This article was co-authored by Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Shannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University.
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You’ve just drafted a professional email, but you just aren’t sure how to sign off. Is “Sincerely” really the best way to close off your message, or are there other options that you can try? You’re in luck—we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on how to end an email, along with some closers that you should definitely avoid.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you end a business email with a professional closing?Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdMShannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University.
Life & Career Coach"Sincerely" works well, especially if you've felt sincere in your communication throughout the email or letter. "Best" or "Best regard" are other excellent choices. -
QuestionHow do you formally end an email?Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdMShannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University.
Life & Career CoachTry to include a call to action! Things like "I look forward to hearing from you" or " Please read my attached document and let me know your feedback" are both great options.
References
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/180872
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/180872
- ↑ https://studentaffairs.lehigh.edu/sites/studentaffairs.lehigh.edu/files/offices/success/docs/Professional%20Email%20Etiquette%20Tips%20-%20RBCB.pdf
- ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/180872
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/the-muse/email-sign-offs-for-every-occasion.html
- ↑ https://careers.tufts.edu/resources/professional-email-etiquette/
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/the-muse/email-sign-offs-for-every-occasion.html
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/15/smarter-living/the-right-way-to-close-out-an-email-skip-that-inspirational-quote.html
- ↑ https://www.inc.com/the-muse/email-sign-offs-for-every-occasion.html
About This Article
1. Remind the recipient of the email's purpose.
2. Choose a tone-appropriate sign-off.
3. Avoid using affectionate terms.
4. Include basic identifying info.
5. Keep your signature brief.