The Final Word: Crafting Perfect Email Sign-Offs for Every Occasion

Have you ever found yourself re-reading an email you’re about to send, only to get stuck at the closing? You type out the email, and everything looks great, but then you pause at the last line. 

“Best regards” has been your go-to option; it’s safe and professional. But what if you want to add a touch of warmth? You want to go with something different. 

Yet, there’s this nagging worry – will changing your style now seem out of character? Will it confuse your recipients? It’s just a single word or two, but suddenly, it feels much more important. 

Let’s help you learn more about the subtle art of email sign-offs. 

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Why Is a Sign-Off Important?

Choosing the right sign-off isn’t just about ending an email. It defines your relationship with the reader. It’s a small detail that holds the power to significantly shape your communications.

A good email sign-off can be as effective as a subject line. While a subject line can get the recipient to open your email, the closing line leaves a lasting impression and encourages a response or further interaction from the reader. 

Some senders don’t take the time to end their emails in a way that aligns with the tone and purpose of the email. That might seem okay. After all, throwing in a generic closing isn’t risky. 

But if you don’t put enough attention into how you finish an email, you’ll lose the last chance to leave the impression you want. 

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What Is the Goal of Sign-Offs in Email Communication? 

You need a good way to close your message and signal the end of your email. Without a proper ending, your reader will be confused and left wondering if the message continues. 

But a good email sign-off is more than just a polite way to end your message. Written strategically, it can summarize the message in a way that showcases your professionalism and gets your desired reaction. 

So, it’s like the bow on the box, wrapping up the whole message in a nice and attractive way. And while you can use any color or design bow, picking one that fits the entire package can show your attention to detail and get your message across. 

In the following sections, we’ll give you a few ideas for appropriate ways to end your emails in different situations.  

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How to End an Email: Choosing the Right Sign-Off 

There are countless phrases and words you can use to end your message with. But not every ending suits every message. As easy as it may seem, you need to give it the same thought as you would when writing an opening or your CTA. 

Here’s what to consider. 

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Know Your Audience

Think about who will read your message. Then tailor every part of your message to their needs, preferences, and relationship with your business. 

For example, if you’re sending emails to your customers or business partners, you can use formal email sign-offs. But you don’t have to. Depending on your relationship, informal language is totally ok. Just be sure you know your audience and you’ve built a strong relationship with them. 

Here’s a handy table to guide you: 

Audience Type	Relationship Level	Recommended Formal Sign-offs	Recommended Informal Sign-offs
Customers	New	Best regards,	Thanks,
	Established	Sincerely,	Warm wishes,
Business Partners	Professional	Regards,	Take care,
	Friendly	Kind regards,	Cheers,
Colleagues	Higher-ups	Respectfully,	All the best,
	Team members	Yours sincerely,	Until next time,

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Be Consistent with the Context

A good closing should end the message strongly. And it needs to be in line with the entire message to create a coherent flow. 

Most importantly, your sign-off should match the opening line and greeting. It must have the same level of formality, professionalism, or lightheartedness as the main opening and main message. 

For example, if you write a friendly message, you can’t end it with “Yours sincerely.” 

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Follow Your Company’s Culture

Your workplace culture dictates how you communicate with coworkers and employees. In some cases, the communication norms don’t allow the use of informal or funny email sign-offs. So, you should write more conservative ones that fall within these norms. 

But if your company culture accepts informal or out-of-the-box communication, you can get creative and even tap into your sense of humor. 

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Think of the Components

An email ending is more than a word or phrase that closes the message. It can have more than one part, depending on the message and your goal. 

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Get Creative 

Unless you’re sending a one-off email, you should avoid ending all your emails the same way. Otherwise, your emails might come across as AI-generated or templated. So, get creative and use something different to show your recipient that you think every part of the message through. But remember to keep your tone consistent. 

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Don’t Use Graphics

Graphics can help you get your message across. But use them strategically, especially with professional emails. It can backfire and come across as unprofessional. 

Visuals and emojis can be distracting and prevent the reader from focusing on your main message.   

If you decide to incorporate colors or images, ensure they’re aligned with your brand’s design elements. Some brands also have their own fonts or signature catchphrases. So, try to be consistent and prevent confusion. 

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Write Correctly 

Correct punctuation and grammar make you look professional and attentive. Grammar mistakes in any part of your message can hurt your image. So, proofread everything before sending the message. 

Avoid all caps. They look like you’re shouting at your audience and aren’t professional. Only capitalize the first word even if the sign-off has several words. For example, write “All the best” instead of “All The Best.” 

