Having a rough start writing your e-mail? How about ending it?
Welcome! You must have found our site because you’re seeking ideas on how to express professionalism in ending your e-mail messages.
Writing an e-mail could be an arduous task if and when you do not deliberately consider the overall context of the correspondence.
Well, why don’t you grab a cup of coffee or tea and join me today as we sweep off the nooks and crannies of this topic?
How do we end an e-mail professionally?
Formally ending an e-mail means that we must consider the overall context of the correspondence. In writing the closing paragraph, it is vital to convey goodwill and informational assistance. Afterwhich, we can use formal sign-off messages such as “respectfully yours” and “yours sincerely.”
The nitty-gritty of closing paragraphs in professional email correspondence
E-mail writing entails the need to have a good grasp of the context in which a particular message operates.
This means that when we correspond with other parties via e-mail, we need to consider our relationship with the recipient, as well as our purpose for writing the message.
If the goal of the communication is effectively and thoroughly conveyed in the e-mail message, then we can also get our desired response.
In the conclusion part of an e-mail message, it is imperative that we clearly express what we want to achieve, and hence, it should contain a call-to-action prompt.
We should also be able to demonstrate some form of informational assistance to guide the recipient on what to do next.
Afterwhich, we can then add a sign-off message to mark the end of the interaction with the person.
Here are some sample statements that we can use to practically and professionally end e-mail messages.
If you have any questions and concerns…
One good way to demonstrate our willingness to provide assistance is by making the recipient feel that they are free to send their queries.
To convey such implication, we can use the following verbiage:
If you notice, the second clause clearly defines the writer’s preferred mode of communication.
Doing so means hitting two birds with one stone. The entire statement illustrates the sender’s willingness to assist, and it meanwhile informs the recipient of how to reach the sender.
Please do not hesitate to…
Another possible way to professionally conclude an e-mail is something that still conveys the intention to offer assistance to the recipient.
You may use something along the lines of the following sentence:
As you can see, an alternative contact option has been provided in the message above apart from the writer’s preferred mode of communication.
Doing so should guarantee the recipient that assistance is available when and if it is needed.
Moreover, you may also specify the time as to when you can be contacted so as not to hamper your other tasks and activities.
Please let me know if you…
The third option is still based on the idea of expressing assistance and guidance to the message recipient, which apparently is the default equation here.
However, this differs from the previous examples in such a way that it additionally explains the sender’s response rate.
The paragraph above is useful when there are options for other communication channels, such as a customer service hotline.
Doing so helps the sender not to be inundated with queries that can be answered through a more appropriate communication channel.
Hence, it is also pivotal in preventing possible complaints that may taint the company’s reputation.
For further clarifications and concerns…
If you are responding to an inquiry via e-mail, and you want to inform the other person that other possible ways of seeking information are also available, you may provide instructions and attachments in your closing paragraph.
People are often misguided or simply uninformed of the alternative processes that’s why they resort to inquiring via e-mail.
These other processes may even be more convenient for the person, especially if the information being asked for can just be found online.
Of course, it is needless to say that the examples in this post cannot just be copied and pasted to all your e-mails.
Again, the overall context has to be scrupulously scrutinized in order to come up with the best closing paragraph.
But, to put it simply, we only have to bear in mind that conveying goodwill and providing assistance are the key factors in ending e-mail messages professionally.
Sample sign-off expressions that end e-mails professionally
Now that we’ve learned how to craft the closing paragraph, we can already proceed to sign-off messages, which are also known as a “complimentary close.”
A sign-off message is integral in formal correspondence because it alerts the reader that the message is completed.
Put simply, sign-off messages function like the word “goodbye” or “cheers” in spoken conversations.
Here are five formal ways to say goodbye through e-mail.
Yours sincerely
This sign-off expression works perfectly when the recipient has the upper hand in the informational exchange.
In other words, we can use “yours sincerely,” for example, when you are applying for a job, requesting documents, or any form of assistance from the recipient.
