Email sign offs are often ignored but essential to your cold outreach campaign.
Email sign offs play a crucial role in shaping the tone and perception of your message. They attach personality and positive emotion to your conversation, leaving a lasting impression on your prospects.
In this post, discover the meaning and importance of email sign offs, accompanied by a list of 30+ options for various purposes and occasions.
What is an email sign off?
An email sign off, just before your professional signature, is a short line that can shape your recipients’ perception and can significantly impact your email outcome with a prompt reply. Popular options such as “Best regards,” “Kind regards,” and “Yours sincerely” add a personal touch, influencing your recipient’s response and leaving a lasting impression.
Why email sign offs are important?
Email sign offs are important as they are the final touchpoint to set the tone for the conclusion of your message, showcasing professionalism, warmth, or formality. A well-crafted email sign off can trigger a positive response and maintain effective communication.
Below are the reasons why email sign offs are important:
Tone and Politeness: The sign off sets the tone for the end of the email, conveying politeness and professionalism. It helps in leaving a positive last impression.
Personalization: Choosing an appropriate sign off allows you to personalize your communication. It adds a touch of your personality to the message, making it more human and relatable.
Closure: A well-crafted sign off closes your email, signaling the end of the communication. It gives a clear indication that the message is complete.
Consistency: Using consistent and appropriate sign offs across your emails helps maintain a professional and cohesive communication style, reinforcing your brand or personal image.
Relationship Building: In a business context, a thoughtful sign off contributes to relationship building. It leaves the recipient with a positive sentiment, fostering goodwill and rapport.
You can also read our blog on email signature for more relevant info.
What are the best email sign offs?
Some of the most popular and widely used email sign offs are:
| Formal | Semi-formal | Informal |
| Sincerely | Best regards | Best |
| Yours truly | Kind regards | Cheers |
| Respectfully | Warm regards | Thanks |
| Yours sincerely | Regards | – |
| – | Yours | – |
How to make your email sign offs look more professional
Making your email sign offs look more professional involves crafting a concise and polished conclusion that aligns with the tone of your message and maintains a level of formality.
Here are some tips to enhance the professionalism of your email sign offs:
Keep it concise: Opt for clear and to-the-point sign offs. Avoid unnecessary elaboration to maintain a professional tone.
Match the tone: Ensure that your sign off aligns with the overall tone of your email. For formal messages, choose a professional sign off; you can adopt a slightly less formal tone for more casual communication.
Use appropriate closings: Select sign offs that are appropriate for the context. For instance, “Best Regards,” “Sincerely,” or “Kind Regards” are often suitable for professional emails.
Avoid overly casual language: While being personable is essential, be cautious with overly casual language in professional contexts. Reserve casual sign offs for more informal or personal correspondence.
Consider the relationship: Tailor your sign -off based on your relationship with the recipient. For new contacts or formal settings, opt for more conventional closings.
Test and review: Before finalizing your sign off, read your entire email to ensure consistency in tone and formality. Test different sign offs to see which resonates best in various scenarios.
Email sign off best practices
There are no universal set rules to that. It depends on many factors as discussed below:
- Consider the context of your message, whether it’s a formal business proposal or a casual company event invite.
- Tailor your email sign off to match the tone and content.
- Factor in your relationship with the recipient – use a formal sign off for potential clients and a more casual one for close colleagues. Always maintain respect and politeness, choosing sign offs like ‘Best wishes’ or ‘Best regards’.
- Pay attention to punctuation and spelling, ensuring consistency in capitalization.
- Personalize your sign off appropriately, but exercise caution with creativity, especially in cross-cultural communication.
- Align your email ending with your brand image for consistency.
- Use emojis sparingly, ensuring they convey the intended tone.
- When uncertain, opt for a neutral sign off like ‘Regards’ to play it safe and maintain professionalism.
Email sign offs to make your outreach stand apart
In this section, we’ll discuss a range of various email sign offs under several categories that will help you gracefully close your emails.
- Professional email sign offs
- Thankful email sign offs
- Emotional email sign offs
- Complimentary email sign offs
- Appreciative email sign offs
- Unique email sign offs
Professional email sign offs
When I say professional, it doesn’t have to be overly mechanical. A warm tone should make our prospects feel comfortable and engaged.
Consider options like ‘Sincerely’ or ‘Yours sincerely‘ for formal business and legal contexts, though it may appear reserved.
‘Regards,’ ‘Best regards,’ or ‘Kind regards’ are safe and professional choices, with the addition of ‘Best’ to add a personal touch.
‘Respectfully‘ or ‘Yours respectfully‘ is ultra-formal, suitable for senior executives or government officials.
