10 Professional email sign-offs to make your email stand out

You’ve spent some time crafting an excellent message, now how do you sign off? Email writing is an important skill when you are a working professional. The ideal email should be great from the beginning to the end.

In this article, we will explore options for email sign-offs and why they are so effective. Here are some of the things we will look at: 

• 10 examples of professional email sign-offs

• Email sign-off mistakes to avoid

10 Examples of professional email sign-offs

A professional email sign-off helps portray your message and give it the right tone. You can easily show the receiver how serious a matter is, keep things conversational, or inspire action. Choosing the best sign-off all depends on your goal and the message you hope to portray. 

Here’s a look at some of the options you may want to consider:

1. Sincerely or Respectfully

These sign-offs give an air of professionalism and make your email more formal. Either of these professional email sign-offs will work perfectly in many business settings since more occasions call for formal conversations. 

2. Best regards or Cordially

Both of these sign-offs are considered semi-formal options. If you are emailing existing clients or vendors you are more familiar with, these are often the best option. “All the best” and ”warm regards” are two alternatives to consider.

3. Thanks or Cheers

Both examples, typically not used in formal settings, represent friendly or casual email sign-offs. They can be effective when you are asking for assistance with a task or when you require someone to do something for you. One great option to use instead is “with appreciation.”

4. Gratefully or Many thanks

Sometimes, you need to show your gratitude after you’ve received help for something, and these are great options to do that. However, if you want to sound more sincere about the gratitude or emphasize it, using “I appreciate your time!” or “I really appreciated your help!” are both options.

5. Best or Regards

These email sign-offs are professional and to the point. Some recipients may see them as a bit harsh, however, and it is common to combine them to fix this issue (“Best regards”). A couple of alternatives for a professional sign-off include “in appreciation” or “in partnership.”

6. Later or Peace

Formal sign-offs aren’t alway necessary and you may sometimes need to use a completely informal email sign-off. This is where you can get creative and let some of your personality shine. You might try something like “And that’s a wrap!” or choose a phrase from pop culture. These sign-offs should only be used in limited situations.

7. Talk soon or Catch you later

If you plan to follow up on an email or have asked a question you need the recipient to answer, these might be effective informal email sign-offs to try. A more formal option may be “I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.” This option adds a sense of urgency.

8. Speak soon

Keeping the conversation going is often important during an email, and this is one way to accomplish that. For a more formal or personalized sign-off, you may consider trying “Looking forward to talking more about [topic].”

9. Seasonal sign-offs

When used with consideration, a seasonal sign-off can help make your email stand out. “Happy holidays” or “enjoy the summer” are examples of these types of sign-offs. However, only use these when you have already established a working relationship with the recipient and already know their preference for greetings and salutations.

10. Stay positive or Dream big

These are two examples of email sign-offs that used to spread positivity. They are both informal options, so they may be best for use in personal emails or emails to close co-workers.

3 Email sign-off mistakes to avoid

When considering professional email sign-offs, there are some mistakes you will want to avoid. Review these three tips for guidance:

• Being too informal. Sending a personal email to a friend may deserve a fun, relaxed email sign-off. Just remember to not use them when any level of formality is necessary.

• Including emojis. Emojis and email sign-offs like “Xoxo” are annoying to most recipients, and definitely do not portray professionalism in an email.

• Leaving out a sign-off. Even if they are short and at the very end of your email, sign-offs are still important because they are the last thing you leave your recipient with.

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Key takeaways

1. An email sign-off can set the tone for your entire correspondence.

2. Professional email sign-offs can be either formal or informal, but you should only use informal sign-offs when you are already familiar with the recipient.

3. Email sign-off mistakes to avoid include being too informal, using emojis, and omitting a sign-off altogether.