Another thing to watch out for is punctuation. You can use exclamation marks at the end of a friendly ending, like “Good luck!” But be careful not to sound sarcastic. 

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Stick To One Closer

More isn’t always merrier! The myriad of possibilities may lure you into packing more than one sign-off, but this could convey different messages at the same time. And it’s neither necessary nor professional. 

If you have a few creative lines, use them with different emails. Always stick to one closing to avoid confusion and unwanted mess. 

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Best Professional Email Sign-Offs 

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Best Friendly Email Sign-Offs 

If you’re emailing your friend or a friendly colleague, your options are endless. You can even use sign-offs that you’ve coined in your friendly circles. 

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Best Funny Email Sign-Offs 

Using your sense of humor to end an email is a great way to bond with your colleagues and give them positive energy. But there’s a fine line between funny and creepy, especially in written texts where facial expressions and voice cues are absent. 

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Best Creative Sign-Offs

Your final line stands out from the main text. So, there’s a near-zero chance that they get ignored. 

You can use this opportunity to get creative and leave a mark. By breaking the normal emailing patterns, you can increase your response rate and build better relationships. 

Think outside the box and find something that works for both of you. Find common grounds and build on them. You can also use pop culture elements, TV shows, and popular movie lines. Finally, the context of the email can help you find a unique and creative line. 

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Sign-Offs for Marketing Emails  

We all get lots of email messages every day. And many of them are from email marketers trying to get us to read their newsletters, visit their websites, or buy their products. 

So, as an email marketer, you have a pretty tough job getting people to pay attention to you. You need to craft every part of your email in a way that shows your command of email etiquette and get a response. 

In marketing emails, your ending lines can boost your brand credibility and build trust with your audience. Depending on your relationship with the audience and the purpose of your email, you can pick a closer that sets you apart and echo your brand voice. You can even create a sense of urgency or exclusivity.

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How to Pick a Sign-Off 

In marketing emails, the closing line is a great opportunity to rephrase your CTA (more on that later). 

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Perform A/B Testing

As an essential email component, sign-offs deserve dedicated A/B testing to make sure they work as intended and don’t backfire. No matter how hard you try, your final words might not leave the impression you want. 

So, if you have the resources, you should do A/B tests for your final line, especially if you’re seeing low click-through rates. 

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Other Ways to Sign Off 

If you’re sending an email with a specific purpose or if there’s an important event coming up, it’s a good idea to tailor your sign-off to match the situation. Here are some ideas.

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Anticipating Occasions 

Anticipatory sign-offs are context-bound; they only apply to a specific time of the year/week. But you can adjust them to the timing and create various combinations. They help you stay relevant and show your regard for the recipient. 

It goes without saying that you should only use these for good occasions, like the weekend, Thanksgiving, or the Holidays. This way, you can create good vibes and make your recipients feel positive. 

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Showing Gratitude

Gratitude makes your audience feel appreciated and increases your chances of getting a reply. 

Simply “Thanks” and “Thank you” can be safe options. But you can make your outro more personalized by giving it context and thanking the recipient for exactly what they’ve done for you. 

For example, “Thank you for sending me the invoice on such short notice,” or “I appreciate your (feedback, quick response, help, etc.)” can be great for appreciating a specific thing. 

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Complimenting the Recipient 

It always pays to make people feel good. Why not seal your email off with a phrase that sticks in their mind and praises them on their good qualities? 

Whether the recipient is your employee or a business partner, you can use complimentary sign-offs to pat them on the back, boost their morale, and guarantee future collaboration. 

The key is to sound as sincere as possible. It has to be consistent with the body of the email with at least a hint of compliments. Otherwise, it may sound phony or sarcastic.  

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Continuing Conversations 

You can use your email sign-off as a form of CTA, the action being continuing the conversation. The key here is to avoid sounding pushy. 

Use these options as a natural extension of your main message. This way, you can ensure the reader that you’re not pushing them to continue the conversation, and they can do it at their own will. 

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Ending a Collaboration or Project 

Not every collaboration has to be ongoing. Whether you’re happy with a collaboration or not, you can end your email in a way that shows your appreciation and signals the end of the project. 

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Reminders 

Suppose you send an email to ask the reader to do something. In that case, you want to make sure that the recipient gets what exactly you want them to do. The sign-off is a great opportunity to remind them and give clear and concise instructions again. But remember not to sound too bossy or obsessed. 