‘Best wishes‘ combines formality with a friendly and personal feel.
‘Best‘ is a concise, popular choice, and ‘Thank you‘ remains a neutral, professional sign off suitable for various situations.
Read the importance of email signatures in your outreach
Thankful email sign offs
Combining gratitude with expectations leads to the highest response rates. However, gratitude in advance is crucial, as it might be perceived as overly demanding. Use this approach judiciously.
Moreover, it conveys a sense of anticipation, particularly when you want to suggest an expected action from the reader. Using an exclamation point is a widely known practice that enhances the sincerity and enthusiasm of your email sign off.
Below are some examples of thankful email sign offs, which can be used depending on your tone and level of formality in your specific email mesaging.
| Sign-Off |
| Gratefully |
| Appreciatively |
| Thank you for your time |
| Many thanks |
| Thanks again |
| With gratitude |
| I’m thankful for your support |
| Thank you once more |
| Much appreciated |
| Thanks a ton |
Emotional email sign offs
Give your prospects a bit of personal touch with your email sign offs in the following manner.
‘Hope this helps‘ will work wonders if you email your prospects explaining a crucial concept or bringing forward a point that gives your recipients a whole new set of directions. This will work even when sharing vital info with your prospects.
‘Wishing you a fantastic day!’ This is a personal favorite of mine. It holds a semi-formal tone, so reserve it for the appropriate occasions. It’s likely to bring a smile to your reader’s face.
‘Take care‘. it serves as an excellent informal email sign off, suitable for various circumstances. Its friendly and conversational tone makes it perfect for sending to people you know well.
‘Wishing you an incredible (time/week/weekend/rest of the week)‘. This positive and uplifting email sign off is perfect for individuals you are close to and want to bring some cheer into their day.
‘Great working with you‘. Use this email sign off to acknowledge and express appreciation for someone’s contribution to a recently completed project.
‘Until next time‘. Use this sign off phrase to convey anticipation for future communications after concluding the current email exchange
Complimentary email sign offs
Go all the way to impress your prospects with a few compliments.
‘Be awesome‘. A touch of flattery can make your outreach more successful. Delight your prospects with positive words, and they’ll likely feel inclined to respond!
‘Great working with you‘. it’s a thoughtful practice to express your satisfaction upon reaching out to someone you’ve already conducted business with. Not only does this give a past reference, but also keeps the option open for any future endeavors.
‘Keep up the good work. Impressed by someone’s efforts on your behalf, you can include an encouraging email sign off, matching just the right amount of praise.
‘You’re truly inspiring‘. Reserve this expression for moments when you genuinely mean it, acknowledging someone who has truly inspired you or offered a fresh perspective.
‘Congratulations!’ An excellent choice for a sincere email sign off. Its applicability is clear and direct.
Appreciative email sign offs
Appreciative sign offs are a great way to show how much you value your prospects.
‘Expressing gratitude‘ goes beyond a simple thanks. If someone has assisted you specifically, take a moment to appreciate it by acknowledging their help.
Be appreciative of the time and assistance someone provided that has helped you. Mention their contribution and go beyond just thanks to make them understand how their effort has helped reduce your work or solve your concern.
‘Thanks for the consideration‘ is a genuine way to express gratitude to your prospects for considering your products or services. This will perfectly convey your appreciation for their consideration.
‘Much appreciated‘ is another excellent option when you want to sincerely express your gratitude for a specific action or favor the recipient has done for you.
Unique email sign offs
‘Eager to discuss this further with you‘. Keep the lines of communication open and include a touch of enthusiasm with this conversational ending to your email.
‘Let me know how things turn up‘. Sign off with a friendly invitation with this expression when you are sure that the recipient will respond.
‘Feel free to buzz‘. Whenever presenting an article, or an idea, be open to questions, and create a more comfortable space for your reader.
‘We’re inching closer to Friday!‘ Let’s be honest; we all eagerly anticipate the end of the week. Lift your reader’s spirits by letting them know the cherished day is just around the corner.
‘Let’s discuss this over coffee.‘ This sign off is warmly inviting, suggesting a casual and friendly business conversation.
‘Stay fueled with caffeine!‘ Ideal for coffee enthusiasts, this sign-off brings energy and enthusiasm to your emails.
‘Wishing you sunny days and successful ventures!‘ Not only a well-wish but also an injection of positivity and optimism into your messages.
‘Cheers to your success!’ A lighthearted expression of support, adding a touch of cheerfulness to your email tone.
‘Until we meet again in the digital realm!‘ Infuse fun into your emails, acknowledging the online interaction with a friendly touch.
