Importance of the Email Ending
The email closing is often overlooked, but it's a super important communication tool that shapes perception, influences action, and defines professional relationships. The closing is the last thing the sender leaves, and often the most memorable. Its careful construction is a mark of an effective communicator.
First impressions vs. last impressions
Human memory is selective. The "peak-end rule" says that people judge an experience based on the most intense point and the end. In email, the closing is the "end," disproportionately influencing the recipient's memory of the entire message. A well-crafted email closing can enhance the overall appearance of your email and help the message stand out. On the other hand, if you don't wrap things up properly, even if you've got a great message, people won't be motivated to reply.
Studies using eye-tracking technology have shown that when people read emails, they tend to scan them in an "F" pattern. This means that the closing of the email becomes a key point that people focus on. In a world of information overload, the closing is like a final, high-impact summary of the email's required action and emotional tone, making it a vital tool for making sure the message's purpose isn't lost.
The closing's influence on response rates
The language used in an email's final lines can significantly impact response rates. A study from Boomerang analyzing over 350,000 email threads revealed that closings with gratitude (e.g., “Thanks in advance”) had significantly higher response rates than neutral endings. The psychology is simple: endings set the emotional tone. A professional close creates a sense of obligation, trust, and willingness to reply.
If you're an entrepreneur chasing a deal or a job seeker sending applications, that subtle difference could mean getting an answer in hours rather than weeks of silence.
Brand consistency and professional identity
Every email you send represents your personal and professional brand. How you end an email is really important for making sure the brand identity is clear. If you're a company, having consistent and professional signatures can make your brand more recognisable and trustworthy.
For an individual, a carefully chosen sign-off and a clean signature can show attention to detail and competence. A messy or outdated signature can cause a recipient to question the sender's reliability.
The Structure of a Professional Email Ending
A good email ending is made up of three main parts: the closing line, the sign-off, and the signature block. Each piece has its own purpose, and when they all come together, they create a final look that's both sleek and memorable.
1. The closing line: The final sentiment or call to action (CTA)
The closing line is the transitional sentence that connects the email's body and the formal sign-off. It's basically a final show of goodwill, or, more strategically, to lay out the next step.
Goodwill: These lines end the email on a positive, relationship-building note.
Examples include:
- Thank you for your time,
- Thank you in advance for your help,
- Have a great weekend!
Call to Action (CTA): A strong CTA explicitly and clearly tells the recipient what to do next, removing ambiguity.
- Weak CTA: "Let me know your thoughts" (Invites procrastination and vague responses).
- Strong CTAs are specific, such as "Could you please review the attached proposal and provide your feedback by EOD Friday?" or "Are you available for a brief 15-minute call next Tuesday at 10 AM?" Framing the CTA as a direct question can significantly increase response rates.
Your CTA should be a simple, easy-to-understand instruction. Get rid of any uncertainty and make sure you're guiding your reader towards the exact action you want them to take. Knowing how to end an email professionally means writing a CTA that a busy person can understand and act on in five seconds.
2. Sign-off: The right closing words for the right tone
The sign-off (e.g., "Best regards," "Sincerely") is how you convey the final tone of the email and the formality of the relationship. It depends heavily on context. For an ending to work, the tone of the closing line, sign-off, and signature need to match. If they don't match, it can look confusing and disjointed.
The following table provides a reference for selecting the most appropriate sign-off for different use cases.
The Sign-Off Formality Matrix
3. Email signature: Essential elements for professionalism
Your signature is like your digital business card, so it's important to make sure it's got all your key contact details on there. If you get your signature right, it can really help your brand to stand out and make you more trustworthy.
Essential components:
- Full Name
- Job Title and Department
- Company Name
- Primary Phone Number
- Link to Company Website
Optional enhancements:
- LinkedIn Profile
- Company Logo or Professional Headshot
- Call-to-Action (CTA) Banner
- Relevant Social Media Icons
- Legal Disclaimers
Design and etiquette:
- Keep it concise (3-4 lines of text)
- Use clean, professional fonts and colors aligned with corporate branding
- Ensure it is mobile-responsive
- Avoid clutter like inspirational quotes or oversized images
Now, the crucial part. That signature is metadata. Every time you send an unencrypted email via traditional email service, that signature (your name, title, company, contact info) travels across the internet in plaintext.
A truly professional approach demands security. Using an end-to-end encrypted service like Atomic Mail keeps your signature locked away in a cryptographic vault, making sure your professional identity stays under wraps. Today, knowing how to end an email professionally means valuing security.
Rules of engagement: Core principles of email ending etiquette
Knowing the parts of a professional closing is just the start. Knowing how to use them is a whole other thing. These are the key principles for how to end an email professionally in any situation.
Matching tone to context (formal, semi-formal, casual)
The most important thing to remember is that the email closing needs to be tailored to the specific context. When you're sending an email to a senior exec for the first time, it's better to be more formal ("Best regards") than when you're just checking in with a teammate ("Thanks"). The closing should match the purpose of the email and the norms of your industry and company culture. When you're not sure, it's usually best to err on the side of formality.
