Use “Best regards” for a straightforward professional email, “Sincerely” for formal correspondence, and “Thanks” when you mean it. The right email sign offs fit the person receiving your message and the reason you are writing.

Finish any request or next step before your sign-off, then put your name underneath. Keep the ending simple. A familiar closing is enough when the message already says what you need.

How to choose an email sign-off: four rules

Choose an email sign-off that fits your recipient, your message, and the action you need.

First, distinguish the parts of an email ending:

• Salutation: The opening greeting, such as “Dear [Name].”
• Closing sentence: The final sentence of your message, often stating a next step or expressing thanks.
• Sign-off: The farewell before your name, such as “Kind regards.” Also called a complimentary close, closing salutation, or valediction.
• Signature block: Your name and any useful role, organization, or contact details underneath.

“Email closing” and “email ending” can describe the whole closing section. They do not always mean just the farewell.

Purdue OWL’s email etiquette guidance recommends a signature block with the information someone needs to contact you. Include your full name on first contact; add a role or phone number when it helps the recipient.

Use these four rules:

• Start with the relationship. Use a conventional closing for someone you do not know; follow an established contact’s level of formality when appropriate.
• Match the subject. A friendly relationship does not make a cheerful ending suitable for a complaint, rejection, or difficult update.
• Separate courtesy from instructions. Put the action, owner, and any real deadline in the closing sentence. “Looking forward” cannot communicate those details by itself.
• Keep the layout readable. Put a comma after a short sign-off and your name on the next line. Write “Best regards,” with only the first word capitalized.

For example:

Please confirm which draft you would like us to develop.

Best regards,
[Your full name]
[Role or team]

For practice beyond the farewell, build your written communication skills by checking whether each email has a clear purpose and request.

Business email closings

Business email closings should make the next step clear while matching the relationship’s level of formality.

For external clients and vendors, choose a neutral or courteous ending until you know their preferences. Internal emails can be shorter. A message to your manager about a routine update may need less formality than a proposal to a new customer.

These business email sign-offs cover common situations:

1. Best regards: This is a neutral professional default. Use it for routine client correspondence.
2. Kind regards: Courteous and approachable; use with a new vendor or a helpful external contact.
3. Regards: Brief and restrained; use for factual business updates that do not need added warmth.
4. Thank you for your consideration: Formal and appreciative; use when a decision-maker is evaluating your proposal.
5. Thank you for your business: Appreciative and transactional; use after a customer has actually purchased something.
6. With thanks and best wishes: Warm but polished; use when closing a successful engagement with a client.
7. Thank you for your partnership: Collaborative; use with an established partner after describing their contribution.
8. Looking forward to working together: Positive and anticipatory; use after both parties have agreed to collaborate.
9. Happy to discuss the details: Open and practical; use when a client may need clarification before deciding.
10. Thank you for reviewing this: Respectful of someone’s effort; use after a colleague or client reviews your material.

Pair the greeting with the closing. “Dear [Recipient’s name]” and “Sincerely” suit a formal approach. “Hello [First name]” and “Best regards” suit a less formal business exchange. “Hi [First name]” and “Thanks” work for a familiar colleague you are thanking.

A closing should not hide the request. The UNC Writing Center’s email guidance illustrates how to replace demands with specific, politely phrased requests.

Example: sending a proposal

Hello [First name],

I’ve attached the revised proposal with the two delivery options we discussed. Could you confirm your preferred option by [date] so we can plan the work?

Best regards,
[Your full name]

That deadline belongs in the message. The sign-off supplies the courtesy.

More email sign offs by tone and situation

Choose from these additional email endings according to the relationship and what has actually happened.

Short farewells go directly above your name. Longer phrases often work better as closing sentences, followed by a simple farewell. You do not need to stack several endings together.

Formal, appreciative, and friendly email sign-offs

Formal closings preserve distance; appreciative and friendly closings suit messages with a personal reason for warmth.

Formal correspondence

1. Sincerely: Formal and direct; use for a job application or an official written request.
2. Yours sincerely: Traditional and formal; use in British-style correspondence when you name the recipient.
3. Yours faithfully: Traditional and formal; use in British-style correspondence when you do not name the recipient.
4. Respectfully: Deliberately deferential; use when an institution’s correspondence style calls for that level of formality.
5. Yours respectfully: Highly formal; reserve for recipients accustomed to ceremonial or deferential correspondence.
6. Yours truly: Traditional and polite; use when your organization follows a business-letter style.
7. Sincerely yours: Conventional and formal; use in a letter-like email to an unfamiliar professional contact.
8. Cordially: This sounds reserved. Consider it for a formal invitation to a professional event.
9. With respect: Serious and measured; use for a recipient you are addressing with deliberate courtesy.
10. With sincere thanks: Formal gratitude; use after someone provides substantial professional assistance.

The British Council’s formal-email lesson distinguishes “Yours sincerely” for a named recipient from “Yours faithfully” for an unnamed recipient. Treat this as a traditional convention, not a requirement for every workplace email.

