Email sign offs: How to find the right email ending

From “Best” to “Sincerely”: The way you end an email is just as important as how you start it. Those last few words are a chance to show your professionalism and take care of your (business) relationship with the email’s recipient. Keep reading for an overview of common email sign offs, including which formulations are safe and which you should avoid.

In general, the email ending you choose will mostly be determined by your relationship with the recipient. When in doubt, it’s best to play it safe in professional contexts and use a neutral sign off. Keep in mind that even in digital communication you’re representing not only yourself but also your company. Your email sign off should reflect this. Try to match the tone and word choice of the person you’re corresponding with - are they already signing off with their first name or are they keeping things formal?

You can get a sense of how casual you can be based on certain characteristics of the email recipient - for example, their position, age, and company culture/culture in their sector. In the startup scene, communication is usually very casual from the start. When it comes to banks, insurance, and government offices, communication will probably stay on the level of more formal email etiquette.

A complete email ending is about more than just the sign off. Don’t forget these other important elements:

• Closing line: Before the email sign off itself, you should include a sentence that sums up the rest of the email and/or signals to the recipient what you expect from them. For example, you might request that they get back to you or send you documents mentioned in the email.
• Your full name: In more formal situations, you should always sign your full name at the end of an email. Even in more casual contexts, it’s a good idea to include your full name at the end of your email to avoid confusion. After all, you might not be the only one at your company with your first name.
• Position and contact information: This information is usually included in your email signature. If you don’t already have one, you should absolutely create an email signature. The signature should be present in all of your emails, even if you’re in regular contact with a person. That way your phone number and other contact information is easily accessible.

And of course, a good sign off is only as strong as the rest of the email. Make sure you know how to best write a business email.

I’m looking forward to hearing about your availability for reviewing the documents.

Best,

Maria Gutierrez

(Signature)

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

John Adams

(Signature)

I look forward to the meeting on Monday.

Have a nice weekend!

Jessica Yang

(Signature)

While opinions vary on the appropriateness of many email sign offs, there are some ways of ending an email that most people agree should be avoided in a professional context:

• “Name”/“Name” with no sign off: Comes off unfinished and slightly careless, especially in an initial email.
• “Love”/“xoxo”: Too familiar for a business context, unless the recipient happens to be your best friend
• “Peace”: Another email sign off that works well in a personal context but is inappropriate in a business context.