How to End a Professional Email: 15 Business Sign-Offs

Ending a business email can feel surprisingly difficult. You want to sound professional without being stiff, friendly without being too familiar, and confident without putting unnecessary pressure on the recipient.

The safest approach is to use three elements:

1. A final sentence that explains the next step.
2. A professional sign-off that matches the relationship.
3. Your name and, when appropriate, an email signature.

For most business emails, “Best regards” or “Kind regards” is a dependable choice. More formal situations may call for “Sincerely,” while “Thanks” works well when the recipient has helped you or you are making a reasonable request.

Below, you’ll find 15 professional business email closing phrases, examples for different situations, and several sign-offs you may want to avoid.

How to end a professional email

To end a professional email effectively, move from your main message to a clear next step, select an appropriate sign-off, and add your name.

A complete ending might look like this:

Please let me know whether Thursday at 2 p.m. works for you.

Best regards,
Maya Lewis
Account Manager

Each part has a different purpose:

• Closing sentence: Communicates the next step or final thought.
• Sign-off: Sets the tone immediately before your name.
• Signature: Helps the recipient identify and contact you.

This distinction matters. “Please let me know which option you prefer” is a closing sentence, while “Best regards” is a sign-off.

If you need ideas for the sentence before your sign-off, see these email closing lines for different situations.

1. Finish with a clear closing sentence

Your final sentence should help the recipient understand what happens next. Depending on the message, you might:

• Ask for a response by a specific date.
• Confirm an agreed action.
• Offer additional information.
• Thank the recipient.
• Suggest a meeting or next step.

Avoid ending immediately after a long explanation. A clear final sentence makes the email easier to process and answer.

2. Match the sign-off to the relationship

Consider who will receive the email and why you are writing.

Use a more formal sign-off when contacting someone for the first time, writing to senior leadership, addressing a sensitive matter, or communicating in a regulated industry.

A warmer or more concise sign-off may be appropriate when writing to a colleague or client you already know.

3. Add your name and relevant contact details

In an ongoing internal conversation, your first name may be sufficient. For an initial business email, include your full name, role, company, and the most relevant way to contact you.

Keep the signature useful rather than filling it with unnecessary links, oversized images, or several promotional banners. You can find more guidance in our article about what to include in an email signature.

4. Review the complete ending

Read the closing sentence and sign-off together. A friendly message followed by an excessively formal sign-off can feel inconsistent. Likewise, a casual sign-off may undermine an otherwise serious message.

Good email etiquette depends on consistency, clarity, and context—not on finding one supposedly perfect phrase.

Review these additional business email etiquette guidelines before sending an important message.

Professional business email closing phrases

The following table compares 15 professional sign-offs, when to use them, and their general level of formality.

There is no universal sign-off that produces the best result in every situation. The right choice depends on the message, relationship, industry, and local communication norms.

Professional ways to end an email

Here are complete, copyable examples showing how to combine a closing sentence with an appropriate sign-off.

Ending a first business introduction

If this is relevant to your priorities, I’d be happy to share a few ideas specific to your team.

Best regards,
Taylor Morgan

This ending is professional and leaves the recipient space to decide whether to continue the conversation.

Ending a request

Could you send the approved version by Wednesday so we can keep the project on schedule?

Thank you,
Taylor

A specific request is easier to act on than a general phrase such as “Let me know.”

Use “Thanks in advance” carefully. It can sound efficient in routine collaboration, but it may feel presumptuous if the recipient has not agreed to the request.

Ending a client update

I’ll send the revised timeline by Friday and let you know if anything changes before then.

Kind regards,
Taylor

The closing confirms ownership and tells the client exactly what to expect.

Ending a proposal email

Would you be available for a 20-minute call next Tuesday to review the proposal and discuss any questions?

Best regards,
Taylor Morgan

A proposal email should end with one clear next step. Avoid adding several unrelated requests.

Ending a follow-up email

Is this still something you’re considering, or would a later date be more appropriate?

Best,
Taylor

This gives the recipient an easy way to answer without applying excessive pressure. If you have already contacted them, these follow-up email examples for recipients who have not responded can help you choose the next step.

Ending a cold email

Would it make sense to explore this in a brief call next week?

Best,
Taylor

In cold outreach, the final question and call to action generally influence the response more than the sign-off itself. Keep the request simple and relevant. See our guide to ending a cold email for more examples.

Ending an internal email

Please add your comments to the document by 3 p.m. so I can prepare the final version.

Thanks,
Taylor

For routine internal communication, a concise sign-off is usually enough.

Ending a thank-you email

Your feedback helped us resolve the issue much faster than expected.

With appreciation,
Taylor

Use a warm sign-off when the appreciation is genuine and proportionate to the recipient’s contribution.

Good and bad business email sign-offs

A good sign-off supports the tone and purpose of the email. A bad one distracts from the message, creates uncertainty, or feels inappropriate for the relationship.

Good professional sign-offs

The most dependable options include:

• Best regards
• Kind regards
• Sincerely
• Thank you
• Thanks
• With appreciation

These phrases are familiar, easy to understand, and suitable for many professional situations.