Using a consistently polite tone can positively affect how the reader interprets the message being conveyed.
As interpretation is highly relative, resorting to formal language use is always recommended when writing due to the absence of the writer’s voice and facial expressions.
Yours faithfully
“Yours faithfully” is synonymous with “yours sincerely” in the sense that it is useful when we are placed in a relatively disadvantaged position.
We can use this, for instance, when responding to a customer complaint, student behavior misconduct, or asking for a huge request.
We can also use an expression as formal as this when dealing with other highly sensitive information like financial documents.
But, “yours faithfully” might be a little too much for a simple product or service inquiry or an acknowledgment e-mail message.
Respectfully yours
The third way to sign off a formal e-mail is by using the expression “respectfully yours,” which can be used in conveying a substantial amount of professionalism.
We can use this sign-off phrase when we are apologizing, requesting, filing an official complaint, and sending a cover letter or resumé.
“Respectfully yours” is less formal than “yours faithfully,” and hence it works well in any formal to neutral e-mail exchanges.
Grammar pedants would appreciate this verbiage because it means that one is attempting to convey a positive attitude towards writing, as well as to the message recipient.
But, why not? Textual data does not contain the writer’s voice, facial expressions, and gestures, so it is always ideal to use really polite language in written conversations.
All the best
“All the best” is also another default, professional-sounding sign-off message that can be used in a less intense kind of correspondence.
For example, you can use it in your third or fourth e-mail response to a person who has given you subsequent instructions on a task.
You can also use “all the best” when responding to a teacher or professor who has forwarded some attachment files that you can use as references.
Comparatively speaking, “all the best” is less formal than “respectfully yours,” and hence, it works pretty well in non-sensitive or neutral e-mail content.
Kind regards
Another professional and neutrally-sounding sign-off message is “kind regards,” which may also be used as a default expression in e-mail writing.
You may use it especially when you have done a couple of exchanges with the other party, and you are only sending non-sensitive content like acknowledgments or informational resources.
In particular, you can use it when you are submitting a file or any other useful information either to a superior or professor.
In a nutshell, you do not want to use “kind regards” when you are filing or responding to a complaint because of its rather warm connotation.
The implications of failing to include a sign-off message
Now that you’ve seen several examples of how to end an e-mail professionally, you must already be wondering what happens when we fail to include a sign-off message.
Once again, communication is context-dependent, and interpretation is relative to the message recipient’s angle; hence, it could come across either as offensive or not.
Conventionally speaking though, writing a sign-off message is a lot safer than not using any because it is a linguistic device that marks the completeness of any e-mail content.
It also demonstrates the writer’s effort, attention to detail, as well as communicative thoughtfulness.
Although the lack of a sign-off message may not necessarily offend people whom you frequently correspond with, problems might arise when and if it becomes a habit.
Thus, it is always ideal to include a sign-off message so as to prevent any negative impression from the receiving party.
Frequently Asked Questions on “How to end an e-mail professionally”
What can we use as an e-mail closing sentence?
It is ideal that we convey goodwill and assistance when closing a professional e-mail, and hence, we can say “Should you have further questions or clarifications, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by e-mail.”
How can we end an e-mail with “thank you”?
We can end an e-mail with “thank you” particularly after we have gained access to any information through the other party. Instead of “thank you,” we can also use “I appreciate your [prompt response, information, clarification, etc.].”
How can we end an e-mail to a teacher?
We can use formal sign-off expressions like “yours sincerely,” “respectfully yours” during initial contact. We can reduce the formality after a few exchanges by using “all the best” or “kind regards.”
Conclusion
Thank you for reaching the end of our post. I hope you have taken away the idea that closing an e-mail is only taxing when one fails to consider the overall context of the correspondence.
And, as long as we use polite language and stay linguistically keen when writing an e-mail, then we can avoid chances of misinformation or miscommunication.
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.