Matching the closing to the greeting and body
The ending must match the beginning. If you start with a formal "Dear Professor Turing," and then end with a more casual one like "Thanks," you've created a jarring disconnect. It breaks the consistency of your message and makes you look careless.
The entire message should resonate at the same frequency.
Formal Greeting ("Dear Ms. Evans,") → Formal Body → Formal Closing ("Sincerely,")
Casual Greeting ("Hi Tom,") → Casual Body → Casual Closing ("Best,")
This symmetry is critical.
Navigating the email thread
Email threads can change a lot. That first email to a new client, carefully worded, can quickly become a more relaxed conversation – the key is knowing when to switch. Early messages need to be formal, but once you've got to know someone, it's natural to relax the tone. However, being professional is still important – even in a long thread, the last line should sound thoughtful, not thrown together.
Punctuation and formatting
Small details signal professionalism.
- The comma is crucial: Always place a comma after the sign-off phrase (e.g., "Best regards,").
- Capitalization: Capitalize only the first word of the sign-off (e.g., "Kind regards,").
- Alignment: The entire closing block should be left-aligned.
How to End an Email Professionally: Examples
Here are some examples of real-life professional scenarios you might face every day.
How to end an email to a new client or external contact
The idea is to build trust and set out what the next steps are. When you're wrapping things up, make sure it's with confidence, respect and a focus on action.
How to end an email to a long-standing client
Here, you can afford a bit more warmth to reflect the established relationship, while still maintaining a professional boundary.
How to end an email to your boss or supervisor
The aim is to show that you're competent and proactive. Your ending should make it clear that you've either finished the task or that you've got a clear plan.
How to end an email to a colleague or teammate
Focus on clarity and collaboration. The tone can be more relaxed, but the call-to-action needs to be sharp.
Job application or recruiter follow-up
You need to show enthusiasm and professionalism, and make it easy for them to take the next step.
Cold outreach or networking email
Make sure you respect their time and offer a call-to-action that's easy to follow. Make sure you're not too demanding.
How to end an email delivering bad news (e.g., project delay)
The ending has to be reassuring, not defensive, and it's got to show empathy, ownership and a clear path forward.
Resolving conflict: How to end an angry email professionally
After cooling down, convert emotional accusations into objective facts that demand a solution. The goal is a firm, productive outcome, not a war.
Tips & Lifehacks for Perfect Email Endings
How to sound confident without being pushy
Confidence is clarity. Weak language is filled with passive, hedging words. Eliminate them.
- Instead of: “I was hoping we could maybe meet next week.”
- Try: “Are you available for a 20-minute call next Tuesday at 10:00 AM?”
A direct request that is easy to answer shows respect for their time and confidence in the value you're offering.
Advanced psychological techniques for driving engagement
- Scarcity: hint at limited time – “I’ll hold a slot open until Thursday.”
- Reciprocity: show appreciation – “Thanks again for your input – it really helps.”
- Consistency: align the close with earlier points; people like to stay congruent.
- The Ben Franklin effect: people tend to be more positive towards you after they do you a small favour. Your CTA should be a small, easy-to-fulfill request ("Can you confirm you've received the file?") to make people feel comfortable and get things moving.
- The Reciprocity Principle: Give value before you ask for it. End your email by offering a helpful link or a useful piece of data, then make your request. This creates a psychological desire for the recipient to "return the favour."
What to avoid at all costs
Avoiding these common errors is a risk management strategy for your personal brand.
Send Professional Emails Securely With Atomic Mail
Professional email etiquette isn’t just about words – it’s also about trust. The way you end an email means little if the message itself isn’t secure.
At Atomic Mail, we believe professionalism and privacy are two sides of the same coin. Our secure email service gives you a suite of tools that are perfect for people and businesses who won't settle for less when it comes to security.
- True End-to-End Encryption: Your conversations are protected with advanced end-to-end encryption. For seamless security with your clients and partners who use other providers (like Gmail or Outlook), you can send a password-protected encrypted message. They simply use the shared password to unlock and read your message securely, ensuring every professional conversation remains private.
- Zero-Access Architecture: We can't read your emails, and we never will. Our servers only store fully encrypted data that we have no key to unlock. This guarantees your sensitive business strategies, client data, and internal communications are for your eyes only.
- Email Aliases: Protect your main email address and organise your communications. Create multiple aliases that all forward to your single, secure inbox. This allows you to manage different professional roles, protect yourself from spam, and present a highly organised front to clients.
- GDPR Compliance: As a service operating under strict privacy regulations, Atomic Mail is fully compliant with GDPR. Using our service helps your business meet its own data protection obligations, giving you peace of mind when handling sensitive client and employee information.
- No Ads, Tracking, or Profiling: Our business model is simple: we work for you, not advertisers. Your interface is clean and distraction-free. More importantly, we never read your emails, track your behaviour, or build a profile on you. Your business intelligence, client lists, and strategic conversations remain yours alone.
When you end an email with confidence, Atomic Mail ensures it arrives with integrity. No leaks, no tracking, no compromise.
✳️ Sign up for Atomic Mail today!