Gratitude and appreciation

1. Thank you: Plain and courteous; use when someone has helped you or considered your request.
2. Thanks: Relaxed gratitude; use with a colleague who has answered a question or completed a task.
3. Many thanks: Warm appreciation; use after a contact gives you useful information or assistance.
4. Thanks again: Reinforces an earlier thank-you; use when closing a follow-up about the same help.
5. With appreciation: Thoughtful and professional; use after a mentor or colleague offers meaningful support.
6. With gratitude: Personal and heartfelt; use when someone’s help has mattered beyond a routine transaction.
7. Gratefully: Compact but expressive; use in a sincere thank-you note to a trusted adviser.
8. I appreciate your help: This names your appreciation directly. Use it after someone helps solve a problem.
9. Thank you for your time: Respectful and clear; use after a meeting, consultation, or conversation.
10. Thanks for the thoughtful feedback: Attentive and appreciative; use after receiving a careful review of your work.

Friendly professional relationships

1. Best: Brief and familiar; use for everyday exchanges with colleagues or established contacts.
2. All the best: Friendly and complete; use when wrapping up a conversation with someone you know.
3. Best wishes: Supportive and warm; use when a contact is starting something new.
4. Warm regards: Personal but polished; use with a client you have developed rapport with.
5. Warmly: Openly friendly; use in a personal note to a familiar professional contact.
6. Warm wishes: Gentle and personal; use when sending congratulations or a thoughtful check-in.
7. Take care: Caring and informal; use with a colleague you know beyond routine work exchanges.
8. Have a good day: Pleasant and uncomplicated; use after a routine exchange with a friendly contact.
9. Have a restful weekend: Considerate; use near the recipient’s weekend when no immediate response is needed.
10. Enjoy your time off: This acknowledges a coming break. Use it when a colleague is about to take leave.

Email closings for replies, support, and outreach

Action-oriented email closings work best when the body already explains the question, offer, or next step.

Replies and next steps

1. Looking forward to your thoughts: Interested and collaborative; use when inviting a colleague’s opinion.
2. I welcome your feedback: Receptive and professional; use when sharing work that is open to revision.
3. Please let me know what you think: Conversational; use when seeking an established contact’s reaction.
4. Looking forward to hearing from you: Courteous and expectant; use after asking a clear question.
5. Please confirm when you can: Direct but flexible; use for a colleague’s nonurgent confirmation.
6. Happy to answer any questions: Helpful and open; use after sending a client detailed information.
7. Let me know how you’d like to proceed: Decision-focused; use after giving a customer clear options.
8. Looking forward to our next conversation: Engaged and specific; use when another discussion is already planned.
9. See you at the meeting: Friendly and definite; use with participants whose attendance is confirmed.
10. I’ll follow up on [day]: This creates a commitment. Use it when you will contact someone again.

Customer support and service

1. Happy to help: Friendly and reassuring; use after answering a customer’s question or resolving a request.
2. Thanks for reaching out: Welcoming; use when acknowledging a customer’s first inquiry.
3. Thank you for your patience: Appreciative; use after explaining a delay and what happens next.
4. Please let us know if the issue continues: Attentive; use after offering a customer a possible fix.
5. I’m here if you need clarification: Available and specific; use after explaining instructions to a customer.
6. I’ll keep you updated: Responsible; use when you personally own the customer’s next progress update.
7. Thank you for bringing this to our attention: Respectful; use after a customer reports a problem.
8. Glad we could resolve this: This signals completion. Use it only after the customer’s issue is resolved.
9. Please reply if you need further help: Practical; use when the customer can obtain support in that thread.
10. Thank you for giving us the chance to address this: Accountable; use with a customer whose complaint you are handling.

Sales, networking, and outreach

1. Thank you for considering my request: Courteous and low-pressure; use when approaching an unfamiliar contact.
2. Would a brief conversation be useful?: Exploratory; use when offering a prospect a discussion they can decline.
3. Happy to share more if useful: Low-pressure and helpful; use when a new contact may want additional information.
4. Let me know if this is relevant to your team: Considerate; use when checking whether outreach fits someone’s responsibilities.
5. I’d value your perspective: Respectful; use when asking an experienced contact for a focused opinion.
6. It was good to meet you: Personal and grounded; use after meeting a new professional contact.
7. Let’s stay in touch: Friendly and open-ended; use after a networking exchange with mutual interest.
8. Hope we can connect at [event]: Specific and tentative; use when a contact may attend the same event.
9. Thanks for making the introduction: This recognizes a helpful action. Use it after someone connects you with another professional.
10. Looking forward to learning more about your work: Curious; use before an agreed networking conversation.

For cold outreach, avoid implying that a meeting is already booked. “Talk soon” belongs after agreement.

Unique, career, and casual email endings

Distinctive email endings work when they connect to the conversation instead of demanding attention for themselves.

Unique professional email sign-offs

1. Onward: Energetic and brief; use in a team update about moving into the next project stage.
2. Until our next brainstorm: Creative and specific; use with collaborators who regularly develop ideas together.
3. Here’s to the next chapter: Celebratory; use when a colleague is moving into a new role.
4. Wishing you a smooth launch: Supportive and relevant; use with a contact preparing to release something.
5. Keep creating: Encouraging; use with a creative peer whose work you have been discussing.
6. To the next milestone: Optimistic; use after your team completes a meaningful project stage.
7. Wishing you a productive week: Positive and practical; use in an early-week note to a familiar contact.
8. Cheering you on: This shows personal support. Use it with a mentee or colleague facing a challenge.
9. Here’s to a strong start: Encouraging; use when welcoming someone to a new assignment.
10. With curiosity: Reflective and distinctive; use in an exploratory discussion with receptive peers.

A distinctive farewell can fit your professional presence, but it should sound like something you would say aloud. Skip slogans during serious conversations.

Job searches and career conversations

1. Thank you for the opportunity: Appreciative; use after an interviewer gives you time to discuss a role.
2. I appreciate your consideration: Courteous and restrained; use with a recruiter reviewing your application.
3. Thank you for sharing your insights: Attentive; use after an informational interview with an experienced professional.
4. I look forward to learning more about the role: Interested; use before a scheduled recruitment conversation.
5. Thank you for considering my application: Direct and formal; use when submitting application materials to a hiring team.
6. I appreciate your guidance: Respectful; use after a mentor helps you think through a career decision.
7. Thank you for discussing the next steps: Specific; use after a recruiter explains the hiring process.
8. Wishing you and the team continued success: This closes graciously. Use it when declining an opportunity or leaving a role.
9. Please let me know if you need additional information: Helpful; use after providing a recruiter with requested materials.
10. Thank you for supporting my development: Personal and appreciative; use after a manager provides a learning opportunity.

In a thank-you email after an interview, connect your closing to something you discussed:

I appreciated hearing how the team handles customer feedback. I would welcome the chance to contribute to that work.

With appreciation,
[Your full name]

When declining a job offer politely, state your decision before the farewell. “Looking forward to next steps” would suggest continued interest.

Casual colleagues and established contacts

1. Cheers: Casual and upbeat; use with colleagues whose existing correspondence is similarly informal.
2. Talk soon: Familiar and conversational; use when you expect to speak with the recipient soon.
3. Speak soon: Friendly and brief; use after arranging a call with an established contact.
4. See you soon: Informal and personal; use when you will meet the recipient shortly.
5. Until next time: Relaxed and open-ended; use after a recurring exchange with a familiar collaborator.
6. Catch you later: This is very casual. Keep it for close coworkers who already use that tone.
7. Have a good one: Relaxed and nonspecific; use for a routine exchange with a friendly teammate.
8. Enjoy the rest of your week: Friendly; use when ending a conversation with an established contact.
9. See you on [day]: Specific and familiar; use when a meeting with the recipient is confirmed.
10. Good luck with [task]: Personal and encouraging; use when a colleague has mentioned an upcoming challenge.

Email sign-offs to avoid

Avoid email sign-offs that introduce intimacy, pressure, or humor your recipient has not invited.

• “Love,” “Hugs,” or “XOXO”: Keep affectionate closings for personal relationships; use a professional farewell for business correspondence.
• “Thx” or “Rgds”: Spell out the words when writing to an unfamiliar professional contact.
• “Thanks in advance”: Use carefully when someone has not agreed to help; thank them for considering the request instead.
• “Awaiting your reply” or “Please advise”: Replace a vague demand with the specific answer or decision you need.
• “As I already explained”: Remove the rebuke and restate the unresolved question calmly.
• “Until the world reopens”: Replace dated pandemic language with wording relevant to the conversation today.
• “Sent from my phone”: Treat it as an automatic footer; include your name separately so the recipient can identify you.

Humor needs shared context. Before sending a joke, consider how the message would read if forwarded to someone outside the conversation.

Which email sign-off should you use?

Pick the situation closest to yours, then use the suggested closing with a clear final sentence.

• Job application: “Sincerely” when you need a conventional formal ending.
• Interview follow-up: “With appreciation” when thanking the interviewer for a specific conversation.
• New client: “Best regards” when the relationship’s preferred tone is still unclear.
• Cold outreach: “Thank you for considering my request” when you want to leave room for a decline.
• Email to your boss: “Best” when your established correspondence is brief and informal.
• Apology: “Sincerely” when the body accepts responsibility and explains the corrective action.
• Customer issue: “I’ll keep you updated” when you own the next update and have stated when it will arrive.
• New project with familiar teammates: “Onward” when an upbeat shared tone fits.

For a sensitive request such as asking for a raise, use a neutral farewell after proposing a conversation. Save the persuasion for your evidence and request.

Put your email closing into practice

Practice choosing an email closing by reviewing a real message before your next send. If your team needs support with workplace communication, explore PathWise’s corporate training services or ask about training for your team’s communication challenges.