How to End an Email (With Tips and Examples)

How you start an email is important. So is the content you include. But equally vital? Knowing how to end an email appropriately—or, in other words, choosing the right email sign-off for the message you want to send.

“A professional-looking email sign-off is not just a formality, but a crucial part of your digital handshake,” says Stefan Campbell, owner of business advice website The Small Business Blog. “Whenever you’re emailing someone, you’d like to leave a good impression on them—and the email sign-off can help.”

But how, exactly, do you do that? 

What is an email sign-off—and what should it include

An email sign-off is, as the name suggests, the way that you end your email. It includes two key parts—the actual sign-off (for example, “Sincerely” or “Best Regards”) as well as your email signature, which includes key contact details like your name, phone number, job title, and company.

However, within those two key parts, there can be a lot of variation—which can make how to end an email professionally feel like one big question mark.

Let’s take a look at some of the different options for ending an email, both sign-off and signature.

How to end an email: Examples

Now that you understand what an email sign-off is—and what it should include—let’s see what ending an email looks like in practice. There are a few different ways to wrap up an email, including with a:

Professional sign-off

As a rule of thumb, “the less you know the recipient, the more formal sign-off you should use,” says Campbell. “It’s best to be more traditional or formal when emailing those you’ve never met and/or those who you are looking to land an interview with,” says career coach Adriana Cowdin.

So, for example, if you’re emailing a hiring manager at a company you’re applying to, a professional sign-off is best. Why? “Think of it as your first impression,” says Cowdin. “When you go to work on day one, it’s smart to overdress v. underdress. The same applies here.”

In addition, it’s best to use a professional sign-off “when exchanging emails with a senior team member in your company,” says Ashley Cox, CEO and founder of hiring consultancy SproutHR—for example, when sending an email to your boss’ boss or your company’s CTO.

You should also use a professional sign-off “if you're emailing someone you have a formal relationship with,” says Campbell. This includes colleagues that you strictly have a working, professional relationship with—like a vendor or a manager in another department.

Examples of how to professionally end an email:

• Best regards

• Sincerely

• Best

• Regards

• Respectfully

• Thank you

• Thank you in advance

• All the best

• Kindly

Casual sign-off

While professional sign-offs are often appropriate at work, there are certain times when a more casual sign-off is a better choice.

You might opt for “a more informal sign-off when you're familiar with the person you're writing to,” says Cox—for example, a vendor that you regularly work with or a colleague you have a friendship with outside of work.

Generally, you should only use a casual tone if you know the person you’re emailing well. The one exception to this rule? If the person you’re emailing uses a casual sign-off first.

“If you get an email from a hiring manager…and it’s signed ‘Thanks!,’ it’s perfectly acceptable to respond the same way with ‘Thanks!’ at the end of your note back,” says Cowdin.

Examples of a casual email sign-off:

• Thanks

• Talk soon

• Cheers

• Take care

• Appreciate it!

Personalized sign-off

While a somewhat generic email sign-off works in most work-related settings, “if you know the recipient well, tailoring your sign-off can make the email feel more genuine,” says Campbell.

For example, let’s say you know a friend at work just wrapped up a project with major visibility. You might sign off your email with “Congrats on your project!” 

You can also personalize your email sign-off based on external indicators. For example, if you’re sending an email on a Friday (and again, you know the person well enough to include a more casual send-off), you might end your email with “Have a great weekend!”—or, if you’re in the throes of the holiday season, something like “Happy holidays!” or “Wishing you a happy holiday!” could be appropriate.

What to avoid in email sign-offs

Just like there are right ways to end an email, there are also wrong ways—and you’ll want to avoid them when sending any professional or work-related emails. This includes any overly personal or affectionate send-offs like “love,” “love you,” or “xoxo.” 

In addition, you’ll also want to avoid any send-off that could be misread. “When considering your email sign-off, the largest consideration is the fact that tone is difficult to convey in writing,” says Kate Conroy, Senior Consultant at HR consultancy Red Clover. “Because of this, I would recommend avoiding funny or witty sign-offs.”

Finally, “avoid using profanity or rude messages when signing off on your emails,” says Cox.

How to know what is the best email sign-off for you

With so many email sign-off options out there, it can be hard to know which one to use. If you’re not sure, a good rule of thumb is to start off with something more formal or professional. 

“Stay formal in your sign-off until you see the other person move to an informal sign off,” says Cowdin. “Think of this as the old game of follow-the-leader. In this case, the person you’re emailing with is the leader.”

If you’re working at a certain company, you can also take cues from how leadership and other team members sign their emails. 

“Take a look at the sign-offs that those in your organization have, as well as those in your industry, and find one that feels right for you,” says Conroy.

Don’t forget an email signature

Your email sign-off is one part of ending an email—but an equally important part is your email signature. “When used to their full advantage, email signatures can provide someone with a treasure trove of information,” says Cox. 

What kind of information? Your email signature should, at the bare minimum, “include your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile link at a minimum,” says Cowdin. If you’re currently employed, you should also include your job title and company. (And if not? Get creative and come up with your own title. 

“If you’re thinking ‘I don’t have a title, I’m looking for a new job,’... your ‘title’ while job seeking is about who you are v. what your actual job title,” says Cowdin—for example “next generation marketing manager” or “up-and-coming copywriter.”

From there, you can get creative and include other information that might make it easier for people to get in touch with you. For example, “you can include details on your work days and hours if you work a set schedule. You may provide additional ways to contact and/or connect with you,” says Cox. 

“If you're looking to build your professional network, including a link in your email signature to your LinkedIn profile is a great way to do so. You can also include a link to samples of your work, if you're applying for jobs and corresponding with recruiters and hiring managers. The ideas are endless!”

Just make sure to hone in on the few key details you want your email recipients to know; that way, “your email signature doesn't get cluttered and is easy to read,” says Cox.