‘Sending virtual high-fives your way!‘ A playful way to convey congratulations or appreciation, leaving a positive impression.
‘Keep rocking the business world!’ Inspire confidence and motivate recipients to continue their success in the business realm.
‘May exciting opportunities always fill your inbox!’ Wishing the recipient’s inbox is filled with positive and exciting opportunities, expressing support.
‘Sending good vibes your way!’ A casual and friendly wish, conveying positive energy and genuine care for the recipient’s happiness.
‘In your corner, always.’ Signifying unwavering support and loyalty, reassuring recipients that you always have their back.
‘Here’s to making waves together!’ Expressing enthusiasm for collaboration and the joint creation of a significant impact, conveying excitement and partnership.
TL; DR
Email sign offs are crafted to have a lasting impression on your recipients. It sets the tone for the conclusion. Besides, it shapes the recipients’ perception and significantly impacts email responses. A variety of email sign offs are in practice depending on many factors such as Professional email sign offs, Thankful email sign offs, Emotional email sign offs, Complimentary email sign offs, Appreciative email sign offs, and Unique email. Know some of the best practices while writing your email sign offs and discover some worst email sign offs to be avoided under all circumstances.
Worst email sign offs to avoid under all circumstances
The appropriate email sign off is essential to end your email, particularly in professional contexts where politeness and respect matter.
To guide you, here are ten sign offs to avoid, as they can potentially convey an offensive or inappropriate tone in your emails.
- XoXo:
This email sign off is highly intimate and usually reserved for close friends, family, or romantic partners. Consequently, it’s crucial to refrain from using it in professional and casual email correspondences.
- Sent from my iPhone:
As you may know, Apple’s iPhones automatically append this specific sign off. However, disabling this feature or modifying the automatic signature is advisable, particularly when sending professional emails.
This is because it could imply that the email was hastily composed and may give the impression that you are not fully engaged in the conversation.
- Waiting to hear from you:
This sign off is acceptable only in some cases because it can be easily seen as passive or presumptuous.
In simple words, it can sometimes put pressure on the recipient to respond promptly, which may not always align with the nature of your email. So, avoid using this sign off unless you’re sure it fits the context.
- Best:
It’s a frequently used sign off by many individuals. Regrettably, this generic sign off falls short of fully conveying the desired sentiment.
Hence, it is generally more advisable to opt for a sign off that is specific or personalized to enhance the message.
- Ciao:
It’s an Italian term commonly used for informal farewells. While it might seem suitable for casual conversation, it is generally advised against using it, as it could be perceived as overly casual or unprofessional.
- Yours:
This is another excessively employed sign off that should be avoided. Its incompleteness renders it often unsuitable for formal and professional email exchanges.
Instead, opt for a more comprehensive sign off, such as “Yours Sincerely” or something more fitting to the context of your email.
- Respectfully:
Just like “Yours”, “Respectfully” is another incomplete sign off that most people continue to use. Apart from being incomplete, it’s too formal and can create an unnecessarily rigid tone.
Therefore, it’s advisable to choose a sign off that’s both complete and appropriate to the context.
- Cheers:
It is a widely used sign off in professional email exchanges globally. While it may be suitable in specific business or casual discussions, it is not ideal for every email, especially when aiming for a more professional and respectful tone toward the recipient.
- Love:
Another intimate sign off that is typically reserved for close personal relationships. Using it in professional or formal emails can make you appear inappropriate, so you must avoid using it.
- No sign off:
While omitting the sign off entirely may be acceptable in rare circumstances, it is always preferable to include a polite email closing.
As mentioned earlier, a sign off contributes to wrapping up the email and provides an opportunity for a courteous conclusion, leaving a positive impression on the recipient.
Know when to use an informal email sign off
Informal email sign off are acceptable when writing to close friends, a partner, or casual acquaintances. However, maintaining a formal tone is crucial when corresponding with work colleagues or professional contacts. Writing casual or humorous language in business emails might be perceived as disrespectful or lacking professionalism. If your relationship with someone extends beyond profession and you address them by their first name, you may think of using informal email sign offs.
Choosing the right email sign off
Choosing the right email sign off is a subtle yet impactful aspect of effective communication.
In professional or personal communications, the appropriate sign off reflects your tone, respect, and consideration for the recipient.
Steering clear of overly intimate or generic options and instead embracing personalized and context-appropriate choices ensures that your emails conclude positively and meaningfully.
Remember, a well-chosen sign off is more than a formality—it’s the last impression you leave, influencing how your message is received. So, take a moment to select a closing that aligns with your message, leaving a lasting and favorable impression on your email recipients.
