily stiff. But don’t mirror anything inappropriately casual just because they did—maintain your professional standards.
Final Thoughts on Email Closings
Your closing matters because every detail of communication matters. This isn’t about obsessing over every sign-off. It’s about developing awareness of how your ways to close an email shape the impression you leave behind.
Start by evaluating what you currently do by default. Is it working? Build a simple framework for different scenarios. Test what generates responses. Refine based on what you learn. The people who excel at this aren’t stressing about closings anymore—they’ve internalized what works and when. That fluency comes from paying attention, making deliberate choices, and staying adaptable as norms evolve.
Your next email is a chance to apply what you’ve learned here. Choose your closing intentionally. Watch what happens to your response rates when you do.