“Best” is also common in modern business communication, although it is less formal. “Warm regards” and “All the best” are appropriate when you already have a friendly professional relationship.

Sign-offs to use carefully

Some phrases are not inherently wrong, but they depend heavily on context.

Thanks in advance

This works for routine, mutually understood requests. It can sound presumptuous when you are asking for a favor the recipient has not agreed to provide.

Regards

“Regards” is concise and professional, but it may feel cold after a sensitive message. “Best regards” or “Kind regards” is usually warmer.

Cheers

“Cheers” is common in some countries and informal workplaces. It may be too casual for a first contact, formal complaint, executive communication, or conservative industry.

Looking forward to hearing from you

This can work as a closing sentence, but it is not always a complete call to action. When you need a response, explain what you want the recipient to do and, if relevant, by when.

Business email sign-offs to avoid

Unless you know the recipient very well, avoid endings such as:

• TTYL
• XOXO
• Later
• Bye
• Thx
• Over and out
• Emoji-only sign-offs

Also avoid passive-aggressive endings such as:

• Thanks in advance for your immediate attention.
• I trust you will resolve this promptly.
• Please respond at your earliest possible convenience.

These phrases may sound demanding while avoiding a clear, direct request. State the required action and deadline plainly instead.

How to end a negative email

When delivering disappointing news, rejecting a request, correcting a mistake, or addressing a problem, your ending should remain calm and specific.

Use this structure:

1. Acknowledge the situation or impact.
2. State the decision or next action clearly.
3. Offer an appropriate way to discuss the matter.
4. Choose a neutral, respectful sign-off.

For example:

I understand this is not the outcome you expected. We will complete the account review by Thursday and send you a written explanation of the decision. If you would like to discuss the process, I’m available Friday afternoon.

Kind regards,
Jordan Lee

If your company made a mistake, take responsibility without diluting the apology:

We missed the agreed delivery date, and I’m sorry for the disruption this caused. The corrected order will leave our warehouse tomorrow, and I will send the tracking details as soon as they are available.

Sincerely,
Jordan Lee

Avoid suddenly becoming overly warm at the end of a negative message. “Cheers” or “Have a fantastic day” can sound dismissive when the recipient is dealing with a genuine problem.

How long should a business email ending be?

In most cases, one or two closing sentences are enough.

A strong ending should:

• Make the requested action clear.
• Mention a deadline only when one genuinely applies.
• Avoid introducing a new topic.
• Give the recipient an easy way to respond.
• Match the length and importance of the email.

If your messages receive few responses, the sign-off may not be the main problem. Review the relevance of your message, the strength of your request, your timing, and whether the recipient understands the next step. These are some of the most common reasons an email receives no response.

What should an email signature include?

A professional signature usually needs only the information that helps the recipient identify or contact you:

• Your name
• Your job title
• Your company
• One relevant phone number, when needed
• A company website or professional profile, when relevant

Avoid crowding every email with numerous social icons, large promotional graphics, several phone numbers, or a long legal disclaimer unless your company requires it.

For ongoing conversations, you may use a shorter signature after the first message.

Frequently asked questions

How do you end a professional email?

End a professional email with a clear final sentence, an appropriate sign-off, and your name. For example: “Please let me know whether Thursday works for you. Best regards, Alex.” The final sentence should communicate the next step, while the sign-off should match the relationship and tone.

What is a good business email sign-off?

“Best regards” is a dependable sign-off for most business emails. “Kind regards” is slightly warmer, “Sincerely” is more formal, and “Thanks” works well when expressing appreciation or making a reasonable request.

How do you end a negative email?

Acknowledge the situation, explain the decision or next action clearly, and offer an appropriate way to continue the conversation. Finish with a calm sign-off such as “Kind regards” or “Sincerely.” Avoid cheerful or overly casual endings that could sound dismissive.

What is the difference between a closing line and a sign-off?

A closing line is the final complete sentence of the message, such as “Please send your feedback by Friday.” A sign-off is the short phrase immediately before your name, such as “Best regards.”

Is “Best” a professional email sign-off?

Yes. “Best” is widely used in modern professional communication, especially between colleagues and established contacts. For formal or sensitive emails, “Best regards,” “Kind regards,” or “Sincerely” may be more appropriate.

Is “Thanks in advance” rude?

Not necessarily, but it can sound presumptuous when the recipient has not agreed to your request. It works best for routine actions or established working relationships. When in doubt, use “Thank you” or state the request directly.

Can you use “Cheers” in a professional email?

You can use “Cheers” in informal workplaces or with professional contacts you know well. It is also more common in some regions than others. For a first contact or a formal message, choose a more neutral sign-off.

Choose clarity over cleverness

The best business email ending is not necessarily the most original one. It is the one that makes your intent clear, gives the recipient a sensible next step, and fits the relationship.

When you are unsure, use a direct closing sentence followed by “Best regards.” It may be simple, but it is professional, recognizable, and appropriate in most business settings.