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Emotional Emails 

When dealing with situations where emotions run high, such as feelings of anger or dissatisfaction, approach your communication with professionalism and restraint. The tone and content of your email, especially the sign-off, can significantly impact how your message is received.

Opt for a highly formal and neutral closing statement to demonstrate professionalism. This way, you also prevent the situation from escalating. 

Remember, emails are permanent records and can be shared or revisited; it’s always wise to err on the side of caution and formality.

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Safest Sign-Offs You Can’t Go Wrong With

Coming up with a decent sign-off isn’t rocket science. But you do need to know your audience’s cultural and professional background.

There may be some other common ways to end your emails. But they have been used so frequently that they may do more harm than good on certain occasions. So, they’re not always recommended. 

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What Are the Worst Email Sign-Offs? Mistakes to Avoid 

Ultimately, it’s up to you to pick the closing phrase that works for you and your audience. But some things should be totally avoided or saved for exceptional cases. 

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No Sign-Offs

The only cases where you may get away with no closing line is when you have sent several emails in a single email thread, or your recipient is really close to you. 

Finishing your email without an ending is like leaving a story unfinished. The reader can’t be sure if you’ve finished the email or if they should expect more. 

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Highly Informal Sign-Offs

No matter how friendly you’re trying to be with your audience, you should maintain a level of formality in business correspondence. This shows your professionalism and regard for the other party. 

These phrases are overly intimate. You should save them for really close friends and loved ones. If you send these to a recipient you don’t know well, you’ll make them feel uncomfortable. 

Abbreviations are also an absolute no-go. While they’re totally ok in texting, they have to be reserved for texting and not sending business emails. 

Using emojis in business emails isn’t a complete no-no. You can use it on special occasions like Thanksgiving or in a context that you’re sure it fits. 

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Overused Sign-Offs 

Some phrases aren’t overly informal or problematic. But they’ve been used so frequently that tick people off as soon as they see them in a message. It’ll seem like you haven’t put any thought into how to end your email. 

Remember, you want to come across as warm, friendly, or supportive. But overused phrases are impersonal and lazy. 

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Default Sign-Offs

If you use an email service, it may come with a default phrase. As long as it’s relevant, it can be ok. But if you send several emails (not threads) to a single recipient, it’s more professional to get creative and write a closing line that matches the context. 

But it’s completely unacceptable to use a default phrase like “Sent from iPhone.” It can confuse the reader and signal your lack of interest in crafting a personalized email. Instead, use your contact information, company logo, and a relevant sign-off. 

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Others 

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How Does Gen Z Sign Off Emails?

With the new generation of workers, all the “Yours sincerely” and “Warm regards” are out of the window and replaced by funny and snarky lines. In line with the general trend of casual and friendly workplace relationships, Gen Z email sign-offs are rebellious and tradition-defying. 

If you (or your recipients) are not a Gen Z-er, you might find these sign-offs rude, passive-aggressive, sarcastic, and unprofessional. So, you may want to save these sign-offs for recipients who you’re sure are okay with these norm-breaking sign-offs. 

Even if you don’t use these sign-offs, knowing them prevents you from having your eyes pop out after seeing one! 

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What’s the Difference between a Sign-Off and a CTA?

Email sign-offs and CTAs are both critical components of any email. And while they serve different purposes, they may be confused. 

The sign-off is a word or phrase that wraps up your message, which is in line with the overall tone and purpose of the message. Since it’s the last thing your reader will see, it can have a lingering effect and make your brand stick in their minds. It shapes the reader’s ultimate perception of your message. 

You can use the closing line to boost or repeat specific elements of your message. And one of them is the CTA. 

The Call To Action clearly states what you want the reader to do after reading the email. It comes before the ending and typically contains a link that guides the reader to your website or product. 

Finally, the sign-off can encourage the reader to take a certain action, but the CTA does this directly by asking clearly. 

Here’s a table to compare their differences and appropriate uses:

Element	Email Sign-Offs	Email CTAs
Purpose	To politely conclude the email and reflect tone.	To encourage the reader to take a specific action.
Placement	At the end of the email, just before the sender’s name.	Typically in the body of the email, often at the end.
Tone	Matches the overall tone of the email.	Direct and action-oriented.
Examples	“Best regards,” “Warm wishes,” “Cheers,”	“Click here to learn more,” “Register now,” “Reply to confirm,”
Key Considerations	Should align with the relationship to the recipient and the context of the email.	Should be clear, concise, and relevant to the email content.

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Campaign Refinery: Your Partner in Email Marketing Excellence 

Wrapping up your emails with the right sign-off is just the beginning when you want to do email